A photo taken with a compact camera.
I have often been asked by friends, students and relatives of this question. Below are some questions I would ask them to ask themselves before making any recommendation. However at the end of the day, whatever options I recommend, I always advise them to try out the camera and get a feel before deciding on the final choice. They need to like it the camera they are buying.
- What do you need the camera for?
- What type of photography you are more into? (eg. close-ups/macro. landscapes, sports, children, portrait)
- Under what conditions you will be photographing in mostly? (indoors, outdoor, night / low light)
- Will you prefer to use all the auto mode or prefer to learn more about the art of photography?
- What experience level do you have with cameras or in photography?
- Any particular features you are looking for? (long zoom, Image stabilisation, close-ups, whether proof, rugged type etc.)
- How important is size and portability?
- Finally whats your budget?
These are some basic questions to help decide what and which camera to buy.
A shot taken with a prosumer camera.
After some answers to those questions, we can now decide which type or category of camera is the most suitable based on those criterias to meet.
Basically there are 3 main categories to choose from :
1. Compact camera
2. Prosumer cameras, 'bridge' camera, interchangeable compacts, 4/3 systems etc. (between the 2 categories)
3. dSLR cameras.
Having said that, the digital cameras of today is so advance with all these super intelligence mode that it is difficult to have a bad photo. Guess what, I have to disable some of the functions of my young participants' cameras in my Junior Photo Workshop just to make sure they can learn the basics and see the differences and advantages of using the pre-set and various functions of their cameras.
This was taken with one of the latest prosumer compact camera with interchangeable lens costing slightly below RM2000.00. very good close up and great details.
They are lots of review in the internet that one can also get but again, there are always the case of information overload and over supply of options that it confuses the consumer once again.
