Everyone begins to take their first steps in SLR photography with great enthusiasm, but you will be surprised to learn that most of those who later drop out do so as a result of a "badly planned" first contact with SLR photography. I explain.
In SLR photography it is not worth starting with any camera. A good start in photography requires a good camera. And no, with "good camera" I don't mean an expensive camera or one with high performance. I mean a “ proper ” camera. A successful camera for the type of user who is going to use it. Someone who has never used an SLR camera in their life shouldn't start out with a 2,000-euro SLR designed more for the professional user. Not even when you have aspirations to evolve towards the professional sector.
The camera thing is just an example. There are endless aspects that the amateur or beginner photographer is normally unaware of, and that unfortunately no one explains to us when we are starting out. Can I tell you any more?
BEFORE STARTING
Before starting I want to explain one thing to you: the following article is a completely subjective personal contribution. Ask other photographers out there and they will give you different opinions. Nothing happens. All opinions are respectable. But this is perhaps one of the longest and most detailed articles I've written in my many years of blogging. In it you should find the answer to most of the questions you will have when buying your first photographic equipment.
Second, this article has taken me a lot of work and, at the very least, I would like you to read it sitting down. If you pass your eyes between the lines you will not get anything clear. Here you will find a lot of useful information but for that I recommend that you prepare a cup of your favorite drink and sit down to read the article comfortably and calmly. No hurry ?
Finally, if you enjoy reading this article or find it minimally useful, I would really appreciate it if you would share it on your social networks.
And now yes, let's go to trouble.
BUDGET
A very common mistake among buyersof "first-time" SLR cameras is to dedicate 100% of the budget to the acquisition of the camera, when in reality, the camera by itself will not give us more than a few simple and limited photos. Apart from the value of the photographer, much of the merit of a good photograph is due to the accessories that come with the camera and the lens that is attached to it. If you spend 100% of your budget on the most expensive camera you can afford, after a few weeks or months you will start to get bored with the photos you take, you will start to think that you have the wrong camera, or that maybe you are not. as good a photographer as you thought at first, when none of this is true. The only certainty is that a good camera by itself limps. A good camera requires a good lens,
Moral? Divide your budget in 2. Dedicate half to buy the best SLR camera you can afford (remember, expensive doesn't always mean good ). Leave the other half in the piggy bank, which you will need later to acquire additional material that you will need.
AIM
The target is the mother of the lamb. After the camera, the lens is the most important material item in a photographer's kit. I even dare to say that it is as or more important than the camera. Why? The lens is the first place the image (light) passes through. It runs through the whole of it, from end to end. During this journey of light through the interior of the objective, the light undergoes modifications, changes and alterations that make the image one or the other. Shooting with the same camera and in exactly the same conditions, two different lenses can give us two completely different photographs: one with straight lines and the other with sloping lines; one with more light and the other with less; etc.
This goes beyond the merely visual. Two visually different images can tell us two stories or make us feel two completely different emotions as well.
As you can see, the objective is of key importance, and yet it is the great forgotten of most amateur photographers. Why does this happen? Well, simply because when we are starting out in photography, we dream of getting our hands on an SLR camera, we look at it from the shop window and normally we see it with a standard lens attached to it. Most SLR cameras can be bought with and without a lens, but if you don't have much idea and have to choose between a camera WITH a lens (life fixed) and a camera WITHOUT a lens (ooooooo again start over: I have to investigate, inform myself, search forums, blogs, videos on Youtube, ask a friend, then another and another, compare, aim up, aim down), it is normal that one tends to acquire the built-in camera + lens kit. It seems that this is how we have solved the problem ? But no. In reality, we have only postponed it. Sooner or later we would end up realizing the reality: the lens of the kit is basic, very, very basic, and it hardly allows us to capture a “normal” photograph. If we want to get pictures as impressive as the ones we see out there, most of the time we will need a loose lens, the kind that never comes in the camera kit.
This point of the objective matches the previous one of the budget. If you leave some money in the piggy bank after a short time, as soon as you start tinkering with the camera and you realize that you need to spread your wings a little more as a photographer, you will be able to inform yourself, choose the lens that best suits your photographic style, and without further ado you will go to the store for it, piggy bank in hand ?
