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Home » Computers And Internet Articles » Beginning In Photography Choosing A Camera

Beginning In Photography: Choosing A Camera

You've been snapping away with your nifty little point and shoot camera for a while now and you've discovered you really like taking pictures and want to get more creative and have more control over your photos. Naturally the next step is to upgrade to an SLR camera. But which one? There is a ridiculous number of products out there with all sorts of buttons and dials that do this or that. This article attempts to give a brief overview of the things that are actually important when considering which camera to buy.

Firstly, let's dispel one of the most common myths associated with upgrading equipment. Buying a new camera will not make you a better photographer. Repeat: it will NOT make you a better photographer. Not instantly, not in 2 years time, not in 10 years. What will make you a better photographer is you. Your willingness to learn and develop your skills. Sure a high end camera will give you more control over your image making, but that's just it; its you controlling the camera, and therefore the end image. Ok, now that we're on the same track, a few things to think about.

How many megapixels do I need?

We are going to assume that you are looking at digital cameras here, although I should point out that there are some excellent film cameras around at much less expense. So don't discount film altogether (it's not dead just yet!). But to answer the question, we first need to answer another: What do you want to do with your photos? If you only want to post your photos on the web, e-mail them or make small prints to put in a photo album, the resolution you need for this is quite low. To give you an idea, a camera with 2 megapixels will create an image that can make a good quality 6 x 4 print (standard photo album size). Most entry level SLR cameras start at around 6 megapixels. Therefore if this is all you want to do with your images, the amount of megapixels does not need to be a major concern. If, however, you want to make large sized prints, you may need a higher resolution camera. While entry level SLR's often produce very good quality prints up to a certain size, more pixels gives you the freedom of being able to enlarge even further. While image software programs can increase the size of your photos they will lose some quality. Starting with a larger image means that fewer pixels are added by the program and less quality is lost.

Is brand important?

Not as important as some would have you think. While photographers will continue to debate the Nikon vs Canon issue, my belief is that it is a moot point. Both companies produce some excellent products and some pretty ordinary ones. What should be foremost in your mind is build quality. How many plastic parts does the camera have versus metal ones? Metal parts can be replaced, while plastic parts are usually set into a mould and cannot be. Potentially this could mean the difference between having to buy a new part or a new camera a few years down the track. Check how the camera feels in your hand. If it feels solid and sturdy, it probably is. Quality between brands doesn't differ greatly until you get into the higher end cameras. This is where Nikon and Canon come to the fore and other brands that don't target this market drop off. However if you decide you don't need a higher end camera, don't discount other brands.

What about features?

Cameras come with all sorts of different modes and features. Some of them seem to be included for no other reason than to be a selling point for that particular model. It takes a little research to discern which are actually going to be useful. There are, however, some that you should factor into your considerations. Firstly, what mode settings does the camera have? Many entry level SLR's have similar settings to point and shoot cameras. I.e. Portrait, landscape, low light etc. While these make things easy, the point of moving up to an SLR camera is to gain more control over your photos. You will never gain the control you want without learning how to use a camera in full manual mode.

Other features, such as a built if flash or cable release socket, may be important to you depending on the type of photography you want to do. If you like to shoot portraits, a built in flash can be a huge help in lighting shadows. If you are interested in landscape photography, you will at some point want to set you camera up on a tripod to capture a low light scene. Using a cable release allows you to press the shutter without actually touching the camera, removing the camera shake that blurs a picture.

One final consideration.

This is possibly the most important of all. Make sure the camera you choose is comfortable and easy to use. Check that you can reach all the buttons easily while shooting and that the dial and menu configurations are logical. This allows you to learn your gear easily so that you can concentrate on the most important thing: taking pictures.

And here is another random article you might be interested in...

Spicing Up Your Resume With Extra Information

I am sure that all of us have some unknown skill that we have always wanted to add to a resume just because it looks good. In today's tight job market, employers are looking for people who can do more than just the job they are hired for. In essence, they want to hire a jack of all trades for a position.

Decide what looks good

If you played water polo in college, that is probably not going to secure you a job on Wall Street. If, however, you coached for the city league basketball team, it might help you secure a job at a local high school. Coaching ball exhibits that you are able to deal with young people in organized activities.

Organize your extra info

Once you decide what looks good, you can add sections to your resume like Civic Responsibilities, Volunteer Activities and even Additional Information just so I have somewhere to list this information. One friend was applying for a job that involved a lot of writing so he added an additional information section where he added facts about two articles he had published.

Your cover letter is a good place to mention a skill and then expand on it in your resume. If you are applying for a very civic-minded or non-profit organization and you have volunteered or participated in local civic activities then add a section on your resume to include that information.

What is your goal?

Your main goal should be to create a resume and a cover letter that shows you are uniquely qualified for the position in question and that you possess skills outside of the everyday applicant. You also want your resume to show that if greater demands were put on your for different tasks, you could easily handle them.

Finally, you want to appear to be a dynamic and interesting individual that will contribute to a company as a new employee. You should only list information that can somehow be considered applicable to the job, to you as an applicant or to the company in general. You are trying to create a positive picture with your additional information.

Once you add your unrelated information, sit back and read your resume objectively. If you laugh out loud then it might mean you should remove that info. If it makes you think twice or think how neat is that, then the information is probably warranted and should stay on your resume.

So, whether you are black belt in martial arts or were in the ROTC in high school, use whatever skills that you have developed outside your work experience to make yourself appear to be the most competent and sought-after applicant for the job.