What camera should I buy? This is a prevailing question from the beginners to the pros. What camera system is the best? This can be an endless debate, one that can become a hobby in and of itself if not properly curbed at some point in time.
We’re putting this at the bottom of the list but it does enter into the psyche of photography. There’s just something about holding a Hasselblad that puts you in a different mood than holding a Casio compact digital (as great as the Casio’s are). Brand names do enter in to the photographic thought process however and should not be overlooked.
To cut to the chase, let me sum it up by saying, if you're looking for a compact digital camera, Canon, Casio and Fujifilm are probably (at present) your best bets... Unless you're after something a little more specialized such as the Ricoh GR Digital or a Leica M body for street photography (technically not a compact digital, but the Leica's are small and quiet.
If you're looking for a DSLR (digital interchangeable lens camera system), you can pick up most any of the current production models from any of the big players and the biggest limitation will be the user behind it, not the equipment itself. These (digital compacts and DSLR's) are the two biggest markets for cameras at the present time and where I will devote most of focus for the remainder of these articles.
From the beginning of the 35mm SLR era (probably the most competitive of markets when it comes to brand names, as you are buying a system not just a camera) there have been swings in the market... Nikon held the majority market for a very long time from the introduction of its F mount cameras. Canon struck back hard in the pro market with their new (larger) lens mount, internal focus motors (quieter and faster) and image stabilization. Nikon struck again with the D1, being one of the first affordable professional digital SLR's (at $5000, it was economical and quite a revolution when compared to what was available at the time)... Canon got back in the game with their 1D(s) series and over time took a strong lead when it came to low noise at high sensitivities and features such as 24x36mm sensors (35mm full frame versus cropped sensors), high speed frame rates and other options many professionals craved. Recently, Nikon introduced the D3, which is poised to put Nikon back in the game for everything many professionals desired.
The point of this is no matter what, the grass will be greener at some point on the other side of the fence. If you allow it to, that is. If you focus on what's happening in the other camp, you'll probably be disappointed at some point or another. Many of those who switched from Nikon to Canon are poised to switch back; at some point now Canon will introduce something better than what Nikon has and a handful will want to switch back again.
Far more important than all these features, spec reading and brand-washing is finding a camera that fits your needs, both now and for the future. It should fit your hand, should be ergonomic for you to use and make you want to use it... If the camera doesn't fit your needs or is difficult for you to use, then the features it may have over the next camera will be moot. The only true measure of what camera is best for you, is to go to the store, pick it up, take pictures with it, use it and make sure you are comfortable with it.
We'll discuss this process further in the next article.
