How to choose a digital camera.
I get asked from time to time how to choose a camera or what
camera I’d recommend. I find it difficult to say that any one
camera is better than another, as we all differ in our
requirements and what price we can afford to pay.
My advice is …
1. Make a list of all your requirements …
For example …
Compact camera (to fit inside your pocket) or a large digital SLR?
… how heavy/bulky should the camera be?
High or low quality photos … think about the quality of your lens
(as well as how many megapixels you'd like)
Takes photos in poor light
Takes close-ups
Takes shots of moving distant wildlife … eg eagles, deer
Takes landscape photos … (?wide-angle or tele-photo lens)
(so think about extra lenses that might be required)
Takes photos in rapid succession (cheaper cameras can take a
minute or so to “recover” between each shot)
How quickly does the flash work (and how long does it take to
recover between each flash)?
Think about the visibility of the LCD viewer in strong sunlight.
(If the latter is on all the time, then your camera batteries
will be used up rapidly)
How heavy should the camera be?
What sort of batteries will it take?
Is it compatible with the Windows/Mac operating system
you’ve got?
2. Go into a shop like Jessops or John Lewis, and check out the
cameras in your price range. What do they feel like to handle?
How quick & easy is it to take a photo? Make a note of each
camera you like.
3. Back at home, have a look at the following two camera review
sites for the models you like the look of. On these sites there
are comparisons with cameras of similar quality and price. Does
the camera “tick all your boxes”?
http://www.dpreview.com/
http://www.epinions.com/elec-Photo
Here are the reviews for the cameras that my wife Sue and I chose
(these models are obsolete now, but there are similar models available
as I’ve indicated).
For my Canon Digital Rebel (350 DSLR)
DP Reviews Canon 350
E-opinions review Canon 350
Here is the current comparable model ..
… the Canon EOS 400D (basic model in Jessops now £400)
....and Sue’s Canon Powershot A520
http://www1.epinions.com/Canon_PowerShot_A520_Digital_Camera
Here is the current model in the series, on sale in Jessops at
the moment at £150…
http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/canona720is/
4. Buy the camera either at a shop like Jessops, especially if
the price is heavily discounted (which usually happens if the
model is about to be superseded by another)… or by the camera
online (eg Jessops, Amazon & Dabs). The advantages of buying at
a shop would be for the after-sales service and for getting
repairs done, which I think would be easier than dealing with
an online company.
Have fun !
John Hollins
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080210 update re compact cameras
I’ve just been reading about Stephen Fry’s choice of two compact digital
cameras, which he owns (Dork Talk The Guardian 26 Jan 08).
He’s very pleased with…
1. Sony Cybershot DSC-T200
http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/specs/Sony/sony_dsct200.asp
2. Casio EX-S880
http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/specs/Casio/casio_exs880.asp
However, if you read the owners’ opinions on these two cameras, both
have had mixed reviews.
Let me know which digital camera(s) you’d recommend (by email to nottu3a AT googlemail.com), and I’ll put your choice up on this blogsite.
