I sat at a back table looking forward. The room was marginally lit. My friend Ralph was at the front of the room. He was celebrating a milestone birthday and giving a little speech in this cozy private room of a lovely restaurant. Most events make me want to take pictures, and this was no exception. I pulled out my iPhone 14 Pro and touched the trigger button. A second later, I captured the memory, and the photo looked pretty good.
I have used smartphones and smartphone cameras long before the iPhone existed, and let me tell you that those early cell phone cameras were horrible. They had low resolution and grainy images even with good light, and the image quality transitioned to unusable in dim light. However, people loved having a camera on their phones and the industry listened. Photos taken on recent smartphones are amazing. Sharp, vibrant, and clear even when the conditions are somewhat poor.
Some of these improvements are based on better hardware, but much of the credit goes to the super computing power of the phone’s microprocessor. That same chip that allows you to watch high resolution YouTube videos is used to maximize every single photon that hits a pixel on the phone’s tiny camera sensor.
My iPhone 14 Pro has a few extra features including fixed wide angle and telephoto lenses, as well as several computerized effects. For instance, I can take a portrait shot with my phone, and its computer will artificially blur the background to make the image look more professional.
Why would anyone need a dedicated camera when they carry a phone that not only takes great photos, but also allows instant posting to social media? The answer is that most don’t, a cell phone is all that they need. However, that is not always the case as suggested by the next photo.
This is a photo taken with my iPhone of the 2024 total solar eclipse. Now that I have told you what it is, you can probably decipher the picture. However, it looks nothing like some of the photos that were shown on the news or on social media. Those photos were sharp, clear, powerful, and amazing. My photos looked more like a Rorschach ink blot. If my phone was so good at taking a picture of Ralph, why couldn’t it take a good photo of the eclipse? The answer is simple. Phones use settings designed to take a snapshot. When you want a picture that is not a snapshot, most phone cameras fall short for many reasons.
Who should consider a dedicated camera? Here are a few examples.
-The parent who wants to take in-focus photos of their active toddler.
-The animal owner who likes taking photos of their pets.
-The parent who wants the best close-up action shots of their kids when they are playing sports.
-The drama coach who wants clear and in-focus photos of their actors on the stage.
-The bird watcher who needs to document their finds.
-The person who wants to take photos of the Milky Way.
-The person who wants to take highly detailed photos of their collection of tiny things, like coins or butterflies.
-The person who needs to take close-up photos of objects that are far away.
-The person who has to take pictures in adverse weather conditions.
-The person who must take flash-free pictures in dark places, like a nightclub.
-The person who wants to use a sophisticated flash setup for professional-looking portraits of family and friends.
-The person who documents their hobby by taking photos of moving trains, racing cars, or jets taking off.
-The person who makes their living taking pictures (journalists, wedding photographers, nature photographers, etc.).
-The person who sees photography as a form of artistic expression.
-The person who wants to turn photography into a hobby.
-and anyone else who needs to take photos that are beyond “Instamatic” snapshots.
However, that is likely only 10% of the photo-taking population. The remaining 90% will do just fine with their point-and-shoot phone. If you are in that 90%, you can stop reading now (whew!).
If you check the prices of cameras you will be struck with sticker shock. It is possible to spend many thousands of dollars on a high end camera body, and a magnitude more than that on camera lenses. For most, these prices are completely out of reach, but there is a solution. First, we need to talk a bit about what makes a camera a better choice in some situations, as well as what different types of cameras are available.
How are cameras different from a smartphone?
Most cameras can be used in a fully automatic mode, just like a smartphone. Additionally, some consumer-level cameras have presets for common scenarios like action shots or low-light photography. Also, their functions can also be fully customized. Let’s look at some of the functions that can be adjusted:
Shutter speed
You can adjust the shutter speed on a camera. A slow shutter speed allows more light to enter the camera’s sensor, so you can get a bright image even under low light conditions. A fast shutter speed freezes action, making it perfect for sporting events and fast-moving subjects.
