There are many types and brands of cameras on the market to choose from. They range drastically in size, price, and digital capabilities. Knowing which camera best suites your needs can help you decide when you are ready to make a purchase.
Which Camera is the Best Camera for Photography?
Are you a hobbiest, amateur, budding professional photographer, or just a parent wanting to take decent images of your kids? What is your budget? Will you be using your camera for portraits, landscapes, or events? All of these questions need to come into play when deciding which camera is the best camera for photography for you.
Here are three of the most popular types of cameras used today.
Point and Shoot & Compact Cameras
Compact cameras, also referred to as “point and shoots”, are perfect for someone looking for a small lightweight camera for basic every day uses. Whether it’s taking random photos of your children, birthday parties, holiday events, get-togethers, or vacations, this is the best choice for you.
There are a ton of options on the market that vary in price and style. But when it comes down to it, they are the most user friendly and smallest (compact) camera available.
Point and shoots do not require additional lenses, as almost all of them come with a built in lens that can’t be removed.
They are user friendly and don’t come with near as many features and settings as more advanced cameras that pros use. This gives you less control of your images, but if you aren’t worried about getting professional quality images, this is a bonus for you.
If you are looking for an affordable, basic, compact, easy to use camera for every day use, point and shoot (compact) cameras are the way to go.
DSLR Cameras
DSLR cameras are the go-to camera for pros, those looking to become a pro, or those looking to take high quality images that rival those of a point and shoot camera.
With these cameras, you have full control over your settings. Not only that, you can switch up the lenses to give you more versatility. These two things alone give you the ability to creatively capture images by being the boss of the camera, rather than the camera making the decision and being the boss of you. And many do still have the option to shoot in automatic mode for those times when you just need to snap a few shots and don’t have time to be changing the settings.
DSLRs vary by brand, size, and price. You can also have the option of full-frame or crop-sensor. The two most popular brands are Canon and Nikon, but there are other brands.
With a more powerful camera such as a DSLR, comes more weight. They are heavier and bulkier (some more than others) than compact cameras. So this isn’t a camera that you can just throw in your purse.
There are many accessories that you can get for your DSLR such as a wide variety of lenses, camera bags, straps, speed lights, etc.
While these may cost more and be more advanced, they are the go-to camera for professionals or advanced hobbyists all over the world. Whether you are shooting portraits, landscapes, sporting events, or weddings, DSLR cameras have you covered because of the versatility of all of the settings and add-ons you can purchase.
Mirrorless Cameras
Mirrorless cameras are becoming more and more popular. They are similar to a DSLR because they allow you full control of the settings and (most) allow you to change lenses. The difference is, they are smaller and lighter than a DSLR. So this kind of gives you the best of both worlds.
There is no optical viewfinder on a mirrorless camera, instead, you will rely on your LCD screen. Just like a DSLR, there are many accessories and add-ons for mirrorless. There is expected to be even more accessories available as time goes by and they become even more popular.
Mirrorless cameras are also much quieter than a DSLR. This is great when shooting in places you don’t want to “stand out” or draw attention to yourself.
When it comes to cameras, lenses, and accessories, your options are plentiful and can be overwhelming at times. There are so many sizes, features, brands, and prices to choose from. Narrow your options down to your personal needs and budget and you should be able to pick the camera that is just right for you.
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