Photography; Talking Pictures

 The questions I have received generally have to do with camera selection. So the column this month will concern itself w/ cameras and how to pick the best one for you. 

 As you begin your search you need to ask yourself a few questions:  

Ø     What kinds of pictures do I want to take?  

Ø     How much can I spend ?

Do you just take picture of the family, kids, grandkids. vacations, etc. etc. and you keep the photos in an album. Then you want a point and shoot 35mm or  ADS  system camera. These cameras require roll film and produce photos that must be processed in a photo lab. They cost from about $7.00 for a disposable camera to the low $200’s for one with all the bells and whistles like zoom lenses and automatic  programs. 

Then there are the 35mm SLR cameras..  The next step up is the SLR. These Single Lens Reflex cameras allow the photographer to change lenses. And also to see exactly the picture he/she is taking in the viewfinder. The advantage to using an SLR is the ability to change lenses and to take advantage of the images that can be taken with the sharpness and clarity of the print in mind.

I recommend when purchasing a new SLR to purchase it with 35-70 and 70-300 zoom lenses . These 2 lenses should cover all of your picture taking requirements. You can spend from $500 to over $1000 for an SLR with the lenses. Another entire column could be spent discussing lenses and special features.  

Last but certainly not least are the new kids on the block, the digital cameras.  These cameras use special cards, floppy discs or cd’s to collect your images.  You can immediately download images directly  to your computer where you can store them, work with them or email them.   This is the major advantage of digital cameras.

When looking to purchase a digital you again have to look at the reasons you are purchasing a digital. camera. The levels are basically the same as non-digital cameras. The entry level camera is a camera which take basic pictures in the 1-2  range of pixels, has no zoom lenses or fancy attachments and costs from $150-$250.

The next step up is an intermediate level camera that probably has at least a 3x zoom and various program settings, has pixels in the 2.5-3.5 range and cost from $350-$700. The high end digital is the SLR and is priced in the $3,000-$5,000 range.

There you have a very brief look at cameras available in today’s camera stores.

Oh, what do I have in my camera bag?  I have a Nikon N70 body with a Nikon 28-70 zoom and a Quantaray (Ritz Camera’s house brand) and a Nikon FM body as well a Sony Mavica 75 digital camera.

If you want further information on anything in this column or have a photography question please email me at  bcmorgan@comcast.net 

And keep on taking pictures.