The time to choose your next camera can cause you as much excitement as stress. While buying a camera is not economical, if you have already made the decision to invest in a new equipment, it will only be enough to do a little research to find the one that suits your needs. At this time you may end up being a victim of both your own anxiety as well as the brands and sellers who, in order to sell a camera , may not devote the time you deserve to evacuate all your doubts. But do not worry, in today's article I will show you a powerful tool, available for free on the internet, so you can know everything that a camera offers, and even compare them with each other and thus be able to make the best decision when it comes to Buy your next SLR camera.
WHAT CAMERA TO CHOOSE?
Once the decision is made to buy an SLR camera, the most difficult thing begins: which one to buy When evaluating the different proposals, you may find it difficult to decide between one model or another due to the large number and variety of cameras available in the market, so choosing between one or the other ends up almost being a matter of faith : It is very likely that you lean over one camera or another just for the brand of this. Imagine you need to nail a nail into a wall, but when you go to the store for the right tool, you end up buying a screwdriver. Although the situation is a bit exaggerated, it is useful to exemplify what could happen to you if you are not clear about what you want to do and try to make the necessary tools to do so. Never forget that the camera is only a medium and it is this who must adapt to you, and not you to it. Choosing an SLR camera is much more than comparing labels. To be able to succeed in buying your next SLR camera, which may well be the first, you need to know in depth what are its advantages and disadvantages, what features it offers and how they can help you take better pictures. That is why in today's article I come to present a tool that will be of great help: Snapsort.comA POWERFUL TOOL: SNAPSORT
Snapsort is a free site that will allow you, in a very simple and fast way, to make comparisons between the different cameras that you have in mind to acquire and help you, to make the best decision. While there are more complete alternatives, none is as simple and easy to understand as Snapsort.com, so it will become a luxury ally in the search for your next camera. When comparing only technical data, it becomes really very objective and very useful for you to end up leaning towards one or another camera to buy, or at least, so that you can discard those that do not fit what you expect from your next reflex camera.HOW DOES IT WORK?
The operation of the page is simple: a large database with data from thousands of cameras that, with just a couple of clicks, you can easily compare. Just simply go to www.snapsort.com/compare and complete the brands and models of the cameras you want to compare: Once you have completed the data of the cameras you want to compare and click on the “compare” button, you will see the result of this comparison:SECTIONS
After the quick “summary” of scoring and outstanding features, you will find a menu where you can see the different sections offered by the page regarding this comparison:- Differences: here you can see those characteristics that differentiate one from another camera, but with a particularity: it will show you the advantages that each camera has over its competitor. Later I will explain the meaning and importance of each of the items you will find in this section.
- Recommendations: Again, Snapsort.com makes the purchase process a bit easier by offering you different options where you can purchase each of the cameras consulted quickly.
- Similar: in a simple list you will be able to observe the strengths and weaknesses common to both cameras with respect to the rest of cameras that are offered in the market.
- Competitors: the comparison is not strictly limited to the two models you have chosen, but also offers you a list of advantages and disadvantages of these models compared to other cameras offered in the market and directly competing these.
- Appearance: As you can imagine, here you can appreciate the appearance of each camera with respect to the other. The image is not everything: this section will also be useful to give you a complete idea of ??how the buttons, knobs, the size of one are compared to the other, etc.
- Discussion: at the end of the comparison, you can read the opinions of those users who have had experience using one or the other model and have decided to share their experience with the rest of the community.
