How To Shop Successfully For Your First Camera

Buying your first camera, or the first camera for a loved one can be very stressful. Here is my guide for how to buy your first camera. Plus, there are tips in here you can use even if you're buying your 15th camera.

Buying Your First Camera

Buying your first camera is really exciting. It's also potentially really frustrating. Even if you have someone you trust advising you it's important to understand the following:

1. Your photography goals
2. Your camera budget
3. How To Future Proof Your Purchase
4. What NOT to buy
5. Where to buy your first camera

What are these so important?

Understand Your Photography Goals

Before buying your first camera it's important to know what you plan to do with it. Are you taking a trip? Alternatively are you just upgrading from a phone camera? Too, what do you want to photograph well or plan to take the most photos of?

Knowing how you'll use your camera means you can more easily narrow your choices. Here are some popular subjects that people often want to photograph. Do you plan to primarily photograph one or more of these?

• Nature and Wildlife
  • Birds
  • Large animals
  • Pets
  • Landscapes
  • Flowers, especially close up (macro)
  • Underwater
• People
  • Portraits (families, seniors, headshots)
  • Street photos
  • Fashion
  • Events or parties
•  Astronomical stuff
• Other things?

Understand Your Camera Budget

Photography is an expensive hobby. Knowing what you can afford to spend is critical. In fact, you might be surprised by just how expensive it really can be. Of course, there less expensive forms of photography. Plus, you don't have to buy everything all at once.

If you've got less than $1,000 to spend (in the US) then you've got to be very careful. There are a lot of camera bundles that are marketed to new photographers. However, these often include a bunch of stuff that you don't need. Therefore, it's important to know what to buy.

Future Proof Your Camera Purchase

If you know that you're going to be serious about photography then buying the right first camera is essential. In fact, there are a lot of dead-ends that will cost you more over time if you start out down those paths.

Low Cost High Zoom

Every major manufacturer makes a low cost high zoom camera with a non-changeable lens. For example, Nikon makes the P-1000 series. These camera have a very small image sensor, bad low-light capability, and despite a high number of mega-pixels they're really not worth the money.

Understanding Sensor Size

As a pro photographer I'm not going to tell you that you absolutely need a full-frame sensor. However, it really depends on your goals. If you want to photograph wildlife in bright sun and you've got the money for a fairly long lens but nothing too wild, then a cropped sensor is fine. Alternatively, if you plan to photograph portraits and want that smooth out of focus background then a full frame sensor is going to be important.

Lenses

Once you buy your first camera you need to buy lenses. After a while you'll have a small collection of lenses for that particular type and brand of camera. While it's true that they sell lens adapters they work best for the cameras they're made for. Therefore, you want to think about the system of camera you're buying into.

For example, I bought a Nikon camera in the 1990s. This was my first camera. Then I began to buy Nikon lenses. As a result, when digital camera around I had a lot of perfectly good lenses to use with Nikon DSLRs. I've not switched camera brands because the cost of replacing all those lenses would be too high.

What Not To Buy

The biggest thing to avoid when buying your first camera is a bundle that they sell with a million different items in them.

A kit like this is a waste of money. First, the flash and tripod are worthless. Additionally, the memory cards they ship with these are slow. They provide filters and these screw-on lenses that are low quality and really a waste of money.

If you see such a bundle or kit - avoid it.

Rather than buying such a bundle for your first camera buy a complete kit sold by the manufacturer. These typically come with two lenses. Whereas, these kits only have one lens. Plus, the manufacturer's kits are packaged by them and the cameras are under warranty. On the other hand, these kits may include gray-market cameras with no warranty.

Where To Buy Your First Camera

It's easy these days to shop online. The biggest retailers all sell cameras. However, the two biggest online retailers are the worst places to buy from. Sure you can get the camera in one or two days. However, you're more likely to be scammed from the sellers that they allow on their sites.

Buy Local

Instead, buy from a local camera shop if at all possible. I know they're not as prevalent as they were 30 years ago when I bought my first camera. However, they're still around. Plus, if the closest one is too far to drive they'll ship it to you. In Pittsburgh, I've bought from Premier Camera and YM Camera.

The truth is that the manufacturer sets the price. The big box retailers can only sell cheaper cameras if they're not meant to be sold in the US. In other words, if you see a price that's far below everyone else on Amazon or Walmart's websites don't fall for it. They're likely cameras not meant to be sold in the US and have no warranty. If you're spending over $500 you don't want to waste it right?

Buy From The Big Experts

There are a few huge photography stores in the US. I'm a big fan of Adorama. Then there's B&H in NY and KEH in Atlanta. They do huge volumes and know what they're selling. I recommend smaller local retailers over them only because it's good to keep those dollars local and because you can really get to know them.

You're not going to be on a first-name basis with the folks at B&H, they're just too big.

Buy Used

There is nothing wrong with buying used when it comes to your first camera. In fact, I buy used lenses fairly often. If you don't want to buy from a random person on eBay, both the local and big expert stores have used departments.

Using Your First Camera

If you've bought your first camera and are ready to use it consider taking some lessons. I offer online lessons around the world. Plus, we offer classes in Atlanta and Pittsburgh. Too, I have a lot of friends who teach all around the US. Therefore, if you find your first camera frustrating consider taking a photography lesson or group class. Enjoy your new hobby!