ACCESSORIES
I am an inveterate minimalist in all facets of my life, and in photography I was not going to be less. I am therefore against the abundance of unjustified photographic material. I don't like people getting obsessed with filling their backpack with junk that they don't even use later. I fully respect those who carry all kinds of gadgets as long as they really use it, however, I am convinced that in photography you do not need to have absolutely all the accessories to be able to take a photograph that you can feel proud of.
That said, I am not going to hide from you that you will need some accessories. Nor can we go to the opposite extreme and want to do without all accessories. Some accessories will make your life easier as a photographer. Again, this is something to keep in mind from day one, so don't melt all the pasta all at once.
Calmly find out what photographic accessories exist, what they are for, and decide if you need them or not. Of course, buy only what is really going to be useful for you.
NEVER GET CARRIED AWAY BY THE ADVICE OF THE SELLER (EXCLUSIVELY)
It is very common for the user to go to a store, usually an electronics store or department store, approach the seller and ask something like “ How are you, can I ask you a question? You see, I like photography and I was thinking of making the jump from a compact to an SLR. What camera would you recommend? ”.
In the past, the seller, owner of a photography shop and being a professional photographer himself, would have asked us a series of questions and would end up recommending what according to his objective criteria could be the ideal SLR for our case.
Today, in 90% of cases, we will be attended by a professional who belongs to one of two groups:
- A commercial who, victim of the pressure his boss puts him to achieve a minimum of sales/profits, takes you by the arm and leads you to the back of the section, where he has stacked the cameras that provide him with the most profit margin, or perhaps those that nobody buys and that there is no way to give them an outlet. With a friendly smile, the commercial will look at you and pointing at the aforementioned camera and will tell you “ Here is the best SLR camera in the world. Did you want something else, aside? ”.
- If you have better luck, you will find a commercial that, although he will not intentionally want to lie to you, the poor man does not know photography nor has his company prepared him to sell/advise on cameras. He will greet you with a friendly smile and recommend anything he thinks is good. The day before, the guy would have been recommending dishwashers, and the next day, you'll find him in the oven or fume hood section.
When I say don't get carried away by the seller's advice, I don't mean that the seller has bad intentions, at least not always. There will be everything. There are good and honest camera sellers and there are not, there are highly qualified and there are not. Like life itself.
What I am saying is that the salespeople who serve you in the stores where most users buy cameras are not always 100% qualified in photography. I'm sure there are exceptions, but to heal you, I recommend that you look for others in addition to the seller's opinion, from consulting the opinion of other sellers in other stores, even if you're not going to buy from them, simply to check the first opinion, to looking for articles and topics on social networks, on the Internet, in blogs, forums, YouTube videos, etc.
WHERE TO BUY?
In the past, to buy a loaf of bread you went to a bakery and, to buy a camera, you went to a photography store ?
Currently, there are countless shops where you can buy your SLR camera. By proxy, you can buy your photographic equipment even in the supermarket. Thus, since you are going for the camera, take advantage and bring some lettuce and tomato for salad if you see that it is missing at home.
Jokes aside, I am a great defender of online shopping. I still like to visit stores and physical stores, especially to see the camera live, feel it if I can, try it perhaps, but the benefits offered by buying online cannot be found today in any physical store.
I list just a few examples of the benefits of shopping online:
- You do not have a salesperson who overwhelms you with phrases such as “ Do you need a hand? Come on, look at this. Let me recommend that. Trust me, you will thank me . I am an introverted shopper. When I want to make a purchase decision I like to be left to my own devices, I like to take it easy.
- Some online stores, such as Amazon, allow you to see ratings and opinions from other buyers who have purchased the same camera or accessory. In a physical store, impossible.
- In general, not always, but I usually find a better price in online stores. These save many fixed costs that physical establishments have to face, which gives the online store the possibility of offering you a more competitive price.
If you ask me about the store where I usually make my photographic purchases, I'll tell you which one it is ? But I admit that I am not very objective in this matter. I am a fan of this particular store, so in order to give you as “rational” an answer as possible, let me first tell you what I look for in an online store in order to buy from it. Mainly 2 things:
- Competitive prices. And who doesn't, right?
