Have you decided to upgrade your smartphone camera for a proper i? Congratulations, and welcome to the starting time of your journey as a photographer!

Picking your outset camera is exciting, and you'll naturally have a lot of emotions flight effectually. All of this tin can go overwhelming, though, specially with and then many choices available these days.

Choosing your showtime proper camera should be a long-term investment, so it's worth stopping for a moment and thinking most the specifics that will serve you best. Below are seven of the nigh important aspects you lot should keep in mind.

i. Cost

photo of a camera next to images on a table

You probably don't demand us to tell you that mod-day camera equipment is pretty expensive. Some camera bodies cost thousands of dollars, and lenses can sometimes leave just equally deep of a hole in your pocket.

If you're a beginner photographer, your budget volition play a significant office in deciding which camera y'all purchase. The good news is that many entry-level ones are surprisingly affordable, and you can notice plenty of excellent deals online.

Before buying a camera, decide your budget and limit your search within that range. You'll probably upgrade later, so it's not a large deal if you can't yet afford what your favorite creators have.

To save more than money (and do a adept human action for the environment), you lot should consider purchasing a used camera. There are plenty of second-hand photography websites, and the equipment works simply equally well equally their brand-new counterparts.

2. Size

Photo of a photographer standing in a station

It's piece of cake to think that having a bigger camera will brand you lot look more professional when out and about. That might be true to an extent, simply larger equipment has several disadvantages.

Owning a bigger camera makes information technology inconvenient to conduct around compared to a smaller one, which could discourage yous from using it. Moreover, you risk attracting unwanted attending if you find yourself in a sketchier part of town.

When ownership your first photographic camera, try to aim for the smallest one that fits your needs and is within your budget range. The goal, in the beginning, is to go into the habit of taking pictures regularly, and having something smaller will increase your chances of doing that.

three. Prototype Quality

Presumably, the chief reason you're upgrading from your smartphone is that you want to take prettier images. Picture quality in a camera is one of the first things that every photographer looks for when upgrading their gear, regardless of whether they're an apprentice or professional.

One common misconception is that more megapixels equal better image quality. This isn't entirely true, however. Several factors will impact how adept your photos look, including dynamic range and contrast.

Each camera brand will produce different results, and so it'south worth looking at examples of photos taken with the cameras that you're considering getting. You should look for in-camera settings that allow you to tweak accordingly and find a happy medium.

4. Lenses

Photo of a camera lens in a person's hand

You lot'll usually receive the body and a kit lens when y'all buy a camera. This lens ofttimes ranges roughly betwixt 18mm and 55mm, only the exact numbers depend on the brand you employ.

While the kit lens is enough to get you lot out and virtually in the beginning, yous might detect that you've maxed out everything yous could have learned in a short menstruation. Alternatively, yous might desire to accept a more specific type of photo—something that only a specialist lens can aid you lot do.

In addition to your kit lens, it's worth purchasing one prime lens on the side to begin with. Doing so will force y'all to think more creatively, and the images are often sharper too.

Additional lenses come in at multiple toll points, but you lot can get a couple of affordable ones that are excellent all-rounders. Examples of this include the 50mm and 35mm.

5. User-Friendliness

It's like shooting fish in a barrel to think that buying the near expensive camera directly away is a fast track to condign a fantastic photographer. This, withal, is not the example. Avant-garde cameras are normally chosen by seasoned creators for a reason: they've picked up enough experience on their rise to use them effectively.

When you're in your early on days as a photographer, user-friendliness is one of the about disquisitional factors you should consider. If your equipment is too complicated to apply, you lot're probably going to give up and let information technology collect dust on your shelf.

The most user-friendly cameras tend to be the entry-level DSLRs, and y'all should stick with one of these for at least two years so that you tin principal all the bells and whistles. In one case yous've learned everything, y'all can upgrade to something a little fancier.

6. Mirrorless or DSLR?

Photo of Nikon camera body and lenses

Equally you spend more than time in the photography community, yous'll frequently hear two terms used: mirrorless and DSLR. These refer to different camera types, and both are pretty different from one another.

Mirrorless and DSLR cameras process images differently when you lot take them, which can affect the event of your photos. Mirrorless cameras don't have a mirror, whereas DSLRs exercise.

The two cameras also differ in terms of lenses available, along with their strengths and weaknesses. If in doubt, go for a DSLR to avoid confusing yourself too much; you tin can upgrade to a mirrorless photographic camera at a later appointment.

7. Paradigm Stabilization

Photographers volition oftentimes accept countless blurry pictures in their early days. And even as yous go more advanced, this isn't something that will entirely disappear.

Fortunately, yous can accost blurry photos in several ways. One is to enable your camera's image stabilization. Activating this gives you a fiddling more freedom than you lot would otherwise have, and you don't need to worry then much about fixing errors in post-production.

Not all cameras have epitome stabilization, so you're going to demand to practise some additional research and find out whether the one y'all want does.

Ownership Your First Camera Is a Long-Term Investment

Buying your first camera is something that you lot should have a lot of time to go right. Ideally, you lot'll use it to take photos for at least the first few years of your photography journeying; starting with an entry-level device will brand information technology much easier to use more complex equipment afterwards on.

When y'all buy your first photographic camera, the but right reply is whichever one fits your needs all-time. Look beyond prototype quality alone to ensure that you get the best possible fit.

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About The Author

Danny Maiorca (209 Articles Published)

Danny teaches MUO'southward readers well-nigh improving their photography and creativity. He's been part of the team since 2020 and is likewise one of our editors.

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