Aperture
You can adjust the aperture of the camera’s lens. A wider (more open) aperture lets in more light for flash-free nighttime photos. Wider apertures can also keep the subject in focus while blurring the background (shallow depth of field). That style is trendy in portrait photography. A narrower aperture makes sure that everything in the photo is in focus. Think about photographing a large group of people standing in rows three deep. A narrow aperture would make sure that everyone would be sharply in focus.
ISO
You can adjust how sensitive the camera’s sensor is to light, this is called adjusting the ISO of the camera. Keeping the ISO low preserves the most detail in a photo, but raising the ISO allows you to take noise free pictures in darker conditions with a slight loss of detail.
Exposure triangle
Shutter speed, aperture, and ISO work together to control how much light enters the sensor. Together, this group is called the exposure triangle. You can greatly change the look of your photograph if you know how to adjust these parameters. With a few simple clicks your photo can go from a snapshot to a magazine cover level image, and it is a lot easier than you think. Note, that your camera can adjust all of these parameters automatically, or it can adjust just some of the parameters automatically. As an example, you can have your camera adjust its shutter speed and ISO, while you only adjust the aperture.
Use a faster shutter speed to freeze sporting action.
Use a wider aperture to blur the background in a portrait.
Use a higher ISO to take a flash free image in a dark venue.
Or adjust all three to find the perfect balance between effect and image quality.
External controls
All cameras have dedicated controls that allow you to change various settings or set the camera to automatic. Pro-level cameras have many external buttons and knobs, making changing these settings on the fly very easy.
The hot shoe
The hot shoe is a connection on the top of a camera that allows the user to electronically connect an external flash to a camera and transform the photo of a subject from a “deer in headlights” look to a polished pro image. Using on and off camera lighting creatively can produce amazing pictures.
Changeable lenses
Many cameras allow the end user to change out lenses. There are lenses for any need, from super powerful telephoto lenses to lenses designed to get up close and personal with tiny objects (like bugs). I often use a wide-angle lens when I take professional architectural shots as it opens up the space and makes rooms look bigger. I also use a medium telephoto lens when taking portraits. Its long focal length and wide aperture allow me to keep the subject in focus while creating a creamy, blurred background.
Accurate focusing
Cameras can focus very quickly in tricky light situations. Some older cameras were specifically designed to be great at focusing and were used by sports and wildlife photographers. Many newer cameras have phenomenal focus, even in their consumer-level offerings. Along with focusing is tracking (the ability to follow a moving object and keep it in focus). The same rules apply here.
Manual focusing
There are times when it is best to focus the camera yourself. If I could have manually focused my phone when taking the eclipse photo, it would have turned out significantly better. The majority of cameras have some form of manual focusing; however, pro cameras make manual focusing an easy option.
Low light performance
Cell phones use computer calculation tricks to make dimly lit photographs look clear. Cameras do this too, but also have much larger sensors which have the ability to gather significantly more light. For instance, a full-frame sensor has over 30 times more surface area than the tiny sensor of a typical cell phone.
Consumer cameras vs. Professional cameras.
One way to separate cameras is between consumer-level and enthusiast/professional-level models. Consumer-level cameras are less expensive. They can do many of the things that a pro-camera can do, just not quite as well. For instance, many consumer-level cameras can freeze action as they have a maximum fast shutter speed of 1/4000 of a second, while many pro-cameras have shutters that can operate as fast as 1/8000 of a second, and even faster than that when they are in all electronic mode. Note that you can freeze a human at play at around 1/250th of a second; pro-bird photographers usually shoot at a 1/1000 to 1/2000 of a second, and to freeze a speeding car, you may need a shutter speed of 1/4000th of a second. Shutter speeds faster than 1/4000th of a second are only used for exceptional situations.
A consumer-level camera will have simplified controls. You can often control the same things that you can with a pro-level camera, but you will need to go through additional steps to do this. A pro-level camera has dedicated physical controls front and center, whereas a consumer-level camera may require you to press several buttons or go into the camera’s menu system.
