Tuesday, February 28, 2012
Digital Single Lens Reflex ~Which DSLR is Right For You?
Digital Single Lens Reflex ~Which DSLR is Right For You?
by Chan Teng Heng
9 April 2009
_______________________________________________________
Moving from Compact Camera?
You probably have a compact camera or even several cameras. However, you feel that something is missing. Although, your compact camera has served you well by being available during your travels, or when required, you just fish it from your ladies bag, or from your shirt or trousers pockets. You feel a need for something more “professional”, some photography equipment that is faster, and gives better quality pictures. This is when you decide that you want a DSLR. However, buying one confuses you. This article covers the range of DSLR cameras that you can choose from, and the categories of DSLR cameras that are available.
DSLR Category
Although you may be familiar with your compact camera, when you move to DSLR, the same brand of camera may not feel right with you as you read reviews. There is no one perfect DSLR camera, since each brand of camera has its own strengths and weaknesses. For the purpose of this discussion, only three brands of DSLR cameras are compared here, although there are more brands. Besides Canon, Nikon and Olympus DSLR cameras which are listed below, the other DSLR brands include Sony, which has its own range of cameras developed form the Minolta system; Pentax, Panasonic and Samsung.
We may be able to divide DSLR categories into three simple categories: the entry level, lower cost cameras, which were intended for those who plan to move from compact camera to DSLR. Hence, many of the camera settings have pre-set functions, that allow one to take pictures in several settings, like sunset, snow, portrait, sunlight, night scenes, etc. In addition it contains settings that allow you to manually change these settings: these are the P, A, S, M controls: the programmable settings, which set the aperture and shutter speed automatically, the aperture setting, the shutter speed setting and the manual settings. The entry level itself contains at least three sub-catogories of entry level cameras that have increasing degrees of sophistication and speed as shown in Table 1. There are several considerations to weigh to make a decision:
Weight and size
DSLR generally weighs more than compact cameras. The body weight and the lens weight sometimes makes owning a DSLR camera a disadvantage, especially if you need to be mobile, such as traveling. The smallest camera of the three brands is the E-420 which is only 445 grams! Canon 1000D is 502gram, while Nikon D60 is 522 grams. These are not much heavier than the high end compact cameras. The heaviest are the high end cameras, like Canon 1D Mk III and the Nikon D3: they weigh 1.385 kg and 1.420kg respectively! With a professional lens, the weight may come to about 3 kg!
This is a deterrent to owning a top range camera, besides being pricey. The mid-range cameras are not light either: Canon 40D weighs 822grams without lens, Nikon D60 is 620 grams, and Olympus E30 is 685grams. With the lens, especially the telescopic lens, the mid-range DSLR may weigh up to 1.5kg, which is reasonably heavy, and is heavier if you lug around the equipment over one week during traveling. One consideration DSLR owners have to bear in mind is whether you will need the camera during stationery usage, or if you need to move around. When I first switched to DSLR camera, which was the Olympus E510, I had to leave the camera and telescopic lens behind for a few days, before I decided to use it since I have bought it.
Pricing
In my previous article on buying compact or DSLR, I did mention that buying a compact camera is almost sufficient without additional purchases of accessories, while buying DSLR cameras require one to factor in additional costs of purchase of lenses, lens filter, camera bags, tripod and other accessories. All in, an experienced DSLR owner may spend about an equal amount in lens, or even three times that of a DSLR camera purchase. Table 1 shows the progression in price increase as one upgrades from entry level to experienced entry level to mid range and to the high end cameras. In the pursuit of the perfect picture taking, one can literally spend thousands of dollars on DSLR and related equipment.
Functionality and Image Quality
We always wonder why do photojournalists or professional photographers buy expensive, “oversized” [to beginning DSLR owners] and heavy equipment. The reasons are related to the functionality of the camera, where one can have little manual control over the settings, or full control in order to snap the best pictures. Speed is equally important. When the F1 Grand Prix was held in Singapore towards the end of 2008, I realized that even my more advanced entry level e520 camera was not fast enough to take the speedy F1 cars. That was when I wished I had a faster camera, and resorted to try the “faster” Nikon D300 camera. As I watched the pool of photojournalists with their D3s and 1D MKIII cameras, I then understood why: they could use the best lens and the best speed to generate breath taking pictures. Table 2 shows the functionality of the cameras.
Hence, understanding what you want is important. However, for beginner DSLR users, they may not know what they need until they have experienced themselves the capabilities of several types and categories of cameras. If they need simple portrait pictures, the entry level is more than sufficient; However, if they have children , I know of camera hobbyist changing their equipment when they realized their children are also “speedy Gonzales” objects, too fast even for entry level DSLRs. If they pay a bit more for more functionality, and better lens, then the mid range may suffice. Taking sports require different lenses and cameras. I met a Thai national working with an American airline: he had a Canon 40D, with the 1.5kg 70-200mm fast lens, as he wanted to take his teenage son playing basket ball, which is quite a fast sports.
