A few years ago, I wrote a couple posts in response to folks who asked what kind of camera to buy. One suggested a good point-and-shoot option, and the other was about SLR options. The camera landscape has changed a great deal since then, so I thought I would offer an update, including my current favorite.I won't mention many specific point-and-shoot models in this post. The latest iteration of the Canon G-series is the G15, but that seems to change quickly. And I'm not sure I'd recommend a point-and-shoot camera of that size anymore with the other more flexible cameras available near that price point.If you have a smartphone, you may already have a very capable camera with you all the time. As Chase Jarvis and others have demonstrated, you can take some very good photos with your phone's camera, especially when you use an app like Camera Awesome. In fact, Camera Awesome has some features that I wish my SLR did! And my phone's camera has the immediate gratification factor of being able to edit and upload with Instagram right after taking a photo.If you're looking for something more than what your smartphone has to offer, but don't want to carry around a bulky SLR, there is another class of camera that may interest you.Mirrorless cameras offer high-quality optics (many have the same size sensor as SLRs) in a smaller package than an SLR, and often at a lower price. Some, like those that use the Micro Four Thirds system, have interchangeable lenses. But my new desert island camera is the Fujifilm X100S.A couple years ago, Fuji came out with the X100. I was first attracted to it because its design reminded me of my first SLR. I was also interested in carrying a smaller camera body than my 5D around with me on a daily basis. I wound up ordering one, and despite its quirks, I found myself using it for most non-professional work. It is compact, almost silent, and its jpegs are so good I almost never shot in RAW. I ordered a white balance cap for it as I typically prefer to set my white balance manually, but its auto white balance is so good I ceded control to the camera. In fact, almost all of its automatic controls were too good to bother with Lightroom tweaks.The X100S is better yet. The focusing issues are fixed; I can even focus manually, which means macro photography is almost as fun as with my Tamron 1:1 macro lens. The fast lens means flash is rarely required, and the camera offers both an optical and electronic viewfinder. The X100S is just a lot of fun.Downsides: It's not cheap, and the fixed lens means you have to exercise legwork to get up close (not an option for bird photographers and paparazzo). You also don't have the immediate shutter release you do in an SLR, so it won't work for sports photographers or those chasing hyperactive children.For everyone else, it's at least worth consideration. You don't need to take my word for it: Both Zack Arias and David Hobby posted very positive reviews of the X100S. So positive, in fact, that I sold my X100 to preorder the X100S. The X100S is such a good all-around camera that even a career photographer like David Hobby is no longer carrying an SLR in his standard kit.So ditch the extra camera bag. Don't worry about which lenses to pack. Force yourself to forget about gear and just enjoy taking pictures.
Which SLR camera should I buy?
If you've decided that an SLR is the thing for you, you're still in good shape. You really can't go wrong getting an SLR right now; they're all a good buy and packed with features. I generally recommend Nikons or Canons as they're the most widely-used; that means there are more accessories and used lenses available. That said, you'll find plenty of recommendations for Olympus, Sony, Sigma, Pentax, and the other brands.
Which model should you buy? I generally recommend the least expensive. Right now, that means the Canon Rebel XSi or the Nikon D3000. (The Canon link is for body only; the Nikon link includes a "kit lens" that I would recommend replacing.)
You can spend more money on a camera, but your lens investment is far more important. Cameras are replaced every few years, but people hold onto their lenses. And the quality of your images has more to do with the lens than with the camera. I recommend the 50mm f/1.8 for Canon users. For Nikon users, there's a 35mm f/1.8 available (see the comments from Matt Speicher below for more information about Nikon lenses). Fast prime (fixed focal length) lenses like these are great for a few reasons.
- they're inexpensive
- they're very fast, allowing you to shoot indoors without a flash
- they're small and light, making the camera more portable
- their image quality is superior to almost any other lens under $500 and many lenses under $1000
- the single focal length eliminates a decision from every shot you take (zooming is not an option)
[note]You can spend more money on a camera, but your lens investment is far more important.[/note]
Zoom lenses like the Canon 28-200 are nice in terms of their range, but there are trade-offs.
- they cost more
- they're heavier
- image quality is not as good
- they are slower, which will require flash in more situations (image stabilization (aka vibration reduction) helps, but still doesn't bridge the gap)
That said, at some point you'll want to buy a zoom lens. That's when friends with SLRs come in handy so you can borrow their lenses and try them out. I use pro lenses for portrait shoots, but my "walking around" lens is the Tamron 28-300. They make a Nikon version, too. The image quality is not as good as that offered by the 50mm f/1.8, but it's very versatile (if a bit slow).
Eventually, you may want to pick up a macro lens for close-up photography, or a wide-angle lens (which was used in the photo above) for a different perspective. I'd avoid getting wrapped up in the hardware, though; there are a lot of good pictures waiting to be taken with your new SLR and 50mm lens. I just created two galleries in which all of the photos were taken with a 50mm lens. I enjoyed taking the photos and, though at first I thought not having my zoom lens along would be a problem, I was very happy with the results.
Which camera should I buy? (2010 version)
(There is a newer answer to this question.)I'm often asked that question, and I have a short answer. The Canon G11. It gets good reviews (at a site where you can trust the reviewers), it has great optics, it takes video, it shoots RAW, and it allows the user creative control but can still function effectively on full auto. And you get all that in a portable unit that doesn't require any accessories.
While I consider the G11 a sweet spot when it comes to price, performance, and portability, I understand that there are numerous other factors that go into choosing a camera. The G11 gives us a place to start, but it may not be the right choice. There are many great cameras available for less than $400, if price is an issue. There are also many point-and-shoot cameras that are smaller.On the other hand, maybe the delay when you press the shutter release on your point-and-shoot has resulted in too many lost shots. Or perhaps you're looking to take even more creative control of your photos. In that case, it may be time to consider a digital SLR.