features you look for when you brought your camera

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waynaldo

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I know my features will be alot different to what you looked for
But it will give me something to think about when I buy
My first dslr. Also whats the lowest mega pixel you
Will go for on your camera
 
Hi, Think if you told us what kind of photography you want to do it would help better.
Also IMO there is not a great difference when it comes to consumer cameras and MP's again depends what you want to do with your prints.
Most cameras are in the 18 to 22 MP's for again consumer cameras and that is more than enough for photos for the net or decent large prints.
Remember though MP's are not the be all and end all of a good photograph, Look at photos taken with a 16 MP camera and one with a 22 MP camera and unless you zoom in to silly zoom I doubt you will see a great difference.
All JMO of course.
Russ
 
hi i know this is a feature to look for, just add one which i think is not to take too much notice off and thats being able to record video,on my d7100 its ok but thats about it,its not camcorder quality,just thought ide throw my twopence in
 
waynaldo said:
features you look for when you brought your camera
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Well, when I bring it anywhere, the only feature I look for is; is this my camera? Yes, OK I'll bring it with me. :p

When I bought my cameras; I looked for the best camera on the market for the job I wanted it to do.

waynaldo said:
Also whats the lowest mega pixel you
Will go for on your camera
Click to expand...

Not something I think about. But I often shoot jobs on mRAW which is about 10 mp.
 
Min 10 mpx. Big bright viewfinder. Ability to shoot RAW. Feel in the hand. Control layout. Shadow noise performance. Those are for starters.
 
All depends on what you are going to be shooting and how close to the subject you will be.
 
At the risk of sounding like a broken record, what matters to me could be completely irrelevant to you, and vice versa.

Honestly you're thinking too much about this, buy a camera that fits your needs as best you can guess them now, learn from your decision for when you buy your 2nd, 3rd etc.

You might think it's a major investment now, but if you take this up seriously, what you're spending on a starter camera is about 10% of what you'll spend on gear in the next 5 years. Get used to the fact that this is the beginning of your buying choices not the end.

This is the 3rd thread you've started with basically the same question, you're trying to 2nd guess your needs based on what others think, it's really pointless. If there was 1 good starter camera, 1 good enthusiast camera and 1 good pro camera it'd be a weird world. Decide on your chosen manufacturer based on how the range 'generally' feels and start from there.
 
Most DSLRs have more or less the same features, and the differences are unlikely to matter if this is your first one. The handling/ergonomics are more important, so I'd base my decision on those.

Any modern DSLR will have enough megapixels. My 30D is 8.2, which is far less than most compacts - let alone DSLRs - offer now, and it's never been a handicap.
 
For my first, it was almost purely that it was a Nikon DSLR at a price I could afford since I had a lot of Nikon fit stuff after some years using Nikon AF SLRs. Now, it's more a case of it being FF and with enough pixels to allow large prints after some cropping. The high ISO performance that that's brought with it is nice but not a deal breaker - 800 (useable) was a treat after film and the 1600 (clean) and higher (with a little noise creeping in) that I now have is great!
 
I got my first DSLR in 2007, I'd separated from my wife, she'd "banned" me from bying one for a year or so, I had some money to burn and a mate that worked in Jessops..... it was enevitable that I was going to own a DSLR :lol: ;)

He was very knowledgable and I had a play with some lower end Nikons/Canons, the Canon 400D felt best to me and the spec was fairly similar to the Nikon..... what probably swung it was he could get more discount on the Canon too :lol:

Anyway..... I left with a 400, Sigma 18-200mm and various other bits and pieces all for about £700 (RRP nearer £950 :D )

For the first couple of years I was groping around in the dark really...... Not venturing out of full auto mode much. Soon found out my lens wasn't long enough to cover rugby/cricket so I bought a Sigma 170-500 which saw me good for another year or so then the relatively low pixel count (10MP) of the 400D, max ISO1600 and only 3.something fps started to hold me back as I got more serious about taking shots at rugby matches.

By this time I was venturing into full manual mode as well as Tv/Av with the latter being my primary weapon of choice.

