How to Decide? This can be answered by putting some simple questions:
1. What is going to be your most likely subject (flora/fauna/scenery/portraits/sports)? Ans: Depending on your choice, for FLORA you will always need a good camera which has a GOOD MACRO mode very LOW MINIMUM FOCUSING DISTANCE, allowing you to take good details at minimum distance. for FAUNA, you will need a lens with atleast good MAGNIFICATION. Many people dont understand the true meaning of ZOOM and MAGNIFICATION. Many of the so called 25x zoom compact digital cameras actually has not more than 6x magnification. To check please look at the lens configuration. For example, Canon-PowerShot SX20 IS has 20x zoom but the lens configuration is 28- 560mm which means it will give a magnification of 5.6x ONLY. For zoom calculation divide 560 by 28 (= 28) for SCENERY, you will need a good WIDEANGLE, which is available in most of the prosumer cameras. These lens also help a lot in indoor photography. In prosumer cameras, there is always an option of MACRO mode, hence, such lens can as as multipurpose camera, which can be used for multiple subjects. for PORTRAITS, macro lens works fine in DSLR, otherwise any Prosumer camera is good. It also depends on the camera and its ability to produce skin color tone, which most of the normal cameras lack. If I buy a camera then the first thing I do is take a picture of some person and match the skin color or take a picture of some bright subject and match the tone of the color. Some cameras though they work fine they produce extravagant colours which I personally hate. for SPORTS, you will always need a good shutter speed and ISO settings. which is not always available in all lower end cameras. 2. What will be your budget? This is the most crucial part. You will have to decide if you wish to buy a compact camera or prosumer or DSLR. You cant get all functions in one camera and if you are planning to buy a DSLR then always remember that there are specific lenses for specific purpose and hence cost keep rising higher and higher. 3. What to buy? If you are a learner then try something basic. If you are learned but dont want to invest then go for PROSUMER cameras. If you travel a lot then you would prefer smaller body with multiple functions (PROSUMER). People who keep travelling but every purpose other than photography should go for compact cameras. People who travel especially for photography should obviously have a good camera, either Prosumer or a DSLR. 4. Are you planning for long term investment? If you are looking for long term investment then you should always go for sturdy body. It also depends on your knowledge of camera and its usage. Regards Pankaj -- *********************************************** "TAXONOMISTS GETTING EXTINCT AND SPECIES DATA DEFICIENT !!" Pankaj Kumar Ph.D. (Orchidaceae) Research Associate Greater Kailash Sacred Landscape Project Department of Habitat Ecology Wildlife Institute of India Post Box # 18 Dehradun - 248001, India
