Choosing a Camera
Area 2 CAT group18 October 2012
Presented by Derek Southern
Decision tree
• How will you use your pictures?
• What subjects will you photograph?
• How ‘techie’ do you want to be?
• How often will you use the camera?
• Is portability important?
• Other questions…
How will you use the pictures?
• Post on internet eg Picasa, Flikr,
Facebook etc
• Prints – size?
• Photo-book
• Exhibition or selling images
What will you photograph?
• Landscapes• Family groups• Children in action• Sports• Close-ups• Nature• Movies• Low light
Special subjects
• Under-water
• Astrophotography
• Microphotography
• Panoramas
• etc
Types of cameras
• Smart phones (including iPad, iPod)
• Point & Shoot
• Bridge (superzooms)
• Compact System (CSC)
• DSLR
(decreasing portability)
Smart phones (inc. iPad, iPod)
• Small, easily carried cameras for
reasonable stills and movies
• Casual photos of family and places
• Easy to upload pictures to social
sites
• BUT when battery goes…
Apple iPhone, iPod, & iPadThe iPhone 5 has a refined version of the 8MP camera in the iPhone 4S, while the iPod touch gets a serious shot in the photographic arm with a 5MP autofocus camera. Both devices also get a backside-illuminated, 1.2MP, 720p FaceTime HD front-facing camera and a new automatic panorama shooting feature in the Camera app.
Point & Shoot
• Easy to use• Wide range of options• Can have wide zoom range• Image quality somewhat better than
smart phone• Constant flow of new models• Fits in pocket
3 P&S for 2012
Compact System Camera (CSC)
• Interchangeable lens
• Better quality than high end P&S
• Good low light images
• No mirror so uses electronic
viewfinder
• Doesn’t fit in pocket, but smaller
and lighter than DSLR
Mirrorless (CSC) cameras
Bridge, or superzoom cameras
• Wide range zoom, often 18X – 42X
• Needs optical stabilization for long
zoom
• LCD viewing + electronic view finder
EVF
• Full range of controls
24 – 42X zooms
Digital Single Lens Reflex
• Superior quality images
• Huge selection of lenses
• Can be controlled by computer
• Big & bulky
• Steep learning curve
• Very fast response
Most popular DSLRs
Smart phone
s
P&S CSC Bridge DSLR
Landscapes
Family groups
Close ups (macro)
Active children ?
Nature ? ?
Sports
Movies
Waterproof ?
Low light
Cameras and your subject
Why?
Task Camera type
Uncomplicated images (landscapes, family)
any camera
Fast action (kids, sports, nature)
Fast shutter response or you miss the picture (DSLR, CSC)
Videos Many cameras
Waterproof P&S (size)
Low light, no flash DSLR, CSC
How ‘techie’ are you?
• NOT! Smart phone or P&S
• Somewhat: CSC, Bridge, entry level
DSLR
• Very: DSLR, CSC
How often used?
• Rarely: smart phone
• Sudden need: smart phone, P&S
• Planned events: P&S up
• Special events: CSC, DSLR
Other considerations
• Megapixels (MP) – usually
unimportant!
• Budget!
• Extras−Batteries−Memory cards (8GB minimum)−Case−Tripod
For emergencies
• File recovery program in case you
delete some files or even
accidentally reformat your memory
card!!!
Megapixels are unimportant!
• Internet images can be quite small, for example 800x600 pixels (0.5MP)
• A 4 x 6 inch print at 300 dpi is 1200x1800 pixels (2.2MP)
• An 8 x 10 inch print at 300 dpi is 2400x3000 pixels (7.2MP)
• 8.5 x 11 inch print at 300 dpi is 8.4MP
4000 x 2667 pixels (10.6MP)
10,600 KB
1800 x 1200 pixels (6 x 4 inch)
2300 KB
800x600 pixels
500 KB
200 & 400 pixels
59 KB
151 KB
200 pixel enlarged
Some suggested ‘best’ cameras
• http://www.photographyblog.comupdated Oct 12, 2012
• www.dpreview.com