Consumer-level cameras are usually made of some sort of polycarbonate (plastic), whereas pro-level cameras often have a magnesium frame that is coated in a rubbery material. In general, everything from the switches to the shutter mechanism is more robust and built to last longer on a pro camera. Higher-end professional cameras are also weather sealed and can withstand being in the rain (within reason). Such a situation would short out a consumer-level camera.
Over time features drift from one group to another. High end features like fast focusing drift down from pro-cameras to consumer cameras, and convenience features like flip out screens drift up from consumer cameras to high end ones.
Is it reasonable to buy an older camera?
Technology in the camera world has advanced rapidly. However, older cameras can take stunning photographs in just about any scenario. An enthusiast/pro camera from as early as 2008 and many consumer-level cameras from a few years after that can take amazing pictures. If someone has special interests, like photographing birds in flight or performers in a dark and smoky jazz club, they may need to be more selective when deciding what older camera they should choose, but those options are out there. Many photographers prefer the photos that come out of older cameras, which some say are more “filmic.” (looks more like traditional film)
What can newer cameras do that older ones can’t?
In the world of photography cameras are always advancing with better specifications and features. For instance, newer cameras may be able to focus at blazing rates or have computerized features like eye detection focusing. However, many older cameras are still very capable. Remember, these cameras were state of the art devices used by professionals who took professional photos. In fact, some professionals continue to use these cameras with great success.
The question of Megapixels.
Older cameras may have as little as 12 MP sensors, while the highest megapixel count of some newer cameras exceeds 60 MP. However, the pixel count doesn’t really matter unless you are wildly cropping images or if you need to print huge photos that will be viewed up close and personal. Photographers have long created large prints using ten and 12-MP cameras. There have been art photos displayed in museums that were taken with a 6 MP camera. In other words, don’t worry about the MP count. Did you know that traditional 35 mm film has a resolution between 12-16 megapixels? Most photos on social media are reduced by the platform to under 2 MP. In the real world, anything above 10 MP will do you just fine. Most newer cameras are in the 20-24 MP range.
Recommended Image size of social media sites:
Facebook photo 1200 x 628 pixels or 0.8 MP
Twitter Profile photo 400 x 400 pixels or 0.2 MP
Instagram Square 1080 x 1080 pixels or 1.2 MP
YouTube thumbnail 1280 x 720 pixels or 1.0 MP
All about sensor size.
The camera sensor on a smartphone is tiny, and the phone’s computer has to do a lot of work to take the information from that sensor and turn it into an awesome photo. Dedicated cameras have much larger sensors. These sensors have greater surface areas so that they can capture more light. Additionally, the larger sensor size combined with the physical properties of the lens used can create all sorts of interesting effects, the most common being bokeh, where the subject is in sharp focus while the background is a soft blur.
Often, the larger the sensor, the more expensive the camera. A larger sensor area means the camera can produce good images when light conditions are low. Additionally, larger sensors often have better dynamic range. There are more levels between absolute black and pure white in the image. However, smaller sensors are constantly improving, and with their improvements, their cameras have also gone up in price. Some smaller sensors now rival some larger ones in the quality of the images they produce. Note that all typically used sensor sizes have the potential to create stunning images, and image quality depends on more than the sensor. The camera’s image processor and the quality of the lens used are just as important.
When quizzed, many professionals can’t determine what size sensor an image came from by just looking at a print made from that image. When they succeed, they use tricks, like looking for the depth of field in an image or other things that consumers would be unaware of.
Types of sensors.
-1″ These sensors are primarily used in high-quality compact and bridge cameras. These sensors have about five times more surface area than a typical cell phone sensor.
-Micro 4/3. These sensors are used by Olympus/OM systems and Panasonic/Lumix cameras. They have around 9 times more surface area than a typical cell phone sensor. Because these brands use a smaller sensor than brands like Nikon and Canon they can make cameras that have smaller bodies and that use smaller lenses. The lenses may be less expensive as they need less optical glass to cover the smaller sensor.
