"Which Camera should I buy?" is probably the most common question I have faced in any discussion related to Photography.

With proconsumer digital camera prices dropping everyday and clicking a photograph as easy as simply pressing a button it is but natural that everyone want to make a foray in photography and even try a hand at some serious stuff. The ubiquity of the digital cameraas a part of mobile phones has further fuelled interest in photography which a 30 years back used to be a pastime of a privileged few and trade of fewer stil.

With new camera models hitting the shelves every month, it is extremely difficult  to specify which model to buy at any given time. It would require a huge effort to keep oneself abreast of the latest models and their pros and cons. I will try and post a few good models every now and then, but I would recommend readers to make up their own mind.

Let me give you a few tips on how to select your dream camera:

Steps:

1. Decide where you will use your camera mostly and what you will shoot with it. Your most frequest style of photography is the single most important decision factor when buying a camera. Don't just buy a Rs. 50K SLR just because you can afford it. Some typical styles are:
• General purpose -shooting everying under the sun
• Portrait
• Landscape
• Macro
• Nighttime - parties
2. Decide on the basic minimum features you want. Largely depending on your need and shooting preference amke a list of must have features you want in your camera.
   
3. Decide your budget range.Your budget will narrow down your choice of camera depending on your intended use. There is a camera available at every budget range, so you are assured of finding one that suits you.
4. Decide on your make preference. Everyone has their favs, be it Canon, Nikon, Sony etc. Ultimately you should love the camera you buy so go ahead and shortlist based on the make you like, after of course you have identified the basic minimum features you want.
5. After Sales Service considerations. It would like your peace of mind and are risk averse, buy the camera from an authorised dealer (he will charge you a premium as compared to grey market or a sourced from phoren unit)
6. Mind the cost of accessories. Buying DLSRs is great but do your research in the cost of accessories like Lenses, External flash units etc. which you would like to add on later.

Some myths about buying a camera:

1. Higher the megapixel better is the camera - higher megapixel doesnt mean you will getter better quality pictures - it simply means that you can enlarge photos more without losing quality and would have a more effective digital zoom (refer to myPhotography Tutorial: Part 1) But in general newer cameras (which have improved technology) have higher and higher MP count so buy one that suits your budget (Unless you want to flaunt you MPs in which case you would like to  consider the Hasselblad H3DII-50
   
2. More expensive the camera, the better it is - Not necessarily, the best camera is one which suits your shooting style and need and has features you would use not some fancy stuff you will never get around to understanding how to work with in the first place.
   
3. More features a camera has the better it is - Again the same, best camera is one which suits your need.
   
4. If I had an SLR, even I could click professional photographs - Not true. Check the photo competitions, some of very good photographs are clicked using non-SLRs. It is the man behind the camera who creates a good photograph, not the camera. As Ansel Adams said, "You don't take a good photograph, you make one."

A few good sites for reference:

http://dpreview.com/ - excellent site for camera reviews and latest news

http://www.cameras.co.uk/ - this site has a good 'camera selector' feature

I am attaching a good article from Popular Photography - Aug 2008 which compares 5 Entry Level DSLRs available before or around mid 2008. (This article has better shelf life as DSLR get introduced at much lower rate than proconsumer cameras)

Entry Level SLR Shootout - 2008.pdf

(Note: This is a copyright  material hence discretion is adviced)

-Saurabh Garg

(Batch of 2008)