What Camera?

“I’m new and what camera do you recommend? I want to shoot vacation shots and birds.”

You’ll see this plea for advice on FaceBook daily and on some of the bigger beginner sites somedays hundreds of people will offer their recommendation.

One of the big problems with FaceBook as I’ve said before is a lot of photographers on the site are new to photography so their answers are often conflicting, confusing and just dead wrong.

So here’s what I think after shooting pro for almost 60 years and teaching for a national retailer: You’ve got to ask yourself some questions. Here’s what I’d be asking:

• What’s my budget? This is going to head us in the right direction.
• What am I going to shoot? For vacation shots just about anything from a point-and-shoot digital camera to a full-blown mirrorless pro camera will get the job done.
• What about birds? Oh dear birds are often tiny, super fast and hide in dark shadows. An Olympus OM-1 (way over budget) and a 300mm f/4 lens (more over budget) would be my number one recommendation . You might want to think this one through again. Maybe later once you know what you’re doing?
• How about film? Film is great. It’s artistic and lots of photographers are coming back to film as manufacturer’s have started selling film and film cameras (See my post on the Pentax 17) again. But film is expensive. A lot of film shooters like older manual focus cameras like my new-to-me used Nikon FE which with a super Nikon 50mm f/1.4 lens shipped from Japan in four days at a cost of roughly $300. Older film cameras can have stuff that may need professional repairs so it’s not a recommendation I’d make to new photographers unless you understand what you’re getting into.
• Don’t you have to develop film? Yup either do the black and white in the bathroom sink (it’s easy) and scan into your computer (another expense) or send the B&W or colour film to a lab for development, scan files and prints.
• Ok so likely it’s digital? I’d say so at least for a first camera.
• So which one? Well in digital there’s a huge variety of camera types. I’d tend to go with a really decent modern point-and-shoot by Fuji or Sony or Nikon. While bird photography might be a challenge these small technological wonders will shoot exquisite images suitable for small prints or social media. Go to your local retailer and let the salesperson guide you. Hold every camera in your hands and ask countless questions because that’s what salespeople are there to do.
• What about a mirrorless camera that can take different lenses? Yes but this is likely going to be way past your budget. A beginner’s mirrorless camera from Nikon, Canon, or Olympus is a great way to enter into serious photography and all work pretty well with a kit lens that normally comes as a package. Since I’m shooting with an Olympus OM-1 with a bag of expensive lenses I bought (and taught) my wife an OM-5 with the 12-45 f/4 zoom lens and she is very happy with it. Generally I’d say if you’re interested in photography your first camera isn’t going to be your last camera. Over my lifetime (at 75 so far) we’re talking 50 cameras and maybe 75 starting with a Kodak Brownie.
• Finally once you have your camera read the manual and go take some lessons. I’d recommend joining a local camera club as they often offer free lessons and some retailers do host pro teachers for weekend workshops. Lessons will make your photography experience a happy and satisfying one.