-APS-C. This sensor size is used by many different camera manufacturers because it is at the sweet spot between cost and performance. It has a surface area around 15 times larger than a typical cell phone. APS-C cameras can be smaller and use less expensive lenses than Full Frame sensor cameras.
-Full Frame. Used in flagship cameras, full-frame sensors have around 36 times more surface area than a typical cell phone sensor. Because of this, they often have the best low-light performance and the best dynamic range, and they also can produce the best bokeh. However, they are the most expensive cameras, have the most expensive lenses, and are usually bigger and bulkier than cameras that use smaller (yet very capable) sensors.
DSLR or Mirrorless.
DSLRs are based on an older film camera design that uses mirrors and prisms to share the image from the lens with the image sensor and the viewfinder. Despite being an old design, it is very refined. Mirrorless cameras don’t need this system, as the image that you see is directly sent from the image processor. It is a video image, not an optical one. Your cell phone camera is a mirrorless camera. Manufacturers like Olympus/OM Systems, Panasonic, and Fuji have made mirrorless cameras for a long time. Sony initially built DSLR/SLT cameras, but they changed to mirrorless cameras fairly early on. Canon and Nikon were the DSLR holdouts; however, they recently switched over to all mirrorless cameras.
Early mirrorless cameras had low-resolution displays, slow focusing, and laggy viewfinders. However, that is in the past. Mirrorless technology allows for more bells and whistles. For instance, some cameras can recognize what a moving object is (car vs. person) and track it accordingly.
Both DSLRs and mirrorless cameras can take excellent photos; they are just slightly different technologies. Older mirrorless cameras often use a slower contrast-detection focusing system compared to the lightning-fast phase-detection focusing of DSLRs. However, that has also changed, and now, some high-end mirrorless cameras have the ability to instantly focus on just about anything.
Which DSLR or mirrorless should you buy?
That is up to you. If you are looking for a bargain in a high-performance action camera, you can’t go wrong with an enthusiast/pro-level DSLR. Cameras that sold for thousands of dollars years ago can now be had for a few hundred, and they are still great cameras. Additionally, there are dozens of lenses for these cameras, and they are often sold at much more reasonable prices than lenses for some of the newer camera systems. Nikon and Canon were the DSLR leaders. Both offered cameras that professional photographers loved to use. Both companies switched to mirrorless cameras a few years back.
The new Canon and Nikon mirrorless cameras are absolutely fantastic but expect to spend big bucks to buy one. Additionally, the lenses (which are excellent) use new mounts that are different from their DSLR brethren and are extremely expensive.
Sony cameras have been mirrorless for quite some time and you can buy some of their earlier (and excellent) mirrorless offerings at reasonable prices. Additionally, there are many older Sony branded and third party lenses available on the used market. However, their new cameras are also stratospherically expensive.
Sony, Nikon, and Canon cameras use sensors that are either APS-C (smaller) or FF (full frame) in size. Although they have their differences, both sensor types take excellent images. Older full-frame cameras were better at taking photos in low light than older APS-C sensors. APS-C sensors offered lower cost and greater magnification (crop factor). Newer APS-C cameras are very capable of working in low light.
Fuji has always made mirrorless cameras that have a retro and exquisite style. Fuji designs its own image sensor using proprietary technology. Some say that their sensors produce the most pleasing images, but that is a subjective opinion. I felt that the early Fuji cameras were slow to focus, but they have improved dramatically over the years. Most Fuji cameras have APS-C-sized sensors.
Panasonic and Olympus/OM Systems cameras use a sensor size called 4/3 (or micro 4/3). These sensors are smaller than APS-C but still take great photos. Older cameras with these sensors may not perform as well as larger sensors in low light. They offer a magnification (cropping) factor even greater than APS-C sensors, which could be a plus when shooting distant objects. Their bodies and lenses are smaller (due to the smaller sensor), which makes them excellent for travel and street photography. Their lenses use less glass (smaller sensor) and, therefore, are often less expensive. Panasonic cameras have a more traditional look, while Olympus/OM Systems cameras have a retro look. Both used a focusing system called contrast detection, which could be slower than the phase detection used on DSLRs.