REFERENCES
If you stop to analyze the differences between one camera or another or its similarities, you will notice that there are a large number of items by which this comparison is made. Each of these refers to functions and features that one camera has built-in and the other does not, or both bring them or may not even have them, in which case Snapsort will recommend cameras of similar segment (Professional, advanced and beginner) that if they have them so you can evaluate and why not, make a new comparison. At the beginning you may feel a little lost among so many specifications, numbers and scores, but after performing several analyzes you will see that it is much simpler than it seems. Anyway, here is a list of the main features that you should pay attention to if you want to get the most out of this tool: Amount of noise in ISO High: ISO sensitivity is something like an indicator of the “amount of light needed to take a picture”. The higher this is, the greater the noise that will appear in your photographs. The better response a camera provides in front of photographs taken with high sensitivities, the better sharpness you will be able to achieve and the better quality your photographs will have . Maximum ISO Sensitivity: this is the maximum value to which you can raise the ISO sensitivity of your camera when taking your photos in low light situations. The higher the sensitivity of a camera, it can take pictures in low light situations where others would be impossible. Anyway, the limit to the ISO sensitivity is set by you: this will be the amount of noise that you are willing to support in a photograph. Performing a correct measurement and exposure will be key to make the most of this value. Sensitivity Boost: the maximum ISO sensitivity brought by SLR cameras acts as a limit that you can violate using the “boost” or “forcing” that limit to be able to take pictures in situations where your worst enemy, the darkness , is on the lookout. There are certain cameras that allow you to raise the maximum ISO sensitivity of your camera through their menu, but be careful that if you force it too much, the quality of your photographs will be greatly impaired. Video quality: it goes without saying that the better the video quality and more frames per second (fps) is able to process the chosen camera, the better results you will get when recording your videos. You may not be 100% interested in taking full advantage of this functionality, but as the saying goes, "it is better than over and not missing." If you want to learn all about video recording with your SLR camera, check out the following article: “ All the Truth about Video Recording in SLR Cameras ”. Continuous focus on video: Many of the SLR cameras currently offered on the market do not have the ability to automatically focus on the video recording mode, which means that it will be you who must adjust the focus manually throughout the recording. If you are a video lover, it is possible that if the camera you are comparing has such functionality, make you lean towards it when making your long-awaited purchase. External microphone: the possibility of connecting an external microphone to the camera will allow you to record the audio of your videos with much better quality than if you only used the microphone built into them. External microphones will allow you to filter ambient noise much more efficiently since they do not capture the noise that the camera itself emits, such as when zooming or focusing. Image quality: you can evaluate the quality of the images resulting from a particular camera by paying attention to this value. It is the result of the score obtained based on the three fundamental parameters to obtain quality in your photos: color depth, dynamic range and low light performance. To support its metrics, Snapsort relies on another recognized tool: DxOMark so its objectivity is almost guaranteed. Color depth : color depth is the ability of your camera to distinguish different shades of the same color. Bit measurement, the better the depth of color capable of capturing the camera, the greater the nuances of color that you will be able to distinguish in your photographs. If you want proof of the importance of capturing as many colors as possible in your photos, be sure to check out the “Colorful” challenge . Touch Screen: the trend towards touch in the world of electronics is no stranger to photography. If you are a lover of touch screens above buttons and knobs, perhaps this functionality makes you tell yourself by one or another camera. Remember that only you know what you need to meet your needs. HDR mode: the high dynamic range or “High Dynamic Range” as its acronym indicates, it is a functionality that will allow you to obtain details both in the shadows and in the lights in the same photograph. Something almost impossible to do with a conventional camera without going through a computer becomes simple when activating this functionality. Of course, if your camera allows it. While it is possible to take an HDR photograph by making multiple exposures and joining them on the computer, having the possibility to do it directly from your camera will save you a lot of time. Anyway, I leave you a simple guide so you can take an HDR photo whether or not you have such functionality in your camera: " Steps to follow to get HDR photos ". Rotating screen: this type of rotating screens allow not only to take pictures with very interesting frames but also allow you to work your footage in a much easier and more comfortable way. Focus points : having many focus points will give you great flexibility when choosing where you will direct the viewer's attention to your photos. Giving prominence to your subjects will be easier as your camera has a large number of focus points. Cross focus points : the more focus points an SLR camera has, the more possibilities you will have when making your compositions . The automatic focus modes perform the same from the contrast they detect in each of these points. In many cases, digital SLR cameras can only detect the contrast in horizontal or vertical scenes, but with the use of cross focus points, when working in the form of a “cross”, the focus points become more sensitive and reliable at the time of use. If you want to learn all about the focus on SLR cameras, take a few minutes to read the following article: " All About Manual and Automatic Focus on SLR Cameras ." Screen resolution : the higher the resolution of your camera's screen, the more details you will be able to appreciate, you can check the focus and sharpness of your photos when you review them directly from the camera. Dynamic range: as I told you in the article “ Detailed Guide: How to Make a Correct Measurement and Exposure in Your Photos ”, the dynamic range measures the amount of light and dark tones that your camera is able to capture in the same photograph, it is that is, it is the ability of the camera to obtain details in both