What to choose for a beginner amateur photographer? Which brand should I prefer? Answering these questions is not so simple. People often like to compare several models from Nikon and Canon in the same price segment. Then a third player - a Sony fan - can join this pair with his own view of the camera market. However, having limited their choice to several models, novice amateur enthusiasts look at this problem quite narrowly, do not take into account many more important factors. We will talk about them in our article.
Do not compare camera A with camera B, pushing their forehead into the forehead
When you compare one camera with another, then one of the models may have a clear advantage. This is no accident: manufacturers have never produced two completely different models, giving them one or another advantage over competitors. For example, the Nikon 5300 has a very advanced autofocus system - such competitors have only in the semi-professional segment. And Sony cameras have a much better video mode and more various electronic chips, filters, additional functions. All these advantages in numbers are rarely actually realized by amateurs in full, but they can make you make a hasty conclusion and lead to a rash purchase. Before giving preference to a particular parameter, think about how important it will be for you when shooting. Remember that most often you will “just shoot” without using fancy tracking AF algorithms or many built-in filters.About Nikon’s sophisticated menu and Sony’s small optics park
After comparing specific models and identifying all the possible drawbacks and advantages, buyers like to appeal to read on forums or heard from more experienced acquaintances: about the number of optics in the system, about the features of camera control ... There can be a ton of options! But controlling any camera is a matter of habit. For beginner photographers, this does not apply in principle, since habit is a business. It has been developed for years. So the convenience or inconvenience of the interface of a particular model can never be judged by the opinion of another person. The novice photographer easily adapts to the control features of almost any camera. With optics a little more complicated. When choosing a system, we choose lenses. Sony has a great legacy of Konica-Minolta, and Canon has a huge fleet of old optics available in the secondary market. It should be borne in mind that the matrices of digital cameras are constantly being improved, and a lens that was sharp on a six-megapixel matrix will not demonstrate all the capabilities of a sensor with a resolution of 18 megapixels or more. Lenses, like cameras, keep up with the times. Any brand from the Big Three has a full line of optics for every taste and budget. Moreover, the question of whether a large or small fleet of optics from some manufacturer is very ambiguous. It makes sense to consider only the lens models of recent years of production that meet the high modern requirements for image quality. And here, all manufacturers will have approximately the same set. Thus, as in any situation, you need to have your own head on your shoulders and not take the word for people who are only a little more experienced in choosing cameras. Many problems are far-fetched and sucked from the finger.Service Availability
The equipment is not safe from breakdowns. Minor drops, dust, moisture, extreme temperatures - all this can cause the camera or its components to fail. Professionals in this case have a second camera, a spare, but for an amateur it is a luxury. Many amateur enthusiasts passed through service centers. You should find out in advance about the availability of service in your region or city, as well as about the quality of their work. There is no point in additional megapixels or autofocus points, if you can’t or cannot fix the camera in the event of a breakdown, but with great effort. However, even if there is no service in your city, there is always the possibility of sending a camera to another city. In any case, you will not be left without qualified help, it just may take more time.Focus on friends
SLR, and now mirrorless cameras are ubiquitous. It is possible that you have a more experienced friend or acquaintance who has made his choice and has already acquired his own optics park. In this case, you greatly simplify your task, because you have the opportunity to try this or that camera or lens. Even if you don’t have them yet, you can easily find like-minded people over the Internet. The network has long formed a large community of fans of a particular brand, and their participants hold regular live meetings. You can also try joining a local photo club by finding it through the local city forum. Oddly enough, the choice of a camera “like friends” turns out to be justified here: you will always be helped with advice, given a try for an interesting lens for a day or two.Read tests and reviews
The network today is available many tests and reviews of technology. For example, in our tests we try to pay maximum attention not to instrumental comparisons, but to tests of cameras in real conditions. Because we sincerely believe that the main thing is how the camera shoots in life, and not the difference in noise or other parameters measured at all in percentage terms.Listen to your own taste
Even if you are armed with all our tips and have already made a choice, there is always a chance that something will go wrong. The difference between the systems is no longer so much in the objective as in the subjective field. There is no one indisputable leader. Photography is subjective, and you should listen to the whisper of the heart. What Canon, Nikon, Sony - everyone has their own philosophy, their own perception of color and vision of this world. Peer at the photographs and ask yourself if you like them. This, in our opinion, is the most important. Photos should like. Your camera should produce “your” color in the pictures, optics should draw “your” picture.