“Do I need a Camera?”
If you are asking the question “Should I buy a camera?” allow me to pose a few assumptions:
1) You like the idea of being able to take your photography game to the next level.
2) You aren’t completely satisfied with the way things are looking on your current means of photography.
3) You have something coming up in your future that you think would be best captured by a better means than simply a cellphone camera.
In this article, I will help walk you through the discernment process on whether or not buying a camera is a good choice for your needs.
The Photography Mindset
The first question you should be asking yourself before you begin the process of scouting out the right equipment is: “how often do I take pictures, now?” If you are like me, questions like this are painful to ask when you are thinking about something you want to purchase. You may say to yourself “well, the reason I don’t take a lot of pictures is because I don’t have a nice camera to take them with!” This may be a valid excuse; however, if photography is not already something that you think about and practice on a regular basis with whatever means you currently have, you will likely not continue with it after the “honeymoon period” of having a new camera wears off. There is a reason why camera stores and pawn shops are full of used cameras/lenses that are in “like new” condition. A lot of people purchase cameras for specific events or trips, only to realize its another “thing” to worry about and lug around. Not just this, but taking pictures requires people to be in a certain state of mind that can distract them from taking in the entire experience of whatever event they are at or trip they are on. So, they use it in auto mode for a couple of pictures that turn out so-so, then it collects dust in a closet or cabinet for a few years and eventually makes its way to a secondhand store or a relative.
If you read this paragraph and thought “yea, that sounds like something I’d do…” then I highly recommend you spend a few months deliberately trying to take pictures as a normal part of your daily life. I don’t care if you are still walking around with a 2007 Motorola Razor, if it has a camera, use it. If you want to take good pictures, you have to be looking for them. This mindset takes some getting used to and is not for everyone. It can be distracting and frustrate the people you are with, as you are constantly halting conversations or holding everyone else up to get the right angle for a shot (don’t believe me? Just ask my wife!). That being said, without a photography mindset, you may stumble across some “happy accidents” (pictures that turn out great, but you have no idea why), but those will be few and far between.
“Just” A Cellphone
Alright, so you made it this far which tells me one of two things: either you read the last section and thought “hey, I take pictures all the time and am constantly looking for cool angles and vantage points.” Or you are related to me and are only reading this to show your support (hi, mom). I guess maybe there’s some middle ground in their too, but I digress. The next question you need to ask yourself is: why not just use your cellphone? Let’s be completely honest, modern cellphone cameras are fantastic. I was reading that there is a new phone out there that claims to have 108 megapixels! That is absolutely absurd. Now, it’s important to note that not all megapixels are created equal, but that is a topic for another time. Just understand that cellphones these days have the ability to take some amazing pictures for you.
Another benefit to using your cellphone camera rather than purchasing a camera of your own is the processing your cellphone does for you. The software that is in most modern cellphones is designed to give you pictures that have vibrant colors and minimize “hot spots” in contrast simply at the click of a button. You take a picture, it comes out looking nice and clear and is ready to be posted on social media and sent to your friends, right off the bat. I’m going to be completely honest, a $500 camera with a kit lens (a lens that comes in a bundle with the camera) shot in auto mode with no/minimal editing is likely not going to be able to get you a better picture than your cellphone will. Not just this, but you’ll have to go through the extra steps of getting the pictures off your camera and onto your phone or computer before you can share them.
One final pitch I will make to simply sticking with your cellphone camera is convenience. We bring our cellphones with us, everywhere. Whether you are planning on taking pictures or not, your cellphone will almost certainly be in your pocket. Having a camera with 12-108 megapixels and powerful built-in post processing in your phone is a luxury unique to this decade. Unless you are looking to take nature photos that require macro or telescopic lenses (which will significantly bump up what you need to budget for your camera), your cellphone is by far the most convenient photography solution you will be able to find.
Give Me A Camera, or Give Me Death - Patrick Henry’s lesser-known declaration (maybe)
If you have made it this far in the post and are thinking “I know what my cellphone is capable of. I use my cell phone camera all the time and get some great pictures, but I feel like I have outgrown it.” Then I would agree that it is time for you to begin looking to buy a camera. I found myself in this same boat when I was getting ready to purchase my first camera and I have never looked back. There are, however, a few steps you should consider as you begin the process of shopping for a camera.
Step 1: Identify the primary form of photography you would like to do. Are you looking to take pictures of people? animals? landscapes? macro images (close-ups on bugs, flowers, and other materials)? If you can, try to narrow this down to one of these choices, this will help you decide what type of camera you should get.
Step 2: Determine whether or not you would like a point-and-shoot camera with a fixed lens, or a DSLR (Digital Single-Lens Reflex)/Mirrorless body.
If you want something small that is easy to throw in a backpack and hike with, you probably want a point-and-shoot. These are affordable cameras that have a built-in lens and can give you some very powerful shots, as well as a decent amount of versatility. They offer you an “all in one” solution for photography, but understand that, because they do everything well, you will eventually hit a “wall” or limit with all forms of photography. If you are at a stage where you are ready to move beyond your cellphone but do not have the money to invest in a camera body and lenses, this is a great option to look into. Understand that not all point-and-shoot cameras are created equal. If you jump on Amazon and grab a no-name brand for $50, you will find your pictures will turn out the same if not worse than your cellphone. Be prepared to shop in the $400-600 range if you want a camera capable of doing something beyond what your cellphone already has to offer. Canon, Olympus, Nikon, and Sony are well trusted brands that I highly recommend.
If you want a camera that will grow with you as you progress in photography, a DSLR/Mirrorless camera is going to be your best option. Although point-and-shoot cameras are great and versatile, you will eventually want to get a camera that allows you to use different lenses. A downside to them is they are bulky and limited by what lenses you have for them. For example, if you have a 50mm lens which works beautifully for portraits and even landscapes, it is going to fall completely flat if you are trying to take pictures of a bird. Similarly, if you have a giant 600mm lens, you can get some awesome bird shots, but you’re going to need to be halfway across a field from your subjects if you are trying to take portrait pictures. If you are looking to do any photography other than macro or birds, my recommendation is that you start out with an older full-frame camera body and a 50mm lens. This can keep you in the $600-800 range and give you plenty of room to grow before you need to purchase anymore lenses.
Step 3: Determine your budget. I made my recommendations based on a budget below $800. You will also want to purchase at least one SD card which will be an additional $20-50 depending on what type you go for. If money isn’t as much of a concern for you, I recommend focusing more on getting the lenses you want than getting the “latest and greatest” camera body. You can buy the best camera body in the world, but if you are using it with cheap lenses, it is as good as buying a Ferrari that can only drive 20 mph.
Step 4: Learn how to take pictures in manual mode… let me say that again: learn how to take pictures in manual mode! Even if you are still working on deciding what type of camera to buy, your photography abilities will drastically increase when you learn how the exposure triangle works and how to use your camera’s ISO, Shutter Speed, and Aperture to compose your pictures exactly as you want them. Start watching YouTube videos about how this works so you can put it into practice when you buy your camera. I plan on writing some instructional posts about using these, so look for that in the future!
Conclusion
I really hope this post has helped you think through your decision on whether or not you should buy a camera, or if you should hold off. If, through reading this, you felt as though your decision to buy a camera was more driven by wanting good pictures for a specific event, you probably would be better off investing that money in hiring a photographer for the event rather than trying to do it, yourself. If that is the case go here and book a free consultation with me at Witness Photography! I’d love to work with you to help make your memories last a lifetime.
If this blog was helpful for you, or you have follow up questions to help discern the types of camera/lenses you are looking to buy, I’d love to talk about it with you. Feel free to reach out to me here.
