NEVER MAKE THE MOST TYPICAL MISTAKES WHEN BUYING AN SLR CAMERA [UPDATED]

The moment of looking for the camera that will accompany you throughout endless photographs can cause you as much excitement and pleasure as nervousness and stress. This is due not only to the sheer number and quality of brands, models, functions, and features, but also to the anxiety that the entire process generates. And this usually leads to errors when buying your SLR camera.

When making a decision , there are many factors that you should consider to avoid a bad purchase .

That is why today we will review some of the following most frequent mistakes made when buying a digital SLR camera. I run the risk that you already know some of these errors, but I prefer to risk it and warn you well ? :

Overpaying for things you don't need
Pay more to have a camera that weighs more
Choosing the camera only for its megapixels
Skip the necessary “extras”
Not listening to colleagues (or reading them)
Not learning before buying
Not investigating the camera thoroughly
Unfamiliar terminology
Believing that only “top brands” exist
Pay more to have more lenses or accessories
Don't leave money for a good goal
Do not test the camera in person
Let others decide for you
Not knowing why you (really) need an SLR camera
Believing that the camera makes the photographer

If you were thinking of getting one, you cannot stop reading this article to delve into them and be able to avoid them!

THE MOST FREQUENT MISTAKES WHEN BUYING AN SLR CAMERA

Let's see these 15 errors one by one with their reasons.

1. OVERPAYING FOR THINGS YOU DON'T NEED

Overpaying for a camera you don't need is one of the most common mistakes photographers make. Even though you 're capable of getting amazing photos with just about any DSLR you find in stores, it's all too easy to be tempted to go out of your budget for a camera with higher specs that you don't really need.

The best way to get the most out of your investment in a camera is to pay for what you are actually going to use . And don't spend a fortune on features you won't use.

Taking some time to analyze what you plan to use it for can save you a lot of money. Money that you will need to get the objectives with which you will take your best photographs . We will see this in more depth in error 11 ? .

2. PAY MORE TO HAVE A CAMERA THAT WEIGHS MORE

Another common mistake that many make is to associate the weight of a camera with its quality and features. And, even worse, with the final photographic result.

In my humble opinion, there is no relationship between the weight of a camera and the quality of its photos. I can't imagine anyone contemplating a great photograph of these that leave you speechless, putting their hand to their chin and saying, as a good connoisseur of the subject: «Man, it's obvious that this photo was taken with a very, very heavy camera. I'm telling you, all you have to do is see the vividness of the colors, look at the composition, but what a more professional use of light. My God! Surely the photographer had a fat camera, believe me, I understand this, you know?

I POINT OUT

It is true that professional photographers (those who are engaged in photography as a profession or trade) usually invest money in very expensive photographic equipment. But they require very specific features, for professional purposes, that you can't find in any SLR camera.

It is also true that these cameras, from 2,000 to 3,000 euros, and even more, usually have a disproportionately large body and dimensions. But from there we must not deduce that fat camera = good camera. Each camera is designed for a specific type of user and specific needs.

DIFFERENT USERS FOR DIFFERENT CAMERAS

A professional camera is required a totally different performance to that of an amateur user. If you hurry me, the amateur photographer makes varied use of his SLR camera, one day at home, another day on the street, on an excursion or at a family event. As an amateur, you need a light and versatile machine, something that you can carry around without being too bulky and, above all, without making you unnecessarily tiring.

Remember this when choosing your next SLR camera.

3. CHOOSE THE CAMERA ONLY FOR ITS MEGAPIXELS

The features that manufacturers highlight as fundamental are not always really important when it comes to getting a digital SLR camera.

The way cameras are promoted based on their megapixels, to allude to their image quality, is a prime example of this. Remember that megapixels mark the print size that the photograph will have. But they have nothing to do with the quality of these, as is usually promoted.

WHY DO WE GIVE SO MUCH IMPORTANCE TO MEGAPIXELS?

There was a time when you had to look at the number of megapixels that cameras had because most offered a very low amount. Which was reflected in some images that, as soon as you wanted to enlarge them, lost resolution, ending up in the famous pixelated photography effect.

But today, focusing on megapixels (in excess) is monumental nonsense. Any current SLR camera offers more than enough megapixels for incredible print quality at a reasonably large size.

What really matters is the sensor, not the number of megapixels

4. OVERLOOKING THE NECESSARY “EXTRAS”

Keep in mind that the world of SLR photography is not only limited to the camera and that there are many accessories that will be essential for you to make the most of your camera's potential. In fact, in many cases the camera may even be the cheapest of the entire photographic kit.

Lenses, filters, extra batteries, high-speed memory, backpacks to transport your equipment, external flashes, diffusers and tripods are part of the endless accessories and tools necessary for you to take your photos to the highest level.

Be careful , again, you must be careful to know your photographic needs well in order not to oversize yourself.