I've waffled on a bit here but my point is if you haven't ever owned a DSLR it's going to be nigh on impossible to know what *you* want/need. There's no point in spending thousands on top of the range gear only to find you could have got the same results spending a fraction on the money.

So perhaps look at entry level to start with, most entry level DSLRs have 10MP+ now. Kit lenses aren't bad but you can be a little restricted on range. Might be worth considering a "super zoom" lens i.e. 18-200+ although the compromise at the lower end of the market is IQ, when you're starting out the versatility would probably outweigh that.

Once you've been shooting for a while you'll soon work out what you can/can't do or what you'd like to do and upgrade as required.

I still have my 400D/18-200mm as back up so it's by no means a waste of money.
 
It's over 4 years since I bought a dslr, but the most important attribute at the time was clean high ISO performance as I did a lot of handheld low light photography. I think the camera (Nikon d700) is 12mp, but I don't really care frankly as whatever it is, it's more than enough for printing lovely A3 prints. In fact pictures from my old Nikon D70 were fine at A3, and that had 6mp I think.
 
waynaldo said:
I know my features will be alot different to what you looked for
But it will give me something to think about when I buy
My first dslr. Also whats the lowest mega pixel you
Will go for on your camera
Click to expand...

Ergonomics - are the controls well laid out (I much prefer dual-dial set-up) and does the camera sit nicely in my hand. If you intend using the camera, rather than it being a shelf/neck queen, this is the feature that you will experience most of all.

Lens compatibility/availability - lenses make the image, not the camera. Will it work with the lenses I have (and want to keep) and the ones I want. As I have several older lenses in obsolete mounts I need to know I can get a good quality adapter at a reasonable price (which rules out Nikon for me as I have M42 and QBM mount lenses I want to use).

Sensor size - looking just at the pixel count is strictly for those that don't know what it means. "Megapixels" and "zoom" are best thought of as marketing terms, not photographic ones. My estimate is that >90% of people buying cameras don't understand what either of these terms actually means (and at least 99% when it comes to "zoom"). The sensor size will determine more about the character of the image produced than the number of pixels it contains.

Sensor performance at base and higher ISO levels - looking for clean images at base ISO and usable as higher ISOs according to use.
 
Alastair said:
Sensor size - looking just at the pixel count is strictly for those that don't know what it means. "Megapixels" and "zoom" are best thought of as marketing terms, not photographic ones. My estimate is that >90% of people buying cameras don't understand what either of these terms actually means (and at least 99% when it comes to "zoom"). The sensor size will determine more about the character of the image produced than the number of pixels it contains.
Click to expand...

There are those of us who a) understand the need for resolution and b) understand the difference that different sizes of sensor bring to the image. My medium format digital back is the same resolution (there or thereabouts) as my 5D3 but the sensor is much much bigger and as such the files it produces are far nicer.
 
markmullen said:
There are those of us who a) understand the need for resolution and b) understand the difference that different sizes of sensor bring to the image. My medium format digital back is the same resolution (there or thereabouts) as my 5D3 but the sensor is much much bigger and as such the files it produces are far nicer.
Click to expand...

But you'll agree that's a small minority of all camera purchasers? The vast majority of which are buying compacts and swayed by the shiny "megapixel" and "zoom" stickers..

The actual market for >10MP cameras that need that resolution, is very small.
 
waynaldo said:
I know my features will be alot different to what you looked for
But it will give me something to think about when I buy
My first dslr. Also whats the lowest mega pixel you
Will go for on your camera
Click to expand...
Weather sealing was on top of my list.

Ergonomics, size and weight as in "big and heavy" :D and buttons (!) were second on list...

Unless you print - and print big! - 12 MP is by far more than enough...
 
waynaldo said:
I know my features will be alot different to what you looked for
But it will give me something to think about when I buy
My first dslr. Also whats the lowest mega pixel you
Will go for on your camera
Click to expand...

My first DSLR was the Canon 350D about 6-7 years ago.

Although there were others around I already knew what I wanted having been a pro many years ago (in the days of film!)