Insistence on good quality pictures have led many hobbyists buy the full frame cameras (Canon 5D, Nikon D700). Those who prefer outdoor picture taking may want to go for the weather proof Olympus E3, which although not full frame, is resistant to inclemental and wet weather.
Does Megapixel count?
Recent DSLR cameras that have been sold have more than 10 megapixel, and 12 megapixel, 14 megapixels are increasingly becoming common. However , pixel size may not mean sharper pictures, as owners of Canon 50 D realized that this 15.1 megapixel camera could not match the 10.1 megapixel Canon 40 D DSLR, leading to a slower sales off take than expected. One reason was that the pixel density on the 50 D was higher (4.5mpixel /sq cm.) than that of the 40D (3.1mpixel /sq cm). The density of the megapixel has reached a point that other factors (sensor size, processor type) are changing the parameters for producing better quality pictures. Therefore reviews of cameras are important for purchasing decisions.
Settling of the Dust
Many times we read of the preview of new camera launches, and based on the specifications of the camera, and on limited field usage, many hobbyists become early purchasers, only to turn disappointed after using the new camera. Hence, it is not surprising that many owners sell the cameras after only a few weeks, and even a few days usage. Sometimes the software or firmware of the cameras have not been released yet to optimize the camera settings. Hence, it may be advisable to therefore wait until the cameras have been released after a few months to make the jump to purchase.
Summary
Owning a DSLR means you must be prepared to set aside additional sums of money for accessories, to acquire the better lens, filter and accessories to give you the picture you require. While generally DSLRs give better picture images, I have also seen very high quality pictures taken by compact cameras, because the photographer has the right settings for the right environment. For DSLR ownership, we therefore recommend the follwing, although not exhaustive:
i) conduct extensive research on the DSLR you wish to purchase
ii) re-examine what is your reason for owning the DSLR and for what purpose?
iii) Try out the DSLR in show room, in camera group meetings, or pose plenty of questions to photography forum participants
iv) Purchase a second hand DSLR as a low-entry, lower-risk way of learning about photography and DSLR. Remember that DSLR cameras depreciate very fast, but good lenses have more value in the long run
v) Make the purchase that you want.
Good luck in your first DSLR purchase.
Dr Chan Teng Heng
A Biz Professor who likes all things digital and electronics.
by Chan Teng Heng
9 April 2009
_______________________________________________________
Moving from Compact Camera?
You probably have a compact camera or even several cameras. However, you feel that something is missing. Although, your compact camera has served you well by being available during your travels, or when required, you just fish it from your ladies bag, or from your shirt or trousers pockets. You feel a need for something more “professional”, some photography equipment that is faster, and gives better quality pictures. This is when you decide that you want a DSLR. However, buying one confuses you. This article covers the range of DSLR cameras that you can choose from, and the categories of DSLR cameras that are available.
DSLR Category
Although you may be familiar with your compact camera, when you move to DSLR, the same brand of camera may not feel right with you as you read reviews. There is no one perfect DSLR camera, since each brand of camera has its own strengths and weaknesses. For the purpose of this discussion, only three brands of DSLR cameras are compared here, although there are more brands. Besides Canon, Nikon and Olympus DSLR cameras which are listed below, the other DSLR brands include Sony, which has its own range of cameras developed form the Minolta system; Pentax, Panasonic and Samsung.
We may be able to divide DSLR categories into three simple categories: the entry level, lower cost cameras, which were intended for those who plan to move from compact camera to DSLR. Hence, many of the camera settings have pre-set functions, that allow one to take pictures in several settings, like sunset, snow, portrait, sunlight, night scenes, etc. In addition it contains settings that allow you to manually change these settings: these are the P, A, S, M controls: the programmable settings, which set the aperture and shutter speed automatically, the aperture setting, the shutter speed setting and the manual settings. The entry level itself contains at least three sub-catogories of entry level cameras that have increasing degrees of sophistication and speed as shown in Table 1. There are several considerations to weigh to make a decision:
Weight and size
DSLR generally weighs more than compact cameras. The body weight and the lens weight sometimes makes owning a DSLR camera a disadvantage, especially if you need to be mobile, such as traveling. The smallest camera of the three brands is the E-420 which is only 445 grams! Canon 1000D is 502gram, while Nikon D60 is 522 grams. These are not much heavier than the high end compact cameras. The heaviest are the high end cameras, like Canon 1D Mk III and the Nikon D3: they weigh 1.385 kg and 1.420kg respectively! With a professional lens, the weight may come to about 3 kg!
