angrylittleboy

One of the questions I frequently encounter is “which camera should I get?”

With the number of choices out there, it’s understandable how confusing choosing a camera can be. Oftentimes, people just go gung-ho with their choices then feel gypped in the end. Worse, they end up disliking photography and leave it altogether.

So before forking out your hard-earned cash, I would suggest looking around first and borrow a camera you can use. Not only will this save you a lot of money, this will also help you decide how far you would want to take photography. Ask your family or relatives if they have a camera they don’t use anymore, or your friends if they have a spare they’re willing to lend for a week or two. It doesn’t really matter if it’s digital or film; as long as it takes photos and you can borrow it, you’re good to go. Heck, I would even advise you to use the camera function on your mobile phone if you can’t find a camera. Once you get a camera you can use, start taking photos and after a week or two, decide if you really need to have your own proper camera. If you think you really need one for yourself (and you can’t get your parents to give their old camera to you), you’ll have three things to think about to help you find the right one:

1. How much are you willing to spend?
As with most things, your budget determines your options. If you have money to burn, you’re lucky; you won’t have much problems choosing: Just get the camera that you want and, if you don’t like it, buy a new one until you get one that suits you.

But if you’re like the rest of us, then you’ll be in a pinch trying to determine which camera will be a “bang-for-the-buck” deal for you. If you don’t want to spend too much, you can either buy a used digital camera with manual controls like an early A-series Canon or purchase an old film camera (although film will be more expensive in the long run if you’ll be taking a lot of pictures). You can also get a cheap, brand-new, all-auto model if all you want are nice mementos from parties and trips with friends, which brings us to…

2. What are you going to take pictures of?
The type of photography that you want also plays a big role in choosing your first camera. What kind of photos do you want? Do you see yourself taking close-up photos of flowers most of the time, or will it be snapshots with your friends? Will you be doing documentary photography? How about portraits? Once you determine your favorite subject, it will be a bit easier nailing the kind of camera that you want, saving you some money (as well as frustration) from a “wrong purchase”.

If you’re going to take photos of friends for facebook, then a basic point-and-shoot camera will do just fine. If you’ll be taking photos of gigs, parties and other events which will have you shooting in low-light conditions most of the time, a camera with a “fast” lens would be ideal such as Olympus’ XZ-1 (you can also purchase a used Panasonic LX3 is you’re strapped for cash). If you want to take photos of birds or wildlife, you can start by using a superzoom camera like the 24x optical zoom Panasonic FZ100. If you’re the active kind of person who’s into the rugged outdoors, then a camera with some water and shock protection like the Pentax Optio W90 might be more suited to your needs. Simply put, you should get the right camera for the kind of photography you’re into the most to get the best out of both.

3. How often are you going to use your camera?
How often you’ll be taking pictures will also help determine whether you should buy new or used, film or digital.

If you plan on using your camera every day, you’re better suited to buying a new digital camera. The warranty should cover a well-used camera should it break down within a year, while digital will save you from the cost of developing and scanning multiple rolls of film. If you’re going to be a weekend photographer, taking no more than a hundred photos every two weeks, then buying used (film or digital) would be ok.

These are the basics to choosing your first camera. I’ll be expanding this further in the future so you can get a more detailed look at your choices. For now, try calling people you know and borrow a camera!