areas of a photograph, the lights and the shadows. The higher the dynamic range of the camera you have in mind to acquire, the more details you can get in your photographs. Sensor cleaning: SLR cameras, by using interchangeable lenses, can accumulate, between one change and another, dust and particles can adhere to the sensor by spoiling your photographs. Many of the camera manufacturers have incorporated dust removal systems into their latest models to prevent this from happening. Anyway, if your camera does not have such functionality, it is enough that you read the following article to be able to clean them yourself: ” The Complete Guide: Cleaning Tips for SLR Cameras ”. Sensor size: the sensor of your digital camera is responsible for converting the light that passes through the lenses of your lenses into a photograph. The larger the size of this, the greater the light will be able to capture and therefore the quality of the resulting photograph will be superior. If you want to understand the differences that exist between different types of sensors, pay attention to the following article: " Types and Characteristics of Photo Camera Sensors ". Resolution: Although manufacturers announce that their cameras work with a certain resolution, in reality, the effective resolution of these is usually somewhat lower. This is why Snapsort uses the effective resolution of the sensors to make its comparisons. Contrary to what it may seem, higher resolution does not mean higher quality. The only thing you can make sure when paying for more megapixels is that the weight and size of your photographs will increase, but their quality may not do so, in fact, sometimes it may even decrease. Shutter speed: having a faster shutter speed will allow you to take pictures of subjects or objects that move at high speed without the risk of losing definition. Freezing the flight of a hummingbird, riding a sports car or action on a soccer field will only be possible if your camera has enough speed to do so. The cameras for beginners usually shoot at maximum speeds of 1/4000 of a second accelerating up to 1/8000 of a second in the most advanced and professional cameras. Photos per second: The number of photographs per second that a camera is able to capture in continuous shooting or burst mode refers to the speed with which the camera can take one photo after another in rapid succession. If what you want is to take action shots or sports or you want to freeze the movement , you should look for a camera that allows you as much SPF (photos per second) as possible. Shutter Delay: This feature refers to the time it takes for the camera to take a picture after the other. The higher the speed, the lower were the chances of you missing a valuable photograph. Battery life: Most manufacturers use a standard called CIPA that measures the amount of shots that can be taken with a camera before its battery runs out. If you have long-time adventures in mind, this feature cannot be overlooked. Size: the smaller the camera, the easier you will have when working with it and the more unnoticed you will pass when moving with it . Here you will have to evaluate if you prefer comfort or robustness, although one thing does not exclude the other. Viewfinder size: This feature specifies the percentage of the image that you will see in the viewfinder that will actually be captured by the camera. The current SLR cameras work with two types of viewfinders: the penta prism or the penta mirror. The first ones are included in the most advanced and expensive models since they guarantee that the image you see in the viewfinder will be the same as that reflected in the sensor, unlike the mirror penta that usually has a slightly lower percentage of vision (in around 95%). If you don't want to miss anything in the frame, try to get a camera that uses the pentaprism system. Weight: if there is something that can make you doubt when purchasing an SLR camera, it is your weight. The SLR cameras are generally heavy equipment due not only to the size of their body, but also thanks to the objectives that are used together with them. If you are thinking about getting started in the world of SLR photography, weight is something you will have to learn to live with. Available lenses: While the brand itself should not influence you when you buy your next SLR camera, if you must keep in mind that not all brands offer the same variety or number of compatible lenses for use with their cameras. For some cameras there are many more compatible lenses than for others, whether manufactured by themselves or by third parties that produce lenses for them. Pay attention not only to the quantity, but also to the variety and costs of the lenses available for a particular camera before making your purchase. Check out the following article: “You will take your best photographs with one of these objectives ”. Image stabilizer : Image stabilization prevents the photographs you take from losing sharpness due to trepidations or camera movements. In low light situations or if you have in mind using telephoto lenses, having a stabilized camera will be essential. In my personal opinion, I prefer stabilized lenses to stabilized cameras. In fact, the tendency is for stabilization to be carried out on the objective since it is more efficient. Internal focus motor: Some DSLR cameras do not have a built-in focus motor so they can only use the auto focus function with lenses that do. These lenses tend to be more expensive than those that do not have a built-in focus motor, so if you get a camera without a focus motor, I recommend that you make sure that the lenses are autofocus. Memory cards: some cameras offer the possibility of working simultaneously with two memory cards allowing to increase the internal storage capacity of these or, making backup copies of the photos stored in one of the cards automatically in the other. If you have made your hobby a profession you may find this feature more than interesting, after all, there is no worse publicity for a photographer than losing the photographs of his client. If unfortunately it happens to you, put into practice the following tips: “ Can I Recover Photos from a Damaged Memory Card? " Protection against the weather: this is a feature of advanced or professional cameras since its use is usually carried out in much more extreme conditions than the equipment entering the segment or for “beginners”. Dust, water and moisture can be the worst enemies for your camera, so if you have the possibility of getting one that has this feature, you will make sure that it will accompany you for many, many photos. Price: the perfect camera does not exist, remember that these are only a means for you to express yourself, so anyone who fits your budget will be ideal for you.HOW TO DECIDE
There are only two factors that, in my opinion, should influence your decision when buying a SLR camera:- The use you intend to give today and in the future
- Your budget