This is a deterrent to owning a top range camera, besides being pricey. The mid-range cameras are not light either: Canon 40D weighs 822grams without lens, Nikon D60 is 620 grams, and Olympus E30 is 685grams. With the lens, especially the telescopic lens, the mid-range DSLR may weigh up to 1.5kg, which is reasonably heavy, and is heavier if you lug around the equipment over one week during traveling. One consideration DSLR owners have to bear in mind is whether you will need the camera during stationery usage, or if you need to move around. When I first switched to DSLR camera, which was the Olympus E510, I had to leave the camera and telescopic lens behind for a few days, before I decided to use it since I have bought it.
Pricing
In my previous article on buying compact or DSLR, I did mention that buying a compact camera is almost sufficient without additional purchases of accessories, while buying DSLR cameras require one to factor in additional costs of purchase of lenses, lens filter, camera bags, tripod and other accessories. All in, an experienced DSLR owner may spend about an equal amount in lens, or even three times that of a DSLR camera purchase. Table 1 shows the progression in price increase as one upgrades from entry level to experienced entry level to mid range and to the high end cameras. In the pursuit of the perfect picture taking, one can literally spend thousands of dollars on DSLR and related equipment.
Functionality and Image Quality
We always wonder why do photojournalists or professional photographers buy expensive, “oversized” [to beginning DSLR owners] and heavy equipment. The reasons are related to the functionality of the camera, where one can have little manual control over the settings, or full control in order to snap the best pictures. Speed is equally important. When the F1 Grand Prix was held in Singapore towards the end of 2008, I realized that even my more advanced entry level e520 camera was not fast enough to take the speedy F1 cars. That was when I wished I had a faster camera, and resorted to try the “faster” Nikon D300 camera. As I watched the pool of photojournalists with their D3s and 1D MKIII cameras, I then understood why: they could use the best lens and the best speed to generate breath taking pictures. Table 2 shows the functionality of the cameras.
Hence, understanding what you want is important. However, for beginner DSLR users, they may not know what they need until they have experienced themselves the capabilities of several types and categories of cameras. If they need simple portrait pictures, the entry level is more than sufficient; However, if they have children , I know of camera hobbyist changing their equipment when they realized their children are also “speedy Gonzales” objects, too fast even for entry level DSLRs. If they pay a bit more for more functionality, and better lens, then the mid range may suffice. Taking sports require different lenses and cameras. I met a Thai national working with an American airline: he had a Canon 40D, with the 1.5kg 70-200mm fast lens, as he wanted to take his teenage son playing basket ball, which is quite a fast sports.
Insistence on good quality pictures have led many hobbyists buy the full frame cameras (Canon 5D, Nikon D700). Those who prefer outdoor picture taking may want to go for the weather proof Olympus E3, which although not full frame, is resistant to inclemental and wet weather.
Does Megapixel count?
Recent DSLR cameras that have been sold have more than 10 megapixel, and 12 megapixel, 14 megapixels are increasingly becoming common. However , pixel size may not mean sharper pictures, as owners of Canon 50 D realized that this 15.1 megapixel camera could not match the 10.1 megapixel Canon 40 D DSLR, leading to a slower sales off take than expected. One reason was that the pixel density on the 50 D was higher (4.5mpixel /sq cm.) than that of the 40D (3.1mpixel /sq cm). The density of the megapixel has reached a point that other factors (sensor size, processor type) are changing the parameters for producing better quality pictures. Therefore reviews of cameras are important for purchasing decisions.
Settling of the Dust
Many times we read of the preview of new camera launches, and based on the specifications of the camera, and on limited field usage, many hobbyists become early purchasers, only to turn disappointed after using the new camera. Hence, it is not surprising that many owners sell the cameras after only a few weeks, and even a few days usage. Sometimes the software or firmware of the cameras have not been released yet to optimize the camera settings. Hence, it may be advisable to therefore wait until the cameras have been released after a few months to make the jump to purchase.
Summary
Owning a DSLR means you must be prepared to set aside additional sums of money for accessories, to acquire the better lens, filter and accessories to give you the picture you require. While generally DSLRs give better picture images, I have also seen very high quality pictures taken by compact cameras, because the photographer has the right settings for the right environment. For DSLR ownership, we therefore recommend the follwing, although not exhaustive:
i) conduct extensive research on the DSLR you wish to purchase
ii) re-examine what is your reason for owning the DSLR and for what purpose?
iii) Try out the DSLR in show room, in camera group meetings, or pose plenty of questions to photography forum participants
iv) Purchase a second hand DSLR as a low-entry, lower-risk way of learning about photography and DSLR. Remember that DSLR cameras depreciate very fast, but good lenses have more value in the long run
v) Make the purchase that you want.
Good luck in your first DSLR purchase.
Dr Chan Teng Heng
A Biz Professor who likes all things digital and electronics.
No comments:
Post a Comment