- Excellent after-sales and customer service. If I don't like the product, I like being able to return or claim it and receive a correct treatment.
In my case, Amazon responds to these 2 demands in a spectacular way, so for some time now, absolutely all my photographic purchases (as well as recommendations) have been made on Amazon. The day I stop being satisfied I'll say it, but for now I couldn't ask for more ?
WHAT TO LOOK FOR IN AN SLR CAMERA?
After years of buying SLR cameras and recommending them to thousands of readers who follow BdF, I have perfected what has been my list of requirements. I believe that every "first SLR camera" has to have the following characteristics:
- Price below 500 Euros ( these are the cheapest cameras I know at the moment).
- Popular brand and model: compatibility with more lenses and accessories, easy to repair and find information on the Internet, easy to find video tutorials, etc.
- Good comments and opinions from other verified buyers on sites like Amazon.
Wait Mario. Do not ask for anything megapixels, ISO or frames per second?
Not.
Look: in the 21st century it is quite difficult to find a digital SLR camera in which megapixels are scarce. Who may want to look closely at the technical performance of one camera and another is the user who wants to dedicate himself to this professionally, but for the common photographer who enjoys this as a passion, most digital SLR cameras today today they perfectly meet the majority of technical requirements.
Dear reader: what you have read so far should allow you to make a perfect choice for your first SLR photographic equipment, however, I still need to tell you a little trick that has always helped me when buying or recommending an SLR camera.
MY PERSONAL TRICK
Before I explain the trick, a bit of context: most brands release a certain model of SLR camera for sale and, after a while, a year, two at the most, they improve that model by adding features here and there, they assign it a different code or sequential number, and put it up for sale for a high price of admission. At the same time, the previous model is reduced in price almost immediately.
Two things happen:
- Most of the time, the price difference between the new model and the one immediately before it is significant.
- Almost always, the difference in performance and technical characteristics does not usually justify such a difference in price.
Here comes the personal preference factor of each one at the time of purchase. Some people don't mind paying a higher price simply to have 24 megapixels instead of 14 (more than enough). Some people are capable of paying more for the mere fact that the camera has a GPS chip or that it is capable of connecting to the Internet in order to upload photos directly to social networks. Ohhhhhhhhhh!!
In my case, I prefer to stay with more than enough 14 or 16 megapixels, even less if necessary, do without the GPS module, and in exchange, be able to enjoy a magnificent lens with a large aperture (the 50mm f/1.8 for example) thanks to the money I save by staying with the previous camera model. My trick is that I hardly ever buy or recommend the purchase of the latest SLR camera . I don't like wearing "the latest scream" in anything ? I prefer to make a smart purchase (at least that's how I consider it) keeping the immediately previous scream, which 12 months ago was "the latest scream" as well, and be able to dedicate the rest of my budget to objectives and accessories that I really need.
ONE LAST PIECE OF ADVICE BEFORE BUYING SLR PHOTOGRAPHY EQUIPMENT
After many years advising and recommending photographers of all kinds on the subject of cameras, I can say that one of the biggest barriers that prevent many from taking photos is usually what is known as "analysis paralysis". You propose to buy a camera, you go to Amazon and look at one. Like. A few minutes later another catches your eye. You investigate a little more and more options begin to appear. When it finally seems that you already have a decided SLR team, you tell a friend about it and he throws his hands up because, according to him, the best brand of cameras has always been, is, and will continue to be his, the one with the camera that he has, and any other brand is poop ?
I know this feeling. I have been able to experience it first-hand in my early days as a photographer, but the most I have experienced has been during all these years at the helm of the Photographer's Blog, seeing how many of our readers are confused by the complicated decision of which camera to buy. . What many do not fall into is that, while they think and rethink which camera to buy, they are stopping doing what they are most passionate about: photographing .
My last piece of advice is don't get obsessed with the camera you are going to buy. Try to follow the advice and recommendations that I have explained to you back in this article, and do everything possible to get the best SLR camera you can afford. But do it fast. Don't be there analyzing, making a decision, then undoing it, over and over again, indefinitely. Remember that your goal is not to be the owner of a great and beautiful reflex camera. Your goal is to take great pictures.
