With too many features, varying lenses and astounding megapixels, choosing your first DSLR can be a tough job. But, don’t settle right away with the latest gizmos there is for you might be surprised with next month’s release. Here’s how you can land on a tiptop DSLR given any budget:
The price tag. Seriously, high-end DSLR’s can easily wipe out your credit card limit. And with lenses to buy, camera bags and tripods to think about, you could end up chewing your nice pictures when you starve. Careful planning and budgeting can make this big-ticket purchase less stressful. Research on prices of SD cards, filters, and other things that you might need.
Consider its use. Be sure that your camera fits your travel needs. Are you going to use it professionally or just for fun? Do you want to photograph landscapes, people, and animals, among others? Remember that DSLR’s plus the lenses and tripods can be a heavy bunch. If you travel a lot, then a light model will do just fine.
The famous megapixel. Probably you have ogled at a Canon 5D Mark II with superb 21.1 MP. Again, you have to remember your purpose before letting go of your hard-earned money. You really can make money out of photography, but if your purchase is an attempt to keep up with the Joneses at Facebook, never mind. If you can only afford a 10MP, then get it and start snapping.
Know about formats. Newbie or not, this can affect the turnout of your picture if you use digital software. Most pros use RAW which captures large files that can be easily enhanced without sacrificing quality.
Check for exact frame size. The camera’s full frame sensor can enhance or break your nature photos. Full frame sensor plus a high ISO, will give better action shots if you love covering sporting events or chasing gazelles.
Include the lenses. Although you can already take great pictures with just the DSLR’s, having wide-angle and focal lenses can highly improve your images. Also include this on your budget as a set of high-end lens can already amount to one DSLR. You don’t have to be loyal to a specific brand because some Nikon lenses are more topnotch than other brands and vice versa. If you plan this kind of purchase, be sure to have your adopter budget on the ready.
The Maintenance. If you often change lenses during travel shoots, you are running the risk of getting dust into your camera. Dusty image sensors can ruin images. Of course you can do thecleaning or pay a professional for it. But if you want fewer hassles and perfect shots, investing on self cleaning sensors will be a good idea.
Finally, you must remember that buying a DSLR will not instantly make you a pro. See to it that you can handle the manual features for many buyers are caught up with the DSLR frenzy they mistaken it for a point-and-shoot. Do a bit of research on how to set aperture, brightness, contrast and whatnot to ensure you will really get the best travel pictures. If there are no other problems; then go grab one!