10 things to consider before buying a camera

cameras

From "I want a camera" to "I want this camera " we should spend a little time asking ourselves some questions. And it is that cameras are one of the devices that we buy with fewer references and we allow ourselves to be guided, sometimes too much, by offers and sellers.

To avoid buying what we do not want, what we do not need, or what is far from our needs, at Tuexperto.com we have prepared this short guide to get the model and type of camera we need right without spending a single euro more. As long as we follow these steps, of course.

1. What camera do I need?

Taking pictures of the beach holidays is not the same as covering the war in Syria for Reuters. Before launching into one model or another we have to be clear about who we are and what we are going to do with the new camera. And for this there is nothing better than taking a moment look back and see what we have done so far in the world of photography . Unless we have just taken an image title, it is very possible that it looks a lot like what we are going to do with the new camera.

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2. What camera do I want?

Because not everything is going to be rationality and cold plans for the future. If we want a specific camera, because it looks beautiful, very practical or simply because we feel like it, this is as valid a reason as any other. Photo cameras, especially DSLRs and generally high-end cameras, have a lot of fetish objects. If we want a SLR because we love them, even if we have no idea what a diaphragm is, maybe we should buy it, there will always be time to learn.

3. What am I going to use the camera for?

As in almost everything, in general there is not one camera better than another in an absolute way, but different cameras that serve different things and have different prices. That is why you have to be very clear about what kind of photos we usually or like to take and in what environments. If all our photos are outdoors, no matter how high-quality we want, it doesn't make much sense to invest a lot of money in super-bright lenses.

4. What knowledge of photography do I have (and what do I plan to have)?

You can take great photos without having a clue of photography. It helps a lot to have a good camera and that is halfway between luck and instinct. But it doesn't hurt to evaluate our photography skills before pulling out our wallet. And it is that if we do not know what an aperture or shutter speed is, nor do we plan to learn, it does not make much sense to bet on a camera whose main attraction is the manual controls. There are very good cameras with automatic modes that will do all these things for us.

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5. How much money can I spend

Maybe it should be point one, but we put it fifth to show that not everything is money in this life. Yes, there are different cameras for different needs and the best is not always the most expensive. But in general investing money is noticeable and in this world, from a certain level, labels start to have a lot of zeros.

If the camera is a gift to ourselves or to someone who has not taken more than 100 photos in their life, watch out. It is very easy to get carried away by enthusiasm, but the truth is that almost all compact cameras are worth taking pictures of the niece's communion, and there is no need to invest two months' salary in a self-stabilizing and hyper-bright telephoto lens.

6. How much money can I spend in the future?

Cameras are expensive, but quality lenses have no name. If our choice is an interchangeable lens camera, take a deep look at the catalog before buying. And it is that if we get one of these machines sooner or later we will want more lenses, and we must take into account the possibilities and prices of each brand, which differ a lot from one to another.

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7. Is the brand I choose reliable in the long run?

And we are talking here about two different things: the catalog of lenses and accessories and the after-sales service . We have already talked a little about the first thing in the previous point, but not only prices are the thing. There are brands that have just entered the world of cameras and lenses, and their catalog of lenses and lenses is frankly limited. Therefore, as in the previous point, we have to look not only at the price, but also at the variety, and incidentally, if there are other brands that manufacture compatible lenses and accessories.

Regarding the after-sales service, we are left with the verse of the famous song: “life gives you surprises, life gives you surprises”. As well-known as some brands are, their customer service sometimes looks like something out of a Monty Python movie, in a bad way. The Internet and its huge forums and opinion pages are our best ally. Do not be obsessed with bad opinions, since for every happy user who writes an opinion there are 10 angry ones who jump to the keyboard. But there are times when the accumulation of anger, surreal stories and abuse of a certain brand can give us a valuable clue of what awaits us if our camera does not leave the factory perfectly.

8. What other things do I have at home?

We live in the age of communication, and gadgets communicate with each other and do very fun things. More and more cameras have WiFi or similar connections that allow you to install applications and control them with your mobile, tablet, etc.

But it is well known that sometimes technology brands do not get along with each other, and they do their best so that the teams do not understand each other with those of other brands or simply understand each other much better with those of their own home. So take a look at the gadgets we already have and see if they are compatible with all those cool things that tell us the new camera can do.

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9. What am I going to do with the photos when I get home

Photographic editing ( photoshop and the like, to understand us) are for some half of the photo world today. Before deciding which camera we are going to purchase, we have to take into account whether we are going to use these tools or not. And it is that so that in photoshop wonders can be done, it helps a lot that the photo arrives in a certain conditions that the camera determines.

We are talking mainly about image formats, or rather the absence of them. This is what is known as RAW , which are huge image files, without any format, which collect all the information that comes out of the camera's sensor. They are essential to work with any graphic editing program, but not all cameras generate them, so it is very important to take into account our needs or intentions in this field before choosing a camera.

10. Do I want to take photos or am I also interested in videos?

Video is the true revolution of recent years. We have gone from watching moving images in the cinema or on TV to doing it everywhere, on all devices, at all hours. And if before we needed a huge camera to generate a poor quality file, now we can even make a movie with our mobile.

There are still cameras that allow you to record video with great quality, but it is easy to skid at this point. And is that "high resolution" does not necessarily mean  "good quality" . The fact that a camera can record videos in FullHD does not mean that it will do it well. There are many more things to look at, such as formats, auto focus, compression, white balances etc. These things start to cost more money, but they can be a great investment if we are really interested in recording a lot and well.