In those days I knew very little about DSLRs having not taken a pic for at least 20 years simply due to the necessity of having a complete darkroom etc, but once digital photography AND computers started to give good results I started to look round.

A viewfinder was an essential, as was a reasonable MP (the 350D was 8MP).

And I eventually picked the Canon 350D from a Jessops near me after going back about 4-5 times to try out various ones.

At that time it was about £700 and I used it for about 5 years until I felt the need to move on - to a 450D then to my present camera.

So frankly it doesn't matter what camera you pick or the MP as long as you are happy with it and it feels comfortable to you.

But whatever you buy USE IT!

Become totally familiar with it and don't keep thinking that you must always get the latest one or more expensive lenses in the hope that they will somehow make you a great photographer - they won't!

Any camera these days can give you great shots - the rest is up to you.

.
 
Comfortable to use which includes handling, weight and direct access buttons for functions rather than delving into sub menus.

Personally happy with 12mp and not convinced that 24mp on a crop sensor is required, in fact having used 18mp think that is pushing the limits
 
Same as what's been said really... If it's your first then i do agree go out and hold then see how each fits in your hands, where the buttons are etc...

For me i'd had a play with a couple of canons already and quite liked how they felt to hold and use... but mine was predominantly budget as well, i have a 550d with 18-135mm lens.. being my first decent camera coming from a point and shoot, i think no matter what i had gone for it would have been the best thing since sliced bread for me 'at the time'

One thing that i wasn't prepared for tho was after using the point and shoot, how much different it was shooting raw and uploading, it felt like i had gone backwards in my photography, with point and shoots doing so much 'in camera' although i am sure someone else might be able to explain the whys and hows of that better than me...

either way.... shop around and have fun buying.. what is right for you right now:D
 
I travel a lot with work, so I wanted something with the versatility/quality of a DSLR, but in a fairly lightweight and compact package (something that would be easy enough to carry around all day), so that I could take it pretty much everywhere I go easily.
 
Handling was probably the key point I looked at, although my priorities have shifted around somewhat as I've bought more cameras.

I used EOS for years but I moved to Nikon because the handling felt better for me. I loathed the positioning of the rear command dial on Canon cameras.... With Nikon, having one at my fingertip and the the other where my thumb naturally reaches to feels so much better. But other people disagree.... The more button-based approach that Nikon took with regard to certain features sat better with me.

These days, I'm locked into Nikon because of lenses and flashes so my choices are now driven by other factors such as IQ and ISO improvements, and build quality.

When it's your first then you need to handle. If you have n understanding of what features you want then that can obviously dictate the choice, not only in terms of spec, but how you access things like ISO, metering modes, shooting modes etc..
 
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Price was a limiting factor for me,as an amateur I couldnt justify spending megabucks on a hobby. I took most things in to account and settled on a Sony A57,trouble is I left out one important factor,weather resistance!
Had I factored that in then I would probably have gone for a Pentax.
Oh well!

eddie
 
For me I wanted a camera with decent dynamic range, good noise handling and the ability to focus on a low contrast highly mobile subject lit by inadequate stage lighting.

As you can see, we all have different requirements.
 
For me I wanted:

  1. Lightweight - I do a lot of carrying cameras for work, it's not unusual to have 20kg+ camera kit, don't want similar for leisure + light enough to go on the electronic slider I built
  2. Sweet spot of high enough MP count for resolution, low enough to give acceptable noise performance (the higher the MP count, the smaller the physical pixel, the fewer photons, the higher the pixel amplifier gain required, the higher the Noise Figure)
  3. Ability to shoot decent video and provide peaking, zebras, level meters etc.
  4. Integrates well into my Linux based workflow - work in Raw format with Darktable, GIMP, Hugin, Luminance HDR, work with Lightworks
  5. Ability to add Chinese flashguns, Android remote controls etc.
 
Price was a major factor when I bought my DSLR. At the time I wasn't sure what I would enjoy shooting the most, so I bought the cheapest I possibly could without really knowing what was what.

