The good thing about taking up photography as a hobby is that there is no age limit to start. If you’re looking to pick out your first camera, you may be in a bind. Decide for yourself what you are comfortable with. Before you go out and buy a camera, find out what you should keep in mind.
DSLR vs Mirrorless
The first hurdle is choosing between a DSLR or a mirrorless camera. In the past, DSLRs were preferred by beginners due to their low cost, while mirrorless cameras were generally slightly more expensive. The mirrorless market has grown substantially, while the price gap has narrowed significantly as the DSLR market has shrunk. Canon and Nikon still make entry-level DSLR cameras, but the price difference between them and an entry mirrorless camera isn’t huge. A DSLR is still great for learning the basics of photography. But you won’t be a beginner forever and want advanced features, which mirrorless cameras can provide.
the lens
There are companies like Sigma and Tamron that make lenses for popular camera brands like Nikon and Sony. As a beginner though, use the kit lens that comes with your camera. These lenses typically have a zoom range of 18-55mm and are good for landscape and portrait photography.
Fixed Lenses vs. Interchangeable Lenses
The point-and-shoot camera category is almost all but dead, so you shouldn’t worry about those cameras. There are some exceptions though that are worth considering, like Sony’s ZV series of vlogging cameras. Some of these, like the ZV-1, are technically point-and-shoots because they have a fixed lens with zoom, but the mirrorless-like camera body and 1-inch sensor should provide a good place to experiment. The Sony ZV-E10, on the other hand, offers similar functions but with a larger APS-C sensor and interchangeable lenses. If you are seriously pursuing photography, I would suggest going for a camera with interchangeable lenses. This gives you the opportunity to upgrade the lenses as the situation dictates in the future. For example you can switch to a great telephoto when on vacation or on safari.
the price
Price is going to be a big factor when choosing. Entry DSLRs will be cheaper but may not be able to keep up in the long run as your skills improve. Mirrorless cameras have a higher up-front cost but have a longer lifespan due to compatibility with more lenses and advanced features.
Second hand camera
Since camera technology doesn’t advance as fast as laptops or our phones, buying a two- to three-year-old flagship mirrorless camera will still be better than a new equivalently priced DSLR. The used camera market is huge, so find stores near you that sell used gear and check it out for yourself.
Battery life
DSLRs generally allow you to capture many more photos on a full charge than mirrorless cameras. This is mainly because a mirrorless camera needs to power the display and electronic viewfinder (if it has one), which uses batteries. On the plus side, most mirrorless cameras these days have USB-C for charging, so they can be powered by a power bank while you’re using it. Most DSLR batteries need to be removed and charged separately.
Features and Performance
Mirrorless cameras get features like 4K video recording, phase detection autofocus and built-in Wi-Fi from the entry model. Looking for similar features in a DSLR usually means spending over a lakh.
Storage slot
The SD card slot is the preferred choice here, and most DSLR and mirrorless cameras work with SD cards cheaply and high-capacity cards are readily available. If you’ve got an old camera from the used market, check to see if it supports SD cards. Some cameras even have two SD card slots, which is great if you need more storage without having to swap cards often.
You can rent it
If still hesitant about buying a camera, renting one would be the best option. There are many places that offer all kinds of camera bodies and lenses for rent by the hour or by the day. It’s a good way to use and test how different cameras work, their menus and user interfaces, image quality, etc.
But no matter what the camera is, without imagination, creativity and an eye for a good picture, beautiful pictures will not be taken. But don’t give up if it doesn’t get better at first. Keep working, you will get success.