Tips / How to Buy a Camera /

3 - Digital SLR (DSLR) Cameras

Introduction

DSLR is digital single-lens reflex camera.

Single-lens reflex means you look through the lens.

Reviews

As you read camera reviews, be sure to use the Camera Features Explained section for brief explanations of what the buttons and knobs do on cameras.

Some Reviews

Review Websites

Consumer Search Collects reviews

Digital Photography Review

imaging resource

Steve's Digicams

Magazines with Reviews

Consumer Reports publishes reviews of cameras every July. Subscribe to their online services, or look for a copy at a library.

PC Magazine

Popular Photography & Imaging

Shutterbug

Photographer Websites with Reviews

Bob Atkins Canon

Ken Rockwell Canon & Nikon

Nikon v. Canon

Luminous-Landscape.com

Nikon Field Guide Thom Hogan

Forums

There may be a forum for the camera you may purchase.

If so, review the discussion threads to get a sense of how people like their cameras.

If you have a question that the above reviews haven't answered, subscribe to a forum, and ask the question.

Digital Photography Review - Forums

Nikonians - Forums

Steve's Digicams - Forums

More Resources

Camerapedia

Features to Consider

• Does the camera and lens fit you?

Many people only compare the image quality of prospective cameras.

However, be sure to hold the camera and lens in the store to check if you can operate it easily and accurately.

And, be sure you can quickly access the features you use most often.

If you're comparing lenses, have the salesperson put both lenses on two camera bodies, so you can compare them easily.

• Separate knurled knobs for aperture and shutter speed are more convenient.

• The most important functions should have buttons dedicated to that function, such as exposure compensation, ISO, white balance, and so forth.

You don't want to have to use a menu to get to a setting that you change often.

• If you wear eyeglasses, can you see through the viewfinder easily?

Can you see the apertures and shutter speeds easily in the viewfinder?

• Is there a depth-of-field preview button?

• Can you easily change the brightness of the flash (flash exposure compensation), when using it to fill in shadows on a sunny day?

• If you'll be doing many portraits outdoors with fill-in flash, such as weddings, look for a camera with a high flash synch speed, such as 1/250th of a second or higher.

• Light meters can be set to measure different parts of the scene.

A spot meter setting allows you to measure a small area of a scene.

Which Lens ?

Here are some lens-buying tips.

• Don't buy a zoom lens with a limited range of focal lengths, such as a 17mm to 55mm or a 18mm to 55mm.

A better range is from 18mm to 70mm, or thereabouts.

• Consider getting a zoom lens with an extended range, such as an 18mm to 200mm

They're not as big or heavy as you might expect, but they do cost much more.

• You need not purchase a lens made by the manufacturer of the camera.

Tamron, Tokina, and Sigma make many well-reviewed lenses.

• Similar focal-length lenses may be offered in consumer and professional versions.

For most people, the consumer version of a lens is the best choice.

The consumer version of a lens is probably cheaper, lighter and less bulky.

There are three advantages of the professional versions.

1) Durability

This is an advantage only if you use your camera everyday for many exposures.

2) Wider aperture

A pro version of a lens may have a wider aperture, such as f/2.8 versus f/4.

A wider aperture is an advantage if you're working in low-light situations, or are photographing motion and need to use higher shutter speeds.

3) Weatherproofing

A professional version of a lens may be better sealed from the elements.

Lens Reviews

Bob Atkins:

Canon EOS Lens Reviews

Telephoto Lenses for [Canon] EOS Cameras

Canon Lenses Ken Rockwell

Nikon Lenses Thom Hogan

Nikon Lenses Ken Rockwell

PopPhoto Lens Reviews

Best Buys: Lenses (9/07)

Can You Use Your Old Lens?

To check, go to the camera manufacturer's website, and go to the page for the camera model you may buy.

For example, here's what Canon wrote about lens compatibility with the Canon Rebel XT (June, 2006):

The EOS Digital Rebel XT is compatible with all Canon lenses in the EF lineup, ranging from ultra-wide-angle to super-telephoto lenses and including Canon's new EF-S series Lenses, manufactured specifically for the Digital Rebel series and the EOS 20D.

Here are two charts for Nikon lenses.

Basic Compatibility of Nikon Bodies and Lenses

Nikon Camera & Lens Compatibility Chart

Nikon D40/D40X & Older Lenses

Far fewer Nikon lenses are compatible with the D40 and D40x.

That's because the D40 and D40x can only autfocus lenses with built-in motors.

Many older Nikon lenses are focused by a motor in the camera.

Compatible Nikon lenses have AF-S or AF-I in their names.

Note

The focal length of your old lens will increase by a factor of 1.5 (Nikon) or 1.6 (most Canon).

For example, a Nikon 28mm to 85mm lens, from a film camera, will have a focal length range of 42mm to 128mm on a Nikon digital camera.

This is called lens factor.

A Second Lens: A 50mm

There are three reasons to consider getting a 50mm lens.

1 - Portraits

A 50mm lens on a digital camera is a good portrait lens.

Remember, a 50mm lens on a consumer-level digital SLR is like a 75mm or 80mm lens on a film camera.

Those a great focal lengths for headshots (faces).

2 - Low Light

A 50mm f/1.4 lens lets in eight times (3 stops) more light than does the typical zoom lens.

Eight times more lights means:

1) You may not have to use flash for indoor photography

2) Night photograph exposures don't have to be as long, and are therefore have less noise.

You may encounter the phrase fast 50.

Fast denotes a lens that let's in lots of light, such as most 50mm lenses.

3 - Less Depth-of-Field

Digital SLR camera have far more depth-of-field than film cameras.

With a 50mm aperture of f/1.4, you have three stops less depth-of-field that your zoom at f/4.

That's great when you're doing a portrait, for example, and you want to blur the background.

Which One?

The widest aperture of a lens is an important specification.

Both Nikon and Canon sell 50mm lenses with different widest apertures: f/1.4 and f/1.8.

A 50mm lens with a widest aperture of f/1.4 lets in about two-thirds of a stop more light than does a f/1.8 lens.

However, for this added amount of light gathering ability, you pay much more.

Nikon 50mm f/1.8D

Nikon 50mm f/1.4D

Get a Separate Flash, Too

Most students photograph indoors with the pop-up flash.

You can improve your indoor photography if you buy a separate flash that can be tilted for bounce flash.

Why?

• You won't get the harsh highlights from the pop-up flash.

• You won't get red eye.

• People near the flash won't be overexposed (too bright), and the people who are farthest from the flash, won't be too dark.

• With an extension cord for the flash, you can change the direction of the light.

You can play with volume and texture.

For example, you can make people look more lifelike by creating shadows on their faces, and a highlight on their hair.

Just hold the flash above your head to one side.

With autofocus, and today's lightweight cameras, it's easier than it may appear here.

Summary

Your photographs will be much better if you spend $800 on a camera and $200 on a flash, rather than $1,000 on a more expensive camera model.

To continue, use the orange How to Buy a Camera Menu above.

Or, go back to the point-and-shoot camera section.