I've since discovered that wildlife & sport is my thing, so I'd have been much better off buying something with better ISO capabilities as well as a much faster frame rate.

First and foremost, I'd decide which brand would best suit you. Canon vs Nikon is an age old debate and frankly it's just down to personal preference, Sony come a close second and is my weapon of choice purely because of price. They aren't as popular (for whatever reason) and therefore don't command as high price tags.

After you've chosen your manufacturer, I'd go and and buy a second hand entry level body and a couple of lenses. You can easily get an old Nikon/Canon/Sony body for less than £100, use it for a couple of months and see in what areas you feel restricted, you'll then know exactly what to look out for when buying your 2nd camera, and best of all you'll probably be able to sell the body for what you paid for it :)
 
I was looking for the modern equivalent of my old Nikon FM, I wanted something that offered superb iQ but that also has an aperture dial on the lenses and a shutter speed dial on the top of the body, a camera where the only time I had to use a menu if at all was when changing the ISO.
I guess really something that adhered to my mantra of K.I.S.S - keep it simple stupid.

I found it in the Fuji X-Pro1, never regretted selling up my DSLR and changing over.
 
magicaxeman said:
I was looking for the modern equivalent of my old Nikon FM, I wanted something that offered superb iQ but that also has an aperture dial on the lenses and a shutter speed dial on the top of the body, a camera where the only time I had to use a menu if at all was when changing the ISO.
I guess really something that adhered to my mantra of K.I.S.S - keep it simple stupid.

I found it in the Fuji X-Pro1, never regretted selling up my DSLR and changing over.
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What is the lens on the fuji? Because its fixed isnt it?
 
when I see some of these threads I think people need to try to put themselves in the position of the original poster - People talking about dynamic range, ISO performance, crop sensors etc. Is it likely that the OP will understand these terms or will they be relevant for them as a new DSLR user?
 
A_S said:
when I see some of these threads I think people need to try to put themselves in the position of the original poster - People talking about dynamic range, ISO performance, crop sensors etc. Is it likely that the OP will understand these terms or will they be relevant for them as a new DSLR user?
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Au contraire, I think people have understood the OP very well. He said:

waynaldo said:
I know my features will be alot different to what you looked for
But it will give me something to think about when I buy
My first dslr. Also whats the lowest mega pixel you
Will go for on your camera
Click to expand...

If people here are saying that dynamic range is important, and he doesn't understand, then that gives him something to think about and ask about.

Although the fact that in nearly two weeks he hasn't responded to any of the posts made in this thread suggests to me that he's lost interest.
 
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A_S said:
when I see some of these threads I think people need to try to put themselves in the position of the original poster - People talking about dynamic range, ISO performance, crop sensors etc. Is it likely that the OP will understand these terms or will they be relevant for them as a new DSLR user?
Click to expand...

When I see posts like this I realise how much people now expect information spoonfed to then and how incapable people have become of independent research and opinion forming.

The OP has found the forum and used the internet to ask the question. He can also use it to research the terminology. I spent 4-6 weeks researching my first DSLR, some people now seem to spend 30 minutes.

wtmil
 
waynaldo said:
I know my features will be alot different to what you looked for
But it will give me something to think about when I buy
My first dslr. Also whats the lowest mega pixel you
Will go for on your camera
Click to expand...

Forget features.

The more important thing is that you must consider how you feel holding the camera. It is a matter of how do you feel when you pick up a camera, how do you feel when you use the controls, how do you feel when taking photos.

Even if you find a camera that got the features that you're looking for, you could easily find the camera either too small for your big hands, or too heavy for you to cope. Yes the features will be important, but you'll be carrying and using the camera, you have to cope with it.

My advice would be to make a list of cameras that got the features you're looking for or interested in, but make your choice based on how the camera feels. Go to a shop, take turns picking up different cameras that are on your shortlist, try them out, and find the one that you feel comfy using.

Don't risk buying a camera that got the features you want only to find you could not cope with handling it. If you find a camera that you can handle fine, but it don't have all the features you want, don't worry, as a photographer, you can improvise.
 
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