Jonathanjk’s Weblog

Let me start 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 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 (but it is important to hold the gear and see how it feels, remember this). 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.

With this informal guide I’m assuming you already know what ‘SLR’ means, If you don’t then let this link explain. Wikipedia is great isn’t it?:)

The reason for starting this guide is because having bought an DSLR recently (not my first one mind), I thought it would be a good chance to reflect on what I went through because while I am happy with what I bought, I received a lot of information which I thought was unnecessary and useless for what I asked. I also doubted myself after having bought one because of such information. This might say more about me because I might be a weak minded fool but I think there is something to be said when groups of people are informing you of other things to buy, going against what I wanted. I then noticed other people who were looking for help and I felt they were going through the same process so this is to be of some use and help to others.

What about the lenses?

Okay so for the moment, we’re going to give the camera store a miss, this is also something I would do. I would only use a store as a way to handle any gear I was interested in buying. We live in the Information Age, we should all be web savvy enough to find better prices and better information.

No doubt you’ll have a photography friend you already know and is successful with what he or she photographs. So why not pick their brains? The answer is because what works for them might not really work for you if you ask first about a DSLR, instead ask about their lenses, its where their investment lies. The glass in the long term is more important but strangely camera bodies receive more attention in press and advertising, maybe because the characteristics of a DSLR are more marketable than the abilities of a lens to new customers, but the appeal of a new lens will grow on you once you’ve outgrown the kit lens.

I wouldn’t focus on the SLR yet, you’ll get to that point naturally because they’ll ask what would you like to do with your camera once its in your hands? It is the lenses that will allow you to shoot wide-angle (14mm) for landscapes or telephoto (300mm) for bird watching so focus on those first.

This is a very simple way of looking at this for the moment but my point is that you should be able to come out of the conversation with a better idea of what you would like to be shooting with regard to camera lenses but also come out knowing a bit more about photography in general because of what the glass can offer you without needing to buy into a particular brand just yet because it isn’t necessary.

Part 3 coming soon.