One of my early mirrorless cameras was a 2011 Olympus EPL-2, which used Olympus’s original contrast-detection focusing system. I found its focus reasonably snappy, and the photo quality was excellent. Newer micro 4/3 cameras have great focusing. Micro 4/3 cameras often initiated novel and cool features in their cameras. Things like in-body image stabilization (IBIS), built-in ND (neutral density) filters, and built-in focus stacking. Other camera manufacturers “borrowed” these ideas and have incorporated them into some of their cameras. If you don’t know what these features are, just accept that they are fantastic.
Recommendations.
It is tough to give recommendations as everyone has different needs. However, for the cost-conscious, here are a few suggestions. My focus will be on lower-cost systems that offer high value. I’ll also emphasize still image use. Although some of these cameras can take reasonable video, video is best left for newer cameras.
For sports and wildlife, DSLR cameras like the Nikon D300S, Nikon D500, Canon 7D, and 7D Mark II are good choices, with the newer version performing better than the older one.
For “Jack of all trades” full frame shooting the Canon 5DII or 5DIII are good choices, as are the Nikon D700, Nikon D600, Nikon D750, and Nikon D800. The Sony A7 II is a more compact mirrorless camera with a full frame sensor. For a less expensive APS-C camera consider the Canon 60D, 70D, or 80D and the Nikon D7000, D7100 models.
For a cool-looking around-town contender, check out the Fuji X-T1 or X-T2 or one of the early Fuji X100 fixed lens cameras, such as the X100S or X100T. A fixed lens means you can’t change the lens. The X100 series of cameras have a fantastic lens, but you will need to “zoom in with your feet.”
For a versatile smaller camera, the APS-C Sony A6000 could be a good choice. I also like the APS-C Canon M6 Mark II (although its lens mount is now discontinued). I own both of these cameras and usually wind up grabbing the Canon.
If you are looking for a quality older camera that is also very capable at shooting video consider the Panasonic GH4 which offered cutting edge video when it was introduced.
If you are looking for an around town or travel camera consider the Olympus OMD-EM-10 or the OMD-EM-5 (original or second generation). These micro 4/3 cameras have smaller camera bodies and smaller lenses.
Naturally, there are dozens of other cameras that could be included in the above list, which is designed to get you thinking rather than trying to influence your decision-making.
An older camera may lack some of the technical bells and whistles of newer cameras, but they are extremely capable and much less inexpensive than newer offerings. These were the aspirational cameras of photographers when they were launched, and photographers produced stunning images using them. Many of these cameras offer up-front controls, making it very easy to experiment and learn.
Lastly, some of these manufacturers make cameras with an even smaller 1″ sensor. However, those are primarily used in pocket and bridge cameras and would need to be the topic of a different post.
Where to buy?
Resellers like KEH, Adorama, and B and H test the used cameras they sell and offer limited warranties. You may pay a little more, but you are assured of a working camera. I have bought used cameras on eBay. however, eBay is more like of a Wild West show, but I have had good luck choosing sellers who have many sales and high ratings. A word of caution. Camera shutters (especially on a pro camera) may function well over 100,000 actuations. However, it is always better to buy a camera with a lower shutter count (75K or less). Also, if a camera looks like it has been through the war, it probably has been, and it is likely not a good choice for a first real camera purchase.
A little bit about lenses.
One of the coolest things about many cameras is that you can change the lenses out. There are so many different types of lenses, from super wide angle to super telephoto lenses. Additionally, there are many specialty lenses. You can use a tilt-shift lens for architectural photography to eliminate perspective distortion (a building that looks as if it is falling away or towards you in the photo). There are also many macro lenses that focus incredibly closely, and these lenses are used to take amazing shots of tiny things, like insects.
