| A friend of mine has been cajoled into buying | | | | Sony: |
| DSLR since it has been a fad nowadays. He | | | | If you are inclined to creative lighting, go for this |
| purchased unnecessary accessories for his DSLR | | | | Sony DSLRs. The Sony alpha feature made |
| since he doesn't have a bit of idea what he wants | | | | setting up wireless flash easier. Yet don't expect |
| exactly. So, he eagerly asked me some guidelines | | | | much of the Third Party / Second hand |
| in buying DSLR for those enthusiastic newbie who | | | | accessories. |
| are just starting out exploring the world of DSLR | | | | Olympus: |
| camera. | | | | I tried this camera before, small & lightweight |
| Here are few things to keep in mind going in | | | | I didn't had a hard time taking pictures on a hot |
| purchasing your first DSLR camera: | | | | outdoor event photography. The colors of the |
| 1. DSLR Camera? TO BUY or NOT TO BUY? | | | | images taken were great and the small zoom lens |
| Why do you want a DSLR camera? Is it to look | | | | has marvelously wide range. |
| "cool" or to take great pictures? | | | | Canon vs Nikon: |
| I sincerely think a great photo is about | | | | These brands have its own followers respectively. |
| composition regardless of what kind of camera | | | | You can easily find Third party & Second |
| you use. I would advice that until you have | | | | Hand accessories. I had a chance to use DSLR |
| exhausted all the skill you have to take great | | | | with these brands though I prefer Canon because |
| photo using just the typical camera, don't buy a | | | | of its colors. But in terms of default automatic |
| DSLR camera just yet. | | | | exposure / setting, its (Canon) photos generally |
| I still remembered one significant photo when I | | | | tend to be a bit 'darker' than Nikon DSLR. |
| was in secondary school that was forever | | | | 3. I will buy a DSLR, what else do I need? |
| imprinted on my mind. It was a photo taken by a | | | | If you have already pushed your photography |
| junior student on her siblings & cousins | | | | skills with your existing camera, then you must |
| standing nearby a window looking down towards | | | | already have an design plan on what you desire |
| her of what appear to be their grandparents' | | | | to shoot. Hence, buy things that are related to |
| traditional house. Combined with the soft morning | | | | your preferred subject. You can have the top of |
| lights and with the brightly colored clothes of her | | | | the class telephoto lens or macro lens & |
| cousins, I can still imagine the photo framed by | | | | flash ring if you're into macro shots. |
| the pastel colored window. It was a photo taken | | | | Stick to your kit lens if you are not yet sure |
| only by a SIMPLE NO-BRAND FILM POINT & | | | | what you want. Below are the MUST things I |
| SHOOT CAMERA that didn't even has a zoom | | | | believe to be considered: |
| lens. Until now, I still can't find the opportunity to | | | | 1.Screen protector |
| shoot that kind of image using my DSLR camera. | | | | 2.UV Lens filter |
| If you have considerably taken a great time of | | | | 3.Tripod |
| taking great photos using your current camera | | | | 4.Camera bag |
| & you think you could improve a whole lot | | | | 4. Which format, RAW or JPEG? |
| more on expressing yourself thru photography, | | | | In order to take quality pictures you can choose |
| then by all means go & buy one DSLR / | | | | the image format found in most DSLR. JPEG is |
| SLR camera. | | | | sort of a compressed and processed raw data of |
| 2. What is the difference between a DSLR | | | | the image. As it is a compressed format, every |
| camera & SLR camera? | | | | time it is copied and saved, it looses certain |
| Digital Single Lens Reflex or commonly known by | | | | details. RAW on the other hand is the image in |
| its acronym DSLR is an improved form of the | | | | raw data. Size of the file tends to be bigger so |
| classic SLR camera. While the latter uses films to | | | | you need to have a large size of memory card. |
| store pictures, the former stores images thru its | | | | However with the latter you must use a special |
| memory card. | | | | application / program to view your files (different |
| SLR users are for those photographers who | | | | program/plug-in for different camera brand). |
| "think first, the shoots later" while DSLR are for | | | | 5. I have all the gears I need, now what? |
| those who continue to shoot before thinking. With | | | | First things first, READ THE MANUAL. Get to |
| DSLR camera we were given a chance to take | | | | know your camera the Do's & don'ts then |
| many pictures as we can, preview the shots | | | | try going out and shoot what you want. Try |
| & make adjustments on the subject before | | | | working with the options available on your DSLR |
| printing the pictures. We can only imagine how the | | | | camera. Try taking photos using Auto or |
| photos look like until we send the film for | | | | Program, Manual, Aperture Priority & Shutter |
| processing. | | | | speed Priority. |
| Imagine how many rolls of films you'll have to use | | | | Explore your world with your DSLR camera; |
| in order to produce beautiful pictures. If you can | | | | there are still a lot of photos to be taken. Go on a |
| afford to buy more than a dozen of films then | | | | vacation somewhere, bring your DSLR anywhere |
| develop it, then go for an SLR camera. SLR has | | | | you go then post your photos online. Try posting |
| characteristic that many film shooters love. It will | | | | your best photos and ask for comments in |
| always be a classic. There are still a lot of | | | | forums. If somebody does comment, be open |
| specialized camera I wasn't able to include here. | | | | and take it with a pinch of salt. If nobody |
| These are widely used DSLR brands and my little | | | | comments, don't feel dejected. Keep shooting and |
| point of view in it: | | | | posting. |