I like to tell people about an incident I ran into while shooting a Hockey Tournament. I had a gentleman come up to me and ask what I was using to get my great shots. I told him I was using a Minolta Dimage A1. It is a prosumer Camera, meaning that it is based on the design of a Single Lens Reflex Camera with out the removable lens. You have a wide range of options with one of these cameras. You can shoot full Auto, the camera does everything, to fully manual where you set everything to anything in between. This camera is for the person who has been taking photo for a while or someone who understands photography and wants to do more with their photography. Some Professional photographers will use a prosumer camera as a backup or a carry around camera. Many of the prosumer cameras have a fast lens (f2.8) at the lower end and a large zoom (10X). These are not cheep and can cost up to, $700, or, $800. With this level of camera the mega pixels are important, the more the better depending upon the size of the sensor and processor.
The man came back during the next period and showed me his camera and said he did not have any luck getting a good picture. His camera was a Canon 20D, a DSLR Camera, with a Tamron 28 to 200 Zoom lens. He has a Canon 430 Flash to go with the camera. I had been looking into a new camera and had priced out several. My estimate was that he had spent over, $2,200.00; on a camera that he did not know how to use. He was shooting in the Auto Mode which is too slow for Action Shots. He had let a salesperson talk him into a camera that would fit his needs but not his ability. He ended up purchasing one of my action photos.
Canon Powershot A530
If you are a person who wants to do more with a camera and have some control over your camera then you should look at a prosumer camera. This type of camera will allow you to have more creative control over your camera. You can set the ISO or the light sensitivity of the sensor. The higher the ISO number the more sensitive the sensor. This means you need less light needed to get a picture. These cameras usually have a large zoom lens range. These cameras usually have the basic shooting modes, plus it allows you to set some of the camera setting yourself. You can set the camera to take a stop action Sports Photo, or longer exposures to create velvety looking water fall. With a prosumer camera the number of Mega pixels, are very important. You should have at least 5 MP and the more the better. If you are thinking of taking photos to sell or creative Photography you will need a prosumer camera. The price of these cameras is between $400 to $1,000, depending upon the brand and the lens.
Minolta A1 SLR like Camera
The final camera type is the Digital Single Lens Reflex Camera (DSLR). This type of camera is for the professional or serious photographer. These cameras are unique in that the camera body and the lens are separate or often referred to as interchangeable lens. You will have total control over you picture taking. DSLR cameras have larger sensors and better processors in them. If you want to take photos and plan to sell them this is the camera you want to consider. Several manufactures offer DSLR cameras for under, $1,000.00, for the camera and the lens. As you grow you will want to add more lens and equipment. DSLR cameras will run up to several thousand dollars depending on what camera you buy and the lens is not cheap either. These cameras are for the professional or very serious photographer.
Canon Rebel Xt with a Tamorn 28-200 zoom, 50mm Canon and a 18-55 Canon Zoom Lens
There is an option that many people overlook. That is the option of buying an outdated camera. This may sound strange but there are some very good cameras at bargain prices if you are willing to settle for a camera without all the new bells and whistles. Two years ago I purchased my Canon A530 for around, $200.00, and I can buy the same camera today new or refurbished for around, $100.00. It comes with a full warranty and takes sharp clear photos. It is a 5 mega pixel camera with a 4X optical zoom lens compared to a similar camera with 7 mega pixels and a larger viewing screen or $199.99. If you are not going to print photos larger than 8 x 10 or if you want to do a lot of cropping a camera like this would be fine for you.
For the money you will be spending on a digital camera I would I would suggest you purchase a name brand camera. My choice is the Canon line of cameras but there are plenty of other good cameras on the market. My younger brother owns a Nikon and loves it. My brother in law believes in Kodak. Do your research on line to see what the reviews say about the specific camera you are looking at. One site I use a great deal is www.dpreview.com. I find that they give very good reviews and the forums will point out problems people are having with the cameras. You will also get ideas on how to better use your camera and help to take better pictures.
