Shopping for a Quality Camera? These Are the Important Features to Consider

Choosing photography as a hobby, or even as a profession, pays off in more ways than we can imagine. For one, it’s an activity that sparks creativity. Once you start with photography, it’s difficult to view things outside from the camera’s point of view. It’s also something that will help you grow as a person and teach you how to tell stories through the images and videos you capture.

And then, if you’re really good, you may even make a living out of it. Doing something you love and earning from it? Now that sounds like the perfect work-life balance! That said, in order to become a professional photographer, you will need to invest in the proper equipment besides working on your skills and techniques.

Sure, every piece is important, but nothing is more essential than having an adequate camera for the job. Think of it as your basic tool. To be able to get top-notch photographs, you require a quality camera which is the main focus of this blog post. To make things simpler, let’s consider the key features that make a camera outstanding.

Camera Image Sensor Size

The megapixel count is cool and all that, but it’s not the best indicator when it comes to whether or not the camera can produce photographs of quality, even though it’s usually what the marketing focuses on. That’s why you ought to check the sensor which is basically where the camera receives the light signals from.

The sensor consists of spots sensitive to light and is used to record the light they receive transforming it into electrical signals and resulting in images. The bigger the sensor size, the better the image quality you can expect with better sharpness, dynamic range, and exposure balance. For that reason, shopping for a full-frame mirrorless digital camera or DSLR is worth considering rather than mainly choosing based on the resolution.

Mirror or No Mirror Box

Speaking of mirrorless and DSLR, this is yet another crucial factor you should look into prior to shopping. Basically, the difference comes between cameras that reflect images into viewfinders through mirrors, as in the case with DSLR, and those that don’t and instead rely on electronic viewfinders (EVF) to digitally display images also known as mirrorless cameras.

Although the primary digital camera has long been the dominant technology in the world of digital photography, the benefits of the mirrorless digital camera have given rise to a new power player. This is because mirrorless cameras let you quickly adjust the exposure and contrast of the information you see in the EVF. Additionally, it is substantially lighter, which is a crucial factor if you are concerned about the weight of the camera you carry.

Moreover, you can use to your advantage the convenient IBIS setting, i.e. in-body image stabilisation, which is great if you want to take multiple stable shots at low shutter speeds without the necessity of a tripod. In other words, if you don’t want to deal with the drag of blurry images of a DSLR, or the need to bring along with you pivoted supports, this is it. The speed at which you can take photos is also greater, which is yet another plus you’d come to appreciate.

That is besides the touchscreen live view that enables autofocus which comes in handy with shooting videos. And more on the videos, the compact mirrorless cameras with their silent shutters are ideal for photographing and filming wildlife as they make no sound. This is also a neat feature for weddings where you want to stay low on distraction.

Camera Lens and ISO

It’s common knowledge among pro photographers and amateurs that what’s behind a quality camera is the quality of the lens. While professional cameras come with an interchangeable lens required for more flexibility with the shots, others lack it so you’d have to make the investment yourself later on.

For instance, optical zooming lenses are a great bang for your buck, however, when you’re a beginner you should stick to the basics and see what you’re interested in later on when you become serious with photography. In terms of the lens of a mirrorless digital camera as opposed to the long-term digital champion DSLR there are still fewer accessories for the latest design which isn’t the case with many DSLR accessories.

Luckily, there’s a chance to use some of these on a mirrorless camera, as in the case with the lens. However, keep in mind you’d need to do another purchase – that of a suitable adapter. The opposite doesn’t work, though, so if you have a lens specifically designed for mirrorless models you can’t use it on your DSLR cameras.

As for other features, like specs, it’s important to consider the ISO value too because it’s an indicator of how sensitive a camera is to light, and whether it can capture clear photos in low-light conditions. Although the usual ranges are 100 to 6400, there are some really advanced models that go way beyond these limits. Of course, this comes with a higher price tag!