fender66
Well-known member
Hey guys/gals.
I've read several posts/complaints about short battery life and bad camera purchases that I thought this might deserve a post.
I've been making my living for the past 24 years as a professional photographer, and I've seen a lot of progress when it comes to digital photography. (actually....I've seen almost all of it) Anyway, here are a few tips for anyone that's looking to buy a digital camera. (assuming I'm qualified to give tips #-o )
1. Determine what your budget is (meaning how much you have to spend total on camera and accessories)
2. Pick a camera that has a rechargeable battery (NiCad or Litium Ion). The ones that use AA or AAA etc, go through batteries faster than you can take pictures. If you already have a camera that uses AA or AAA batteries, look into the rechargeable ones. It will save you some money, and they tend to last longer.
3. NOW, pick a camera that not only fits your budget, but with that budget, will allow you to buy a second battery (refer to rule # 2) and 2 memory cards. I say 2 memory cards because if you only have 1, it's sure to fail on you when you need it the most. ( i.e. 6lb hog and nobody around to confirm your catch)
4. Make sure you have a charger for your batteries
5. If you don't like the slow speeds of the cheaper cameras (due to slow processor speeds), the only way to overcome this is to buy a SLR (single lens reflex) camera. One with interchangeable lenses (much more expensive) Slow cameras are the ones that take a second or two to take the picture after you've pushed the button....and, they take a long time to load the image before you can take the next pic.
6. Buy a camera bag to hold your camera and accessories.
7. It's good practice to have a lens cleaning cloth in your bag. Fish juice and lenses don't work well together. If you have a lens that has a the ability to take a screw mount filter....buy a cheap UV filter and keep it on the lens always. Not only will it keep your glass clean, but it protects it from damage too.
8. Buy a camera bag to hold your camera and accessories. YES, deserves mentioning twice!
9. Pick a camera that has the zoom lens that will cover what your needs are. Keep in mind that digital zooms offered on a lot of cameras are good in a pinch, but don't give you as clear/good a picture. Large zip lock bags are recommended for storing your camera in (inside your camera bag) when in the boat. Camera bags get wet and cameras inside need protection from the water.
10. Here's a good website to compare features of cameras when considering a new purchase: https://www.dpreview.com/reviews/sidebyside.asp This is the "side by side" comparison page of the website.
Happy shooting!
I've read several posts/complaints about short battery life and bad camera purchases that I thought this might deserve a post.
I've been making my living for the past 24 years as a professional photographer, and I've seen a lot of progress when it comes to digital photography. (actually....I've seen almost all of it) Anyway, here are a few tips for anyone that's looking to buy a digital camera. (assuming I'm qualified to give tips #-o )
1. Determine what your budget is (meaning how much you have to spend total on camera and accessories)
2. Pick a camera that has a rechargeable battery (NiCad or Litium Ion). The ones that use AA or AAA etc, go through batteries faster than you can take pictures. If you already have a camera that uses AA or AAA batteries, look into the rechargeable ones. It will save you some money, and they tend to last longer.
3. NOW, pick a camera that not only fits your budget, but with that budget, will allow you to buy a second battery (refer to rule # 2) and 2 memory cards. I say 2 memory cards because if you only have 1, it's sure to fail on you when you need it the most. ( i.e. 6lb hog and nobody around to confirm your catch)
4. Make sure you have a charger for your batteries
5. If you don't like the slow speeds of the cheaper cameras (due to slow processor speeds), the only way to overcome this is to buy a SLR (single lens reflex) camera. One with interchangeable lenses (much more expensive) Slow cameras are the ones that take a second or two to take the picture after you've pushed the button....and, they take a long time to load the image before you can take the next pic.
6. Buy a camera bag to hold your camera and accessories.
7. It's good practice to have a lens cleaning cloth in your bag. Fish juice and lenses don't work well together. If you have a lens that has a the ability to take a screw mount filter....buy a cheap UV filter and keep it on the lens always. