J O N A T H A N JK . C O M

Let me preface this blog post by saying. ‘Nobody ever got fired for buying Canon or Nikon’.  A tweak from the classic phrase, ‘Nobody ever got fired for buying IBM’.  By starting with that sentence I might be showing a bias against the top two camera manufacturers when I’m not.  Let me assure you, I’m not being or going to be biased, I’ve used Nikon gear and I’ve owned Canon SLR’s.  This guide will focus on SLR’s but it might be useful for Point & Shoots. (I prefer Canon over Nikon though if I had to choose;-))

But anybody with an interest in photography will no doubt plump for an SLR at some point in their lives and once they ask that question as to whether they should get one, they’ll then ask, ‘Well which one’?

Their options are:

• Going to a camera store and asking them
• Contacting a photographer friend and asking them, or
• Posting online in a forum
• Reading a review

In our wonderful society which parades choice as a positive under capitalism, we have loads to choose from! (Whether this is a good thing or not can be left for another day in another blog post. If I never write about it, I can suggest right now that you buy this book ‘The Paradox of choice‘ because if I write anything about our concept of choice and how it effects us it will be because of that book.)  Ignoring the many different camera brands, there are different types of SLR within each ecosystem offered by the manufacturer.  Just look at Canon and their current lineup, seven and these are just the current models, older models are still capable and will be thrown your way as ‘other options’ over the course of your investigation into buying an SLR.

The easiest route would be the camera store, the one which an astute shopper will go too that doesn’t work on commission and offers impartial advice.  I would hold off on that route for now because that isn’t really true and if you value your money over your time.

That would seem like a contradiction because our time is more important then money isn’t it?  But what is the sense in paying for more in a store if the information and thus the SLR you buy because of it is flawed?  The shop is still looking for the quick sale and an inexperienced shopper can be manipulated to the ‘deal of the week’ rather than the deal that would benefit them.  The store itself won’t offer every camera either, it will most likely offer the best sellers that maximise their bottom line.  If this doesn’t matter then I honestly say to you enjoy whatever you purchase, nothing is worse than having buyers remorse, so take some great pictures because the next few blog entries is going to be on the same topic of simply buying an SLR.