We recently purchased our first Digital SRL Camera. After a lot of input from friends, speaking with helpful sales people at several camera stores and reading numerous reviews and article online we decided to purchase the Nikon D40. We are notice SLR owners and feel this camera will meet our needs the best for a long time. Here are a few things I’ve learned in the process of researching, purchasing and training for the camera:
1. Although I buy many items online, if you are a first time DSLR owner, I suggest purchasing the camera at a local, reputable store. I found the knowledge gained by speaking with a knowledgeable salesperson to be the best research I conducted. Sure, some will favor one brand over another, but you’ll pickup information that can balance out what you learn by researching online. Being able to hold a number of different cameras was critical. Several models I thought looked good online didn’t feel so great in my hand.
2. Last night I attended a class at the store where I purchased my camera. The class was taught by the same man who sold me the camera and I learned more about photography in those two hours than I knew as a whole before the class. It was interesting to watch several novice owners become very frustrated when their more complex cameras were not as easy to use or configure as they had hoped. Nikon has done an amazing job at making the settings on the D40 not only easy to set but easy to understand. Two women sat in front of me. One had a D40 and the other had a D80. The D40 owner was able to follow along the entire class while the D80 owner spent most of her time trying to find the right menu or change a specific setting. Another guy behind me was having similar trouble with his D200. I wonder how successful they will be when the actually try to snap a few shots?
3. Price, price, price. I found that if you are purchasing a camera made by Canon or Nikon the difference in price wasn’t very much between the local and online store. I’m not certain but I believe this is similar to how Apple prices products which doesn’t allow for much variance between retailers. Sure, I could have saved a few bucks (mostly due to lack of sales tax) by purchasing online but I felt the knowledge I gained from speaking with the sales person was worth a lot more than the money I could have saved by purchasing online.
4. If you’re a beginner, stick with Canon or Nikon cameras and lenses. I say this because your needs could change quickly. You may take to photography fast and want to upgrade or you may find that it doesn’t interest you very much and want to scale back. Either way, you’ll be able to sell your equipment for a good price if you stick with these two brands.
5. Read Ken Rockwell’s site, especially these two articles: How and Where to Buy Photo Equipment and Why Your Camera Does Not Matter.
6. Most of the books I came across were confusing. They either are insultingly simple or geared towards the advanced users. Of the many I skimmed through, only The Digital Photography Book caught my interest. Have you come across a good book for beginners? If so please comment with the name.
What other suggestions have I missed that would help first time DSLR buyers?
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