For the novice, the first thing you need to understand is what the term “Digital Single Lens Reflex” means. I don’t want to get into all of the technical details, but putting it simply, looking through the lens is what you’re going to photograph, and when you push the shutter release, a mirror comes down and places this image onto a sensor capturing that image. The lag time from pushing the shutter release to capturing this image varies with the camera models, but for the most part it’s pretty much instantaneous. This is unlike the point-and-shoot digital cameras out there because there can be as much as a 1.5 second lag time using these cameras which explains why you may have failed to capture your child’s winning goal or that beautiful bird that was landing on your deck.
The real beauty of the DSLR is its ability to capture wonderful photos with amazing clarity because of the image sensor in the camera, the speed of the lens, ability to switch lenses from super wide-angle to the monstrous telephoto lenses that capture the far off subjects. Also, most of the DSLR cameras will continue shooting as long as you hold the button down and are capable of capturing from 3 – 7 frames per second allowing you to “capture the moment” that you see in magazines and on the internet.
For the most part, the leading producers of these cameras are Canon, Nikon, Pentax, Panasonic, Olympus and Sony. Canon, Nikon, Pentax and Sony make “true” DSLR’s whereas Panasonic produces what they call “interchangeable lens” models and Olympic produces what they call a “four thirds” camera. Sony also produces what they refer to as a “translucent mirror” model. I’ll get into these differences further on but I don’t want to overwhelm you right now. These last two terms also indicate a smaller camera than the full-sized DSLR’s which may be of interest to those with smaller hands or don’t want to carry around all of the weight. You’re not going to put these into your shirt pocket but they will fit nicely in a coat pocket without all of the bulk.
At this point, it’s time to focus on what you are looking for in a camera. By this I mean do you want to take family photos along with some nature shots or do you want to take lots of nature shots of flowers and butterfly’s? This makes a big difference in the camera type because if you’re taking photos of flowers you may want a real macro lens that will let you get right up and personal with the flowers, as close as 12 inches to capture the dew drops on the petals in the greatest detail. If you’re the “family photographer” and want to capture all those great family moments to record in an album, then you want a good medium lens with a good shutter speed that allows you to get everyone into the photo and not lop off grandpa’s head. And if you are this person, you also want to ensure that the camera has a decent flash attachment, whether built-in or external. Many people forget about this detail right from the beginning and curse themselves out later for having forgotten this very important detail. You may spend only $600 on the camera but the external flash may run you another $200, but won’t make you miss out on wonderful group shots because of their recharge speed and the intelligent light source built into these devices.
If you have young children growing up and into sports, you already know that your simple point-and-shoot camera limits the photos you take at all of the games. The kids are on the other side of the field or court and you’re trying your best to capture their expression but the closest you can get amounts to an area of 12×25 yards in the viewfinder with all the other kids. So much for capturing that special “Kodak moment” that you just knew you photographed. Did I mention that once you pushed the release button that the darned thing paused for at least ½ second and you missed the moment? This doesn’t happen when using a DSLR with a zoom lens because now you can capture the right moment when it happens, especially if you hold down the button and it takes 3-5 photos in one second. Or lest I forget, you and your significant other are lying on the beach and here comes those wonderful pelicans skimming over the water and you just know you want to get this to remember you vacation. If you’re lucky, your point-and-shoot might capture a photo but more than likely not. The DSLR will capture this is glorious color and not miss a beat. You’ll look like a professional when you get these processed and hang on your living room walls, I can assure you.
I haven’t mentioned the ability of most of these cameras to capture full motion HD video as well. Some cameras do it better than others with some capturing full 1080 HD video as well as sound to go along with the wonderful video. It’s a bonus for sure, but one you need to consider when you’re about to purchase one of these new cameras. Whereas some cameras will auto-focus while doing video, others do not which is something else to consider. Of course, all of these come with a price-tag, but nothing that will break the bank. It’s all incremental costs of what you are looking for and willing to pay for the luxury of owning one of these wonderful cameras.
For the “average amateur” photographer, I would say that most of the better cameras with the above features will run from between $600 – $1,100 and that’s including the lens, battery and memory card. There are some “kits” out there that combine other features including lens filters, camera bags and maybe even a tripod. No matter what camera you chose, I highly recommend getting a UV filter for the lens as it’s an inexpensive way of protecting your precious lens.
Focusing on the popular “non-professional” models, the Canon’s will run from between $2,499 – $549; Nikon’s will run from $2,699 – $549; Panasonic from $1,319 – $599; Pentax from $1,749 – $649; Olympus from $1,699 to $499; and Sony from $2,699 – $449. All of the prices are MSRP so you know there are some deals to be made out there offering some significant savings. Understand that both Canon and Nikon produce cameras that run upwards of $7,000 and if you’re in the market for these, you’re probably not reading this article as you already know what you’re looking for.
I sincerely hope that you have found this article informative and will help you in how to determine the best brand of camera to buy, and you will continue searching for a DSLR that will fit your budget and photographic requirements. I have much more in-depth information on the latest DSLR cameras at my website Best DSLR Camera Reviews.