There are so many different types of camera on the market that it can be difficult to choose a new one. Do you choose one that slips easily into your pocket for snapshots, or should you opt for a bulkier model that can use interchangeable lenses? Do you stick to digital, or do you go traditional and choose film? Every camera has advantages and disadvantages, and these will vary on the type of pictures you want to take, and the quality of results you expect.
Deciding your priorities
In essence there are four main factors to consider when choosing a camera, resolution, convenience, creative control and cost. You need to decide what you want to achieve with your pictures, and the subjects you want to tackle, then choose which of these factors are priorities.
Resolution
The ability to reproduce an image in fine detail is called resolution. For enlargements or intricate work, choose the highest resolution available. For pictures for use on web pages or for miniature portraits, resolution is less important.
On digital cameras, the resolution of shots is primarily determined by the number of picture elements or pixels used by the sensor. A very low resolution camera may offer just one million which is suitable for on screen shots. Cameras with more than 10 million pixels are common place while Professional digital systems effectively offer many times this. The processing power of the camera has a powerful influence on how effectively this resolution is used. When using film camera, more resolution is gained by choosing cameras that use a larger area of film for each shot. The most popular film format is 35mm but cameras are available that use a film area that measures 25x20cm.
Convenience
Do not choose a camera that will be too complicated for you to use - your chosen camera must be user friendly if you are going to make good use of it and get the shots you require. A small camera may be easy to carry around, but the buttons may be fiddly to use. Bigger cameras my simply be too unwieldy for some objects.
Creative control
The single most important factor determining whether a picture is good or bad or merely average is the amount of Creative control that the photographer has been able exercise over it. With most cameras you can point and shoot, and the camera wail do the rest. However to improve results you need , at least occasionally , to make your own decisions about the zoom setting, and which parts of the scene appear sharp or blurred. Ideally, you need to be able to see what you are shooting as accurately as possible, and know what you are focused on.
Cost
You tend to get what you are paying for when buying a camera/ if you want more resolution, you will have to buy a more expensive camera, whilst the cheapest cameras are those with the least creative control. There are exceptions. some point and shoot cameras cost as much as the basic digital SLR but only offer a fraction of the creative control. Similarly, a basic large format camera offers considerably more raw resolution than a more expensive top of the rage digital SLR. Secondhand models offer you the chance to get a better camera than you might otherwise be able to afford.