Buying A DSLR: 9 Things You Should Know

Buying a DSLR is a very popular thing among photographers.

DSLR or Digital Single Lens Reflex Camera is a great investment in the field of photography. Because It gives you the opportunity to take the best quality picture.

But, for purchasing a Camera you need to know the camera first. Otherwise, you’ll spend a lot of money without getting the best types of equipment.

Here, I am going to discuss everything that you need to know before buying a DSLR Camera.

Table of Content

• Fixing The Budget
• The Size Of The Sensor
• Resolution Of Megapixel
• Features And Modes
• Lenses
• Flash
• Video Recording
• Details About Body
• Photo Editing

Fixing The Budget Before Buying A DSLR

Before going to a nearby shop or searching online, first set a budget. Most people don’t spend time before buying a DSLR.

It’s true, expensive cameras offer a lot of functions than low-budget cameras. But, if you’re not careful, they can cost a lot of money more than you think.

In case you’re just a beginner, you shouldn’t spend a lot of money on a high-end camera. Instead, you should buy a low cost but powerful camera. With this, you can learn the basics and find out your actual passion and love for photography. After knowing them, you can then shift to an expensive and more professional camera.

So, first, fix the budget for the camera along with the equipment. Otherwise, you’ll end up spending a lot of money, more than you thought.

Know The Size Of The Sensor

The size of the sensor is the most important feature of a camera. But, most people don’t understand or know about it.

Inside every DSLR Camera, there is an image sensor. It records the image through the viewfinder and sends it to the memory card.

Bigger sensors capture more information and clearer image especially when magnified.

The largest sensor size is known as “full frame.” Their sizes are the same size as 35mm film: 36mm x 24mm.

The full-frame sensors give maximum clarity and image quality. For that reason, they are expensive.

As for the entry-level cameras, they have crop sensors. These crop sensors are small in size.

The sizes of sensors vary between brands and models. Like, APS-C sensors are very common in entry and mid-level DSLRs. Their sizes are 23.60mm x 15.60mm. But, in Cannon, the APS-C sensor size is 22.20mm x 14.80mm.

But, the relationship between sensor sizes is very simple. The bigger, the better.

In this case, you’ve to keep in mind that larger sensors are expensive. For that reason, you have to keep in mind the budget. If you have a low budget, then go for an entry-level camera. It will have APS-C or micro four thirds. Both of them will provide a good balance between price and image quality,

Know The Resolution Of Megapixel Before

Most people think that megapixels are the end-all-be-all measure of camera quality. But, it’s an easy mistake. Camera and phone manufacturers talk about megapixels all the time. But, it’s not as important as they say.

Above and around seven megapixels, your prints will be sharp up to 14×11. It is a bit larger than most people print. And now, every entry-level camera packs over 15 megapixels. So, you can say megapixels are more about marketing than image quality.

Every DSLR has more than enough megapixels nowadays. In case two cameras are different only by their megapixels, there won’t be any kind of difference. If there is a difference, it is due to lens or sensor quality.

So, don’t think about megapixels. It will be more than enough anyway.

Know The Features And Modes Before Purchase a DSLR

A variety of modes, like Portrait, Landscape, Action, Night, etc. come with all DSLR. But, some unique modes also come with some entry-level cameras. Modes like Scene Intelligent Auto, Food, or Guide will walk through the use of a camera.

The best way to learn shooting is in manual mode. But, in the case of a beginner, helping out by a camera with a specific mode is a big help. So, take a look at the camera’s mode to see if they can help you at all.

If you’re not using manual modes, aperture, or shutter,  auto mode will be fine. So, it’s not a major issue, but still, you can look at it.

Many cameras include a quick editing ability. So, one can easily edit photos right from the screen. Though it’s easy to edit photos with editing software, being able to do it in-camera is fun.

Decide Which Lenses You Are Going To Buy

The majority of entry- and mid-level cameras are packaged with a “kit lens.” It is an 18–55mm zoom lens.

Zoom lenses don’t have the same quality glass or the same features as expensive lenses. But, if you can use it, you can do a lot of quality work.

There might be a package with an 18–55mm lens, a 50mm prime lens, or even an extra telephoto lens. In that case, it would be a better decision to buy that package,

Many retailers give packages with a camera body, kit lens, and accessories like a bag, memory card, etc. Sometimes they also add an extra lens for buying all of the pieces of the kit at retail. If there is a good deal on one of these kits, it’s a good idea to buy it.

Check Out The Video Recording Function Before Buying A DSLR

DSLR is used for video recording nowadays. If you’re buying to take video, then look at the video capabilities that your options provide.

Some entry-level cameras record in full HD 1080p and others are limited to 720p or non-HD recording. Here, various recording frame rates are also available. The higher rates smoothing out motion better than lower rates.

If you’re buying a DSLR for photography then it’s not a big deal to you. But, it’s worth looking at, in case you’re not sure if you’ll be recording videos or not. Though you don’t plan to now, a camera with better video can be helpful in the future.

Know Every Detail About The Body

Most DSLRs at the entry-level will look the same. But, there are some considerations to keep in mind.

Some cameras include LCD view screens. They are nicer than the screens included in cheaper models. As a result, they will give a better place to review your photos.

There are some screens that can pop out of the back and rotate. It is really helpful to take shots at unique angles. Some of them include a touchscreen. They are easier to navigate than using small buttons on the back.

There are some cameras which are made for people with smaller hands. If you are not into that demographic, these cameras will feel a bit cramped to you. In that case, buying a larger-bodied camera will relieve the discomfort of this problem.

Because of having polycarbonate bodies, most entry-level cameras are quite light. But they don’t feel as sturdy or nice as higher-level cameras. So for extra durability, you need to pay more for the camera body.

Photo Editing

Before buying a camera, one should know the basic photo editing. Good cameras shoot photos in the RAW image format. It holds a lot of data than other image formats. But, one has to develop the files on a digital platform. If you don’t, you’ll get plain JPEGs that don’t take advantage of the DSLR’s power.

Photo editing isn’t hard. But, to become a skillful photo editor, one has to give effort and time into it. There are some editing tutorials on our website, you can learn from us.

Know About The Flash

All DSLRs have a built-in flash. But, it doesn’t have enough power as an external flash. That’s why you people need to buy it. In case of shooting indoors and in low-light conditions, an external flash is a must.

External flashes are more controllable than the built-in ones. And, it should be considered in the overall purchase cost.

Conclusion

Buying a DSLR is a personal choice. If you love to do photography, just go for it. It’s a great choice that you won’t regret.

FAQ

Q.: Why do DSLR’s photos look better?

Ans: DSLR has larger sensors, some up to the size of a full-frame 35mm film camera. It gives a better ISO sensitivity range and better control over noise levels. That’s why it’s photo look better.

Q: What camera do most professional photographers use?

Ans: High-end Canon or Nikon DSLRs, such as a Canon EOS 1DX Mark II or a Nikon D5 are used by professional photographers.

Q: What is the most popular camera?

Ans: Nikon D5 and Nikon D6 are the most popular camera.

Q: Which Canon camera is best for photography?

Ans: Canon 5Ds is the best Canon camera for photography.

Q: Why iPhone photos look better than DSLR?

Ans: iPhone uses a bionic processor. It allows for faster capturing and processing of images, better low-light autofocus, improved pixel processing, and better noise reduction in images. That’s why iPhone photos look better than DSLR.