Digital SLR Buyer's Guide at Dan's Camera City

Benefits of Digital SLRs

Easier & More Affordable Than Ever

Take your enjoyment of photography to new levels. DSLRs have become easy to use, and it's more affordable than ever to build a great camera system that can grow with you as your needs and your skills change.

Superior Picture Quality

For a variety of reasons, DSLRs give you the ability to capture a higher quality image. Thanks to more advanced focusing systems, sophisticated exposure metering and sharper lenses, these cameras are able to produce noticeably better photos than point and shoot cameras.

Wide Range of Lenses

DSLR users can choose from very wide angle lenses for large groups of people and landscapes, or long telephoto lenses for close-up images of the kids playing sports or wildlife photography. With dozens of lenses to choose from you are sure to find the perfect match for your needs.

Better Flash Photos

Having a larger flash that's a little further away from the camera's lens produces more pleasing flash photos. Plus you can choose from a range of flash models with more power and options to allow even better results.

More Control

While the Auto modes on today's DSLRs are great, there will be times you'll appreciate the option to change settings to suit your needs and get exactly the picture you want.

The Main Things to Consider

Dan's expert staff will take the time to find the best model for your needs and budget. This guide is intended to provide some basic information to allow us to better assist you. Your new DSLR can be used in a fully automatic mode to achieve great photos, or we can help you learn more about the options for specific settings. Anytime you have a question - ask us!

Resolution and Picture Quality

Digital photos are made of dots or picture elements called pixels Digital cameras use millions of pixels to make your image, hence the term "mega" (million) pixel. For example, an 8 megapixel camera generates up to 8 million pixels to create a photo. The more pixels created, the larger you can print your image and still have it look sharp.

For most uses, 8 megapixels is quite sufficient. This allows very sharp photos even at 20x30. Having more megapixels will allow you to crop out unwanted items and still have enough resolution for larger sized prints.

Picture quality is determined by several factors including lens quality and software within the camera. More megapixels does not necessarily equate to better pictures. Ask to see Dan's sample pictures so you can compare for yourself.

Automatic Modes

DSLRs offer fully automatic modes for great pictures in a variety of situations. All of the DSLRs available offer auto modes for shooting portraits of people, freezing the action at sporting events, capturing great landscapes and more. You can enjoy the benefits of a DSLR without having to be making settings yourself. Naturally, all DLSRs also offer manual controls which can help you achieve a better result in certain situations, or allow you to exercise your creativity.

Dust Removal

With an SLR camera, you're going to be changing lenses. Whenever you do that, tiny pieces of dust can get into the camera body. Even if you don't change lenses often, the act of zooming your lens can pull air (and dust) inside. These very small bits may find their way onto the imaging sensor and leave little black spots on your photos where the dust has cast its shadow, especially in lighter areas of your pictures. Camera manufacturers have come up with a few different solutions to the problem, and several of the newer digital SLR models offer some kind of automatic dust removal.

Dust Blower The sensor can be cleaned, but this requires great care and a light touch. Imaging sensors very delicate, and the smallest scratch on your sensor will show up in every picture you take. Once the sensor is scratched, the only way to repair the camera is to replace the sensor. Ask our experts for advice before attempting this on your own, or with over the counter methods. Dan's offers an affordable professional cleaning service.

Shake Reduction

Since most DSLR users enjoy using longer telephoto lenses this can be a beneficial feature. Longer telephoto lenses magnify not only your subject, they also magnify any slight hand shake. By using a stabilizer or vibration reduction system your photos may be sharper. This is also beneficial when you are taking pictures in lower light, such as indoors or at dusk.

Some companies build this feature into the camera body itself, which is a great value since you don't have to buy special stabilized lenses. Other companies build a system into each lens. The ‘in lens’ system has the advantage of allowing you to see the difference the stabilizer is making, compared to being built-in to the body where you have to take a photo first and then review it to see how well the stabilizer worked.

Even with a stabilizing system, a good monopod or tripod will help ensure sharp photos and less fatigue on your arms.

Fast Shooting

DSLRs have less delay than point & shoot cameras from the time you press the shutter button until the picture is taken. This is beneficial when taking photos of quick moving subjects such as young children, sports and even pets.

All DSLRs offer the ability to shoot in a continuous mode. This allows you to capture multiple photos in rapid succession to increase the likelihood you got the exact shot you want. The speed, known as frames per second (fps), will vary from model to model. The higher the fps the more shots you can capture. Another variable is the number of images the camera can capture at once. If you anticipate shooting a brief burst of action, likely any model will be sufficient. However if you are shooting an event which may be several seconds long, the ability to capture more images in succession will be useful.

Optional Settings

Sometimes having more control is useful. All DSLRs offer a wide range of options and manual settings. To help decide which model is best for you evaluate which options you want and how easily you can access the important ones. Some commonly used options are:

Focus points: Most models allow you to choose which are active, or let the camera decide.
Exposure compensation: Allows you to vary the exposure for tricky lighting situations which may fool the camera.
Flash exposure compensation: Changes the output of the flash for more fill flash photos and other uses.

Additional Considerations

Brand

All of the major companies produce similar models and have a good range of accessories. If you already have lenses from a particular brand it may be worth exploring the option of continuing on with that same brand. However, DSLRs are very particular about the electronics in the lenses and flashes you use on them. We suggest you bring in any current equipment you may want to continue using so we can determine how compatible it will be. Once we have identified the most important considerations for you, we will help guide you to the best model for your needs and budget.

Choosing Lenses

DSLRs are usually offered in a kit with a starter zoom, or as just the body. Depending on your shooing needs the starter zoom is often a good quality and affordable package. As DSLRs have increased in popularity more lenses have been introduced for them, increasing your options and decreasing the cost. Be sure to consider options such the ‘all-in-one’ 18-200mm zoom which allows you to cover from wide angle up to telephoto in one convenient lens. Or, you may benefit from choosing lenses with a shorter range, which are often a little sharper and may perform better in lower light conditions. Because Dan's carries the largest selection you can try a wide variety before deciding which is best for you.

Construction

Thanks to fewer mechanical components and newer materials DSLRs are lighter than older film SLRs. This allows you to easily take you camera with you as you go out and around so you can capture every memory. As you climb in price generally you will also increase the ruggedness of the camera. This might include a more solid (and heavier) construction quality, and some models are even resistant to the elements so you can take photos regardless of the weather.

Off-camera Flash Options

All DSLRs can work with external flash units, which provide more range, less red-eye and a more attractive result compared to built-in flashes. Often it is beneficial to move your flash away from the camera itself, or to keep it directly over the lens when sooting a vertical. With any model you can accomplish this with a relatively inexpensive cord, however some models offer a built-in wireless feature which eliminates the need for a cord and provides even more flexibility.

Recommended Accessories

Because we are Certified Photographic Consultants who use what we sell, we know what accessories to recommend to ensure you have a positive digital photography experience. Common accessories for any type of shooting:

Gadget Bag: Keep your gear organized and protected. Be sure to choose a model you can grow into.
Two Memory Cards: As prices continue to drop, it is a good idea to have more than one card. If there's ever a problem with one, you'll have another for backup.
Spare Battery: DSLRs require plenty of power. Avoid missing photos by having a spare charged and handy.
Lens Hood: While these are very inexpensive, they make a noticeable difference in your photos.

Digital SLR Buying Guide

Dan's Camera City

Dan's Digital SLR Buying Guide