If you are a lover of photography and you start to enter this wonderful world full of artistic souls in desperate search of an expression channel, you must already dream of buying your first SLR camera, if you have already bought the first one, are you probably already dreaming about the second, with a model of a billion megapixels, millions of spotlights, millions of kilos of extra weight ?.
But hey, you know there’s a world before and after SLR cameras?Because we are not going to make mistakes, SLR cameras are excellent, in fact in this blog we continue to recommend models and articles that concern them, but the truth is that just as there is no car suitable for everyone, there is also no single camera or type of camera recommended for everyone.
- Fortunately there are many more types.
- But sometimes we stay on the surface without scratching too much and we get gadgets that we don’t know how to take advantage of or just don’t adapt to our needs.
That’s why I suggest you give some hints-guidelines-tips so you can see that the world of photography goes far beyond SLR cameras because, in the end, the best camera is the one you take. always with you.
Before buying a camera, you should be very clear about your condition, because as whimsical human beings, creators of unfulfilled target lists that we are, it is important to be honest with yourself before making the decision to buy one camera or another. Will asking the right questions and answering them honestly save you a lot of money you can use for something else?
It’s not the same if you like street photography or if you like macro photography, it’s not the same if you’re a photographer who likes to improvise, who will kill shots of hunting scenes, or who likes to plan the image to the millimeter. You can make both versions with an SLR camera, that’s obvious, but a photographer who likes to steal street scenes may be better off with a less bulky camera and more discreet than an SLR with a telephoto lens capable of photographing the craters of the moon. Fortunately, these cameras exist and also compete directly with SLRs in terms of quality.
Here, it’s not practical to make a mistake. It is clear that you will have moments of passion more or less photographic, but no one knows each other better than you, if every day represents an opportunity for you, or if you only take photos for your daughter’s birthday or on your vacation trip, it is clear that with so many camera options on the market, in these two opposite cases, the right option is not the same.
It’s also not the same if you’re going to make a building-sized poster or if you want to hang it on Facebook (Instagram, Google, etc. ). Isn’t it the same if you want to enlarge them and hang them on the wall, if it’s a professional job, or if they’re photos that will stay with the family?
Once you have sincerely answered the above questions, can you move on to the next level?
I’ll be honest because this isn’t going to boycott the SLR cameras. SLR cameras are great, in fact, I’ve had one since I have memory, because I love photography for a few years now and I’ve tried many types of cameras until I found the one I needed at every stage. From old analog SLRs to telemetry, medium-format and compact snopeic cameras to today with DSLR cameras.
In these five points, I summarize five reasons not to buy an SLR, although it may seem strange that we say it from the blog, at this point in the article, do you understand why we do it ?:
If you have come so far in reading and still want to caress the body of an SLR, portray your own version of the world through its small viewer and listen to the click of the photo, congratulations and welcome to the club;).
If, on the other hand, you’re already thinking about it, you’d better keep reading the next section.
I’ve already advanced it, let me elaborate a little and add some recommendations so you don’t get lost in the vastness of nowhere ?.
Ideal if you like to take photos automatically and focus on framing. They weigh little, are relatively inexpensive, easy to use and you can take them anywhere with you. If you want a daily companion, a compact one can be a great choice. They have a good built-in zoom, flash and even folding screens and good image quality. As I mentioned earlier, is the best camera in your hands?
A recommendation? I am a proud owner of a Canon Powershot G12 that fell into my hands one Christmas a few years ago and the truth is that I do not tire of recommending it, although the models have evolved a lot since then, so a current alternative could be the Canon Powershot G1X Mark II. You’ve got it on Amazon for about 400 euros. It’s not a compact price, but isn’t it compact?If you get as much as I get in mine, it’ll be worth it.
Also known as EVIL or mirrorless cameras, they compete directly with SLRs and, like these, you have them in the amateur, advanced amateur and professional range.
In favor of these cameras, I will tell you that they are more compact than SLRs, they weigh relatively little, have good sensors, interchangeable lenses, manual settings, a very attractive design and a long list that places them face to face with DSLR and even in many cases exceeds them.
These cameras are authentic virguerias that combine quality and portability, they are also increasingly competitive in price and gradually increase the variety of their optics, keep them in mind :-).
I don’t have a personal favorite like this, but I know which ones you have the best opinion on. To choose yours, I recommend our article with the best EVIL cameras. From there, everything you’re willing to spend, because the price can rise to almost infinity.
If you want to photograph the adventure and at the same time be the protagonist of the action in the purest fisheye style, this is your camera: you can place it where you can think, almost resist the impossible, weigh little, get cold, water and what do you throw at it ?. We dedicate a complete article to the whole range, you can read it here.
My recommendation for money could be the GoPro Hero 7 (you have it on Amazon for about 220 euros) with touch screen, WIFI and voice control.
Although, in terms of action cameras, we can’t forget about the Sony Action Cam, don’t you know them yet?
Well, it seems that we are still vintage romantics who like the smell of chemicals on the paper, and how the images appear little by little and magically, so if you have a Polaroid from your grandfather or mother, you are lucky because the reels they were discontinued until a company from The Impossible Project decided to re-manufacture them. Film is not cheap, but I imagine if you are looking for a Polaroid, it is not because of how cheap it is to take pictures with them.
If you don’t have or don’t want an old Polaroid, you also have newer versions like the Fujifilm Instax, whose reels are a little cheaper than Polaroid. Of course I have seen both versions and the paper holder for the Polaroid seems a little more robust or of quality than that of the Instax, although for the price difference of both I think we accept the boat?
My recommendation? You may find it easier to buy a new Fujifilm Instax mini 8 (you have them for about 80 euros on Amazon depending on the color) because they sell them in store with their reels and there are also many online offers. the price difference on the reels, in the long run, you can see.
There is no camera suitable for everyone, but it is the most suitable for everyone and their situation; Within the SLR or any other format, the most important thing is that you sincerely choose the method that works best for you, that suits you best and motivates you to take photos, no matter what type of camera you have, but how often you take it for a walk ;-). It’s the only way to learn and improve.
And if you still think the camera is more important than the photographer, I recommend you take a look at this gallery by photographer Matt Black, a member of Magnum Photos, the world’s most prestigious photojournalism agency. A lot of your pictures are taken with an iPhone, don’t I add anything else?
I hope you liked it and helped you. And if you know someone about to commit the madness of buying a DSLR to offer you the worst deal afterwards, share this article with them. Kindly and next time?