Lenses can be extremely expensive, depending on whether they are designed for professionals or consumers. But there is a workaround. Most camera manufacturers have moderate zoom kit lenses that can be purchased with the camera at a good price. These lenses are frequently made of plastic and have limitations. Some have fairly good optics, while others are a bit crappy. You can find many used ones on eBay and other sites for a very good price, and they can help you start your camera journey. Just google to see if a particular lens model is considered good or bad. Don’t buy a bad lens, and don’t expect a kit lens to perform like a professional lens. However, a decent kit lens is very versatile. Ones with limited range (like 18-55 mm) can get you started, but those that have a broader range (like 18-150 mm) may be the only lens that you ever need. Beyond their plastic build kit, these lenses have a variable aperture. The level of light coming in is reduced the more you zoom out the lens. I often use an 18-150 mm kit lens when I’m hiking with my Canon M6 Mark II camera. Its zooming capability gives me a lot of options, and its lightweight plastic construction is easier to carry than an all-metal pro-style lens. Pro-level lenses often have a fixed aperture that is constant throughout the lenses zoom range.
There are also plastic but reasonably good prime lenses (prime lenses have just one focal length, so they don’t have any zoom ability). Many manufacturers make a 50 mm (good for portraits) and a 35 mm (good for general photography) bargain lens, which has much better optics than kit lenses. New, they sell for a couple of hundred dollars, but used, they can be had for less.
A commonly used professional-level zoom lens is the 70-200 mm F2.8 zoom. You often see this type of lens being used by journalists and other professionals due to its great versatility. This is a fantastic lens when you need to obtain a close-up of something, but you are at a distance. For instance, you can shoot your kids’ soccer game or take photos of them performing on stage. As an example, Canon’s version of this lens for their new RF-mount mirrorless cameras sells for an eye-watering $2,600.00! Canon’s older DSLRs use the EF style mount, and a used pro-level EF 70-200 mm F2.8 can be purchased for $500-$600. If you want to save even more money, you could go with a used Canon EF 70-200 F4 (smaller aperture, so it is less good in very dark conditions) for around $450.00.
Just like when buying a used camera it is best to buy from a reputable dealer. However, I often buy on eBay for a better price and have had good results. When you buy a used lens, test it out to make sure that the optics don’t have mold growing inside (bad) and it focuses properly. Return the lens if it is defective and try again.
Remember, lens mounts are specific to a camera brand and can vary within that brand. As an example, Canon’s Full Frame DSLR uses EF mount lenses, while their APS-C DSLR cameras can use cheaper EF-S mount lenses as well as the more premium EF mount lenses. Canon’s new mirrorless cameras use the expensive RF mount. My little Canon M6 Mark II is an orphan model that uses the now-discontinued EF-M lens mount. I know this sounds very confusing, but once you know what lens mount your camera uses (just Google “What lens mount can a XXX use?”), you will be set. It is not difficult at all.
A word about video.
The first high-end stills camera to also take video was the Nikon D90, introduced in August 2008. It was absolutely revolutionary in this regard, but it could only take 5 minutes of video at a low 720p. Cameras rapidly improved, and the next milestone camera was the Canon 5D Mark II, introduced in September 2008. That camera could take 1080p video and has been used to shoot parts of TV shows and even movies. Yet, older cameras have many drawbacks from newer models when it comes to video. For instance, many older cameras will give you better results if you focus them manually when in video mode. If you are very interested in a camera that can take both still images and also has easy video recording, go for a newer old camera, or perhaps spend the extra money for a new consumer-level camera.
Software anyone?
Photo editing software can raise your photos to another level. There is a lot of free or very inexpensive photo editing software out there. If there is interest, I’ll post about that topic.
Final Thoughts.
Buying a used camera will still cost money, but it will be a much smaller investment than buying a new camera while giving you all of the tools needed to up your photography results. These cameras may be all that you ever need, or you may acquire GAS (gear acquisition syndrome) and eventually get the latest and greatest camera of the future. I can’t control your desires.
Some of the new consumer-level cameras have amazing features, great focusing, and fantastic low-light performance. However, they are light both on direct controls and construction. Yet, they will still be more expensive than many of the cameras listed above. However, you do you.
As a Kodak commercial once said, “Share moments, share life.”
Peace
Mike
