Your guide to purchasing a new DSLR Camera or Lens
By – Knowles Photography
Investing in your first DSLR camera can a little bit overwhelming! Where do you even start? How do you know what’s the best to get? What do those some of these letters and numbers even mean? It’s like a whole new language to you. Well, don’t worry, I am here to help get you started!
Take a few minutes to check out all the tips that I have to help you make that next big investment into the right camera for you!
Here are the questions I might ask myself when looking to buy a new camera. Don’t worry I will go into each one in more detail for you below.
- Who am I buying the camera for and what are their needs?
- How much am I willing to spend?
- What brand do I want?
- Where do I want to shop?
- What lens do I need?
Scroll down and lets break down each question in more detail to help get you the answers you need for your own shopping needs.
WHO AM I BUYING THE CAMERA FOR & WHAT ARE THEIR NEEDS?
Knowing who you are buying for is the first place to start. Are you buying for yourself or someone else? What are their needs or what will they mostly be using the camera for? Will it be for family portraits, landscape from their travels, their cute puppy, their baby’s first milestone of crawling, or maybe their kids sporting events. Knowing these answers and keeping them in mind when answering the next questions will help determine those answers as well.
HOW MUCH AM I WILLING TO SPEND?
An entry level camera can start around $400 and it goes straight up from there. Some of the top professional level cameras can be upwards of $3000 for just the body!! You will want to leave yourself a cushion to factor in other items and accessories you may need for your new camera such as memory cards, a padded camera bag, extra batteries and lens, warranty and taxes depending on where you are shopping.
WHAT BRAND DO I WANT?
There will always be this big debate in the photography world with Canon vs Nikon. As for me I am a Canon person, but that is because my first camera was Canon and I never had issues so no need to change something that wasn’t broken. I have good photography friends that use Nikon. Both are great big name and trusted brands. I do not think you can go wrong with either. Plus sticking with one of these two could make it easier for you too. There are many resources out there to help you if needed. If you are not sure which one is right for you, this blog does a great job comparing the two brands.
Another thing I would say to consider when deciding which camera might be best for you is reading some of the reviews. Reviews can give you an honest opinion on the camera from a consumers perspective. There can be minor differences in prices and between models. So I’d say do your homework and read through some reviews.
WHERE DO I WANT TO SHOP?
There are so many places you can shop these days and lots of places online. So be careful when you are shopping online you want to make sure you aren’t just getting the best deal but also the best product that comes along with it. For your first DSLR I would recommend sticking with more known retailers. Make sure you compare your prices with what is included in the price too!! You can also check the refurbished category too for possible savings.
Here are some of the recommended places I would take a look at for buying your camera:
- B&H Photo
- Best Buy
- Canon
- Nikon
- Biggs Camera (Local camera store in Charlotte, NC)
WHAT LENS DO I NEED?
If you purchase a bundle deal it will most likely come with your basic kit lens, which to be honest will be good for most of your everyday photography needs as you will be able to zoom some, do portraits, and landscape. If you are looking to add another lens to your bag and starting your photography business I would recommend the 50mm 1.8 lens. It is a great entry level lens and it has a nickname in the photography world as the “Nifty Fifty” as it is a super great investment and great price to go with it.
If you are looking to take pictures from farther away for maybe sports or traveling I would maybe look into a longer zoom lens that goes up to 200mm or 300mm.
ARE YOU READY TO START TAKING BETTER PHOTOS?
If you are ready to start taking better photos with your new camera and see what else you can do with your camera, I’d love to help guide you through our DSLR 101 Workshop. It is launching in January 2019 and it will be an in person 2 hour workshop to allow you hands on with your camera during the entire class. You will get to practice what is taught and put it into action right away. I would love to help you take control of your camera. So come #ClickItWithKP at your DSLR 101 Workshop.
Amanda @ Knowles Photography
Knowles Photography specializes in maternity, newborn and family photography servicing the Charlotte, Monroe and Marshville NC surrounding areas.
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