I recently received a message from my sweet friend Betsy asking me to recommend a camera for her. She’s a blogger and is wanting to step up from a point and shoot camera. Since I thought some of you might be in the same boat, I’m posting my response to her here. (This is not a sponsored post.)
Before I answer your question about which camera might be best for you, let me begin by saying my answer will be limited to Canon cameras. It’s not that I think they are the only cameras worth buying, but they are the brand with which I am most familiar When I had my portrait photography business, I used a film Mamiya camera. Of course I would highly recommend Mamiya, but at $5,0000 a pop for a digital camera, they are too expensive for the average camera enthusiast.
I use two Canon cameras.
5D Mark II
What I like about it
- It can shoot a 21 megapixel image, which gives it incredible sharpness and detail in images.
- It has a 3 inch display on the back so it is much easier to see if a shot turned out okay.
- It captures images in low light settings that my other camera can’t even touch.
- It is a full frame camera which means it is high resolution, and all lenses used with the camera provide the full angle of view
- It has a wide range of possible ISO settings
- I’ve heard (but can’t confirm) that many of the Saturday Night Live sketches are shot with this camera. So yes, it’s does shoot video too.
What I don’t like about it
- It’s expensive
- It’s heavy
- It isn’t compatible with all of my lenses.
Rebel
The other camera I use is a Canon Rebel. It’s one of the older models, and shoots in 10 megapixels. The newer Rebels shoot anywhere from 18 megapixels to 12 megapixels. If you want the cheapest new model of a Rebel, you are looking at the Rebel T3 for about $500.
What I like about it
- The lower price point
- Light weight
- Smaller and easier to carry
- compatible with more lenses
What I don’t like about it
- The resolution on mine is limited to 10 megapixels
- The images aren’t as sharp as the ones taken with the 5D
- Limited ISO settings
- Doesn’t do as well in low light settings
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| Shot with Canon Rebel |
Lenses
I have to say at this point that the lens is just as important as the camera. Say you want an image that is sharply in focus, while the background is softly out of focus. That is called a small depth of field. To have a small depth of field you need either a long focal length (telephoto lens) and/or a large aperture (like 2.0), and the closer you are to your subject the better. See how in the image below only a small area is in focus?
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| Shot with 5D Mark II and a 135 Canon L lens f/2.0 |
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| Shot with 5D Mark II and a 135 Canon L lens f/2.0 |
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| Shot with 5D Mark II and a 135 Canon L lens f/2.0 |
The Bottom Line
Because I shoot in low light without a flash and because I want maximum resolution, I prefer the 5D for me, (currently they cost around $2,700.) If that is too expensive, the next best option I think would be a USED 5D Mark II. On Amazon, they seem to be running about $1,600. You get an awesome camera for a great price. If that is still out of the question budget-wise, the next option would be the 18 megapixel Rebel. The price for the camera body (no lens) varies between $550 and $600.
Now let’s say that is still out of the question price-wise, the next option would be a Canon Rebel T3 can be had for about $330 plus the lens. So there are the price options and really it comes down to price. I would say get the best you can afford if you really love photography. And quite frankly, there’s nothing wrong with the Rebel camera. It just has limitations. If you end up with a Rebel, you will need to be careful to shoot with plenty of light so your photos don’t turn out grainy. Again, buy a lens with the largest aperture that you can afford.
The next question is where to buy.
I have been very happy with purchases from both of the following websites.
Well I hope that helps. If you have any questions, please leave a comment with your question and I will try to answer your question.
Talk about great timing…I just bought my first Canon and I love it. I am by means a photographer or could even call it a hobby but my first purchase was a Canon Powershot SX500…the zoom and the megapixel…are incredible and I am still on the first ion battery! No more buying hundreds of AA batteries either…Love Canon csmeras
Great post Anita, I’m shopping cameras right now. Thank you for sharing.
Anita, thank you for this wonderful response! I’m so excited to know much more about the cameras you use! I love your blog and your photographs always are stunning! I realize you are behind the camera and you have an amazing eye for shooting pictures! I trust and value your opinion! I cannot thank you enough for taking the time to answer my questions! This has helped me so much! Now, I’m off to shop for a new camera! This is an awesome post!
I’d love to upgrade to the big girl Canon, but 3 years ago I bought the Canon Rebel T2i. 18 megapixels, shoots in low light, and I do have 3 lenses. Using a tripod is my best advice for indoor low light photos. Then take them to PicMonkey for some tweaking. Only problem is it’s not as good outdoors as I’d like, but I don’t think you can get a better “basic” camera. thanks for the info!
Thank you so much for sharing this information, Anita. We are looking to upgrade our cameras. My daughter wants to get into photography a little more than what she does with a point and shoot camera. So, this was helpful. Now to grab a jar to start saving. 🙂
Anita, this is excellent information. I’ve been debating what camera to buy for over a year. Just can’t decide what I really need. Switched from using my point and shot to my iPhone 5. Amazing that it takes really good photos for what it is. ‘-)
Wonderful information, Anita! I’m still a “point and shoot” girl but would love to upgrade one day! I’m definitely filing this post in my “save” folder! Thanks!!~~Angela
anita, i was just looking at camera ratings last night! you’ve given me great points from which to start my search. display size & low light settngs are a big deal, but i never would have thought to research those on my own. thanks so much!
Thanks, Anita, for such a great article that explains in easy-to-understand terms about aperture, low-light, and the likes & dislikes of each camera.
Judith
Great tips!!..I am still learning many things about my camera…I really need to set aside a full week to learn and take full advantage of it…I have a Nikon D7000 and love it..however, it is heavy…Thanks for all of the great information…your photographs are always exquisite!!