The camera is a simple medium. Not the goal.
MY RECOMMENDATION IN SLR CAMERAS
At this point in the article you already know a lot about buying your first SLR photography kit. But if you have not yet decided on a particular brand and model, here are my two most absolute recommendations for any beginner photographer who wants to start DSLR photography for the first time. I am going to recommend two models in particular, the Nikon D3300 and the Canon 1300D. Both cameras are ideal for starting out in the SLR world on the right foot. One only has to see the high score that the two have from their current users on Amazon.
NIKON D3400 (+ RECOMMENDED ACCESSORIES)
This is my number 1 recommendation for anyone who wants to start SLR photography with a prestigious brand like Nikon. Of this camera, its 24-megapixel sensor stands out, capable of capturing photographs that can later be printed and enlarged without losing quality; ISO sensitivity up to 25,600, very useful for shooting in low-light environments; editing and retouching of photos and videos within the camera itself without the need to use a computer; video recording in Full HD 1080p (with an interesting "slow motion" option); Wi-Fi connectivity to shoot covertly from your smartphone, and a host of other features. Best of all is its price, difficult to find in SLR cameras with a lens included, and less than the quality of the D3400.
Here I leave you a small selection of photographs taken with the Nikon D3400, they will serve as a sample so that you can see the incredible capabilities of this SLR.
You can get it on Amazon for a fairly affordable price. I know that in addition to the camera, you will have to make more decisions to purchase accessories ?, so I take the liberty of proposing what would be my favorite options, all in the same pack.
The pack costs less than 800 euros on Amazon, and includes:
- Nikon D3400, my best recommendation in terms of SLR cameras for amateur photographers.
- 18-55mm objective as standard. Basic, but does the job.
- Objective 50mm f/1.8. One of the best lenses I have known and tested to date. Ideal for almost any type of photography, although if you use it for portraits, family photos, photos of friends, etc., you will succeed ?
- Ball head tripod. Very easy to drive. Ideal for traveling and transporting while being very robust and solid.
- 16 GB memory card, of the best brand and with the highest possible speed.
There are reflex cameras that, being for beginners as well, only the camera costs you 800 euros. Here you have the complete pack. You can get it from the following link.
If you prefer the camera alone, without the accessories (only with the basic 18-55mm lens), you can find it on Amazon for around 450 euros at the following link.
CANON EOS 2000D (+ RECOMMENDED ACCESSORIES)
Another excellent option that has not stopped reaping very good opinions since it came out. Canon handpicked elements from its best DSLRs to date and brought them together in this small but tough DSLR called the 2000D. In it you will find a 24 megapixel sensor, much more than enough for the daily use of the amateur photographer, with 24 megapixels it gives you plenty to print in large formats without loss of quality; an autofocus based on 9 points; along with more features like WIFI connectivity that make it one of the best DSLRs for beginner photographers to date.
The 2000D not only delivers what you'd expect from an SLR but exceeds it, offering an ISO of up to forced 12,800, compatibility with wireless Eye-Fi SD memory cards, and a very, very light weight - rare in a traditional reflex camera.
Its biggest advantage? Its price, difficult to match for the benefits it offers.
How about we take a look at the photographic quality of this camera? Here are some pictures taken with the Canon 2000D.
If in addition to the camera you are going to want accessories, I recommend the following pack, similar to the previous one but with a specific lens for Canon in this case:
The pack costs you on Amazon about 700 euros, and includes:
- Canon 2000D.
- 18-55mm objective as standard.
- Objective 50mm f/1.8. One of the best lenses I have known and tested to date. It is not for nothing that I call it “The King of Objectives”. It works for you in most situations, but its strong point is portraits, family photography, etc.
- Ball head tripod. Very easy to drive. Ideal for traveling and transporting but robust and solid at the same time.
- 16 GB memory card, of the best brand and with the highest possible speed.
You can access the pack at the following link. If you only want the camera with the basic 18-55mm lens, without the rest of the accessories, you can find it on Amazon for less than 400 euros at the following link.
And now I am giving closure to this article. I hope you find it useful and that it helps you start enjoying your passion for photography as soon as possible. If you liked the article, I would be very happy if you would recommend it on your favorite social network.
