10 things to keep in mind when buying a DSLR

Many new photographers today face a very common dilemma - how to choose which DSLR to buy? First they need to understand what a DSLR is. A DSLR stands for Digital Single Lens Reflex camera. These cameras offer more control in the hands of the user then other conventional digital cameras. They also provide an option of choosing what type of lens the user wishes to use depending on his preference for a particular style of photography. In the following article we will discuss the 10 most important things to look for when buying a DSLR.

Step 1.  What is the camera going to be used for? One needs to be sure of what the subject of his photography is going to be, is it going to be a fast moving object or landscapes or wildlife? Once that is decided he can look for a camera that suits him most.

Step 2.  The size of the camera is also an important factor when it comes to choosing a DSLR. One needs to be sure how comfortable he is going to be when carrying a DSLR around, as most of them are heavy and bulky in comparison to digital cameras they might be used to.

Step 3.  Sensor size plays a very important role in the final output of the camera. The larger the sensor size, the more megapixels it can pack and the higher is the quality of the image produced. Traditionally full frame cameras have a 35mm sensor which do not crop or resize the image, hence providing an almost exact replica of what the user sees through the viewfinder. But full frame DSLR’s can be very expensive and are mostly used by professionals.

Step 4. Till recently the LCD on most DSLRs only offered the consumer the option to preview the pictures that he has taken, but nowadays many new DSLRs offer the option of using the LCD like a regular digital camera to see what the user is clicking; without the need to use the optical viewfinder at all times. This helps many macro photographers when focusing close objects.

Step 5. The type of memory card it uses also is very important. Most DSLRs use Compact Flash memory cards although some use SD cards. If one owns a standard digital camera he may wish to look for a model of DSLR that uses the same variety of memory card that can save him from buying a new card.

Step 6. Most DSLR’s come equipped with a standard lens but which lenses one wants choose to invest in depends entirely on the choice of pictures he wants to be taking: for close up of insects or flowers one may need a macro lens, and for landscapes and city photography one might be happier with a wide angle lens.

Step 7. The type of format a DSLR takes pictures in is also very important. Most DSLRs today take pictures in RAW format which is basically the equivalent of a film negative, which gives him the option of tinkering around with the picture using special softwares usually provided with the camera and helps in producing the desired pictures.

Step 8. The ISO sensitivity of a DSLR basically tell you how good the camera will be when taking pictures in low-light conditions, without a flash. Higher ISO settings will make the picture brighter and reduce blur but will also make the picture distorted, which is usually known as noise. The quality of the sensor will govern how noisy a picture is.

Step 9.  All DSLR cameras provide the option of changing shutter speeds. The shutter sped is basically the time for which the shutter stays open and allows the sensor to be exposed to what the lens is looking at. Higher shutter speeds will reduce the amount of light entering the camera but will allow the user to take pictures or fast moving objects. In low-light conditions, reducing the shutter speed helps one take better pictures.

Step 10. Pixels and Megapixels. The biggest misconception is that higher megapixels mean better picture quality which is not the case. Mexapixels in a DSLR will only govern how big the actual picture is going to be. The overall quality of the picture still depends on how big and how good the quality of the sensor is.