How to Buy the Right Professional Camera
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Choose Your Right Professional Camera
Maybe you have looked at our personal camera info for casual use, but want to know how to buy the right professional camera!
We are here to help with information to make your selection worth the while. However, before selecting a camera for your needs, there are some things to consider if you do plan on using it professionally.
Here you can find helpful tips to get you started!
Do You Need a Professional Camera?
Are you starting with photography and deciding if you should spend a fortune on buying a professional camera? Ask yourself these two questions before deciding. What do you plan to shoot, and what will the photos be used for? The truth is we cannot tell you which camera is the best for professional use, but one thing we can say is you do not need the best when starting out.
We recommend you look at your budget first and get one you can afford. Most likely, you already have a camera and best to invest your money or marketing. You can always upgrade at a later stage. But if you do want to replace your old model with a newer one, you still do not need to spend a fortune.
What is a professional camera?
The answer is short and sweet; it is one that has a durable design without plastic parts that wear and tear. The device has no plastic doors, CF card doors, door catches, rewind cranks, lenses, or filters.
For a pro camera, you need one made of metal that can handle the beating and depends on what type of photography you plan to do as well.
You need a camera you can use quickly, offering you instant access to different adjustments available. Therefore, the camera needs to provide you with direct access to exposure modes, aperture, shutter speed, white balance, quality settings, and ISO.
Furthermore, you need a model presenting you with at least 1/250 flash sync speed of 1/500 and 1//1000. The device needs to be compatible and expandable with interchangeable lenses to capture different photos from near too far.
You need a microphone to do voice note shots as it helps when taking photos if you plan on becoming a news photographer. So if you need the best professional camera to use, we recommend looking at the DSLR range.
However, choosing the right one becomes even more complicated, as you will see here.
Buying Your First Professional Camera
The DSLR falls into the professional camera category. Do you plan to become a photographer? Then your point-and-shoot model needs replacing with the digital capture technology for the highest image quality speed.
The device has an intuitive design with modular capabilities you can use for different types of photography. This is the first step to becoming a serious photographer. However, you can find various models available and choosing the right one all comes down to the following features:
Decide what you are looking for!
Once you have your budget set, it is time to find a piece of equipment that has a reasonable price. Whether you do it at a hobby or professionally, all of the functions play an essential part.
The Lens
When choosing a professional camera, you need one that works with compatible lenses. With the right lens, you can provide quality imagery.
The DSLR camera has different sensor sizes from full-frame to APS-C, and each one offers its benefits and disadvantages. The APS-C sized sensor known as the DX-format or a cropped sensor is the common one available. You find the sensor in entry-level to mid-range models
You can find it in the professional camera at a higher price as well. The full-frame sensor works on the 35mm film-frame that is about 36 x 24mm. However, the APS is slightly smaller and measures 23.5 x 15.6mm. Therefore, you get a narrower apparent field of view when using the same focal-length lens as it uses a predefined crop of the image to represent 35mm/full-frame terms.
The crop factor in APS-C sensors is about 1.5X in most DSLR brands, with Canon being an exception of 1.6X. Therefore, using a 50mm focal length with an APS-C camera offers you a field of view of 75mm and great for wildlife, sports, and more where longer focal lengths are needed.
On the other hand, a full-frame sensor offers you high image quality due to the size of the sensor. It also gives a greater tonal fluency with color gradation for low-light performance as the size of the actual pixels larger. Furthermore, you can find a wide selection of lenses available to use with this type of sensor.
When it comes to the size of the camera, the APS-C has a smaller design and lightweight compared to the full-frame. So if weight is of concern and you travel a lot using the APS-C is excellent when used with different lenses.
Viewfinders
The DSLR camera offers you both a monitor and viewfinder for image playback, menu navigation, eye-level finding, and more. Compared to the mirror camera, you get an optical viewfinder that has a pentaprism or pentamirror structure.
The traditional one is the pentaprism offering a single-lens reflex constructed of glass, providing a bright image for viewing. The weight is higher, and the size more prominent compared to one with pentamirror.
The latter component has a system of mirrors producing an image and darker than the pentaprism. You will find the professional models uses pentaprism compared to the entry-level DSLR that uses pentamirror.
Another consideration to look for is the frame coverage offered and ranges typically 95% to 100%. The next function is the rear monitor on the camera, as it helps to increase the resolution to view from high to low angles.
The monitor can range from 3 inches to 3.2 inches, offering you a 230k-dot to million-pixel resolution. The higher the resolution goes, the brighter your image displays.
You can even find the monitor with a swiveling or tilting design to use it from different angles. Lastly, you can find the monitor with a touchscreen to access the menu, focus controls, and navigate directly from the screen.
Image Processing
The image processor and sensor work together to enable continuous shooting, video recording, and ISO sensitivities. You can find DSLR cameras with multiple image processors like the Canon EOS 7D Mark II.
For this reason, if you are into high-speed shooting and video recording, it is best to have a professional camera with different image processors.
Furthermore, it helps with processing a higher resolution to use with RAW files.
Autofocus
You can find the professional camera using two types of focusing methods for sharp focus. The DSLR model works with the phase-detection process offering you several AF points to get an application based on the subject detected in a scene. Moreover, the higher the AF point, you get more precision to function fast as it covers a larger area.
On the other hand, you get different types of positions, as well as the points in individual apertures and cross-type points. The cross-type (+) is as the name implies as you focus with a cross while the standard one offers you an (I) vertical line. When the two combines they split the incoming light two dimensions to focus quickly.
Another new autofocus is the contrast-detection method and mostly found on cameras without mirrors. The focus works with a sensor when capturing movies or still images in the live view. These types of professional cameras, like the Canon EOS 70D, works with contrast-detection.
Stabilization a useful asset to have!
With the function, it helps minimize the appearance of the image you capture as it helps prevent the shake when using lengthy shutter speeds. Furthermore, it helps when you use a long focal lens as well. You get two types of stabilization the sensor-shift type and lens-shift type. In most cases, you will find the image stabilization included in the lens, while others prefer implementing it in the camera. However, when found in your professional camera, you can use it effectively with any mounted lens.
Can you add accessories to your camera?
The final point plays just an important part when you buy a professional camera. Here it is best to pick a model that supports different accessories from remotes, flashes, lenses, and more.
Different Types of DSLRs
Now that you have seen all the essential features, it is time to pick the right camera from the following list:
- Entry-Level – the camera has an affordable price and is an excellent entry point when starting with photography. You get a mixture of functions, and the image quality is excellent with automated features. The majority of these cameras work with APS-C sensors with a polycarbonate structure, making them lightweight and compact for traveling and use. You will find the device pentamirror viewfinder with a range of configurations.
- Intermediate – here, you can find cameras ranging up to professional use. You get redefined autofocus with enhanced features with APS-C or full-frame sensors with a blend of plastic and alloy. The device is excellent if you want to upgrade from your first DSLR. Furthermore, you get a combination of automatic shooting to creative modes and manual controls. The AF performance is fast and accurate for an excellent continuous shooting rate. Moreover, the video recording quality is higher to support 1080i or 1080p recordings in high-definition. You get connectivity to use external accessories as well.
- Professional – here, you are looking at the flagship of DSLR cameras when it comes to the build, image quality, speed, sensitivity, and manual control. You get a full-frame sized sensor with image processors for capturing still images to videos. The Nikon D7100 is an excellent example as it offers you continuous-shooting with advanced autofocus. Furthermore, you get full manual control as well. Other features include dual memory card slots, external RAW recording, microphone/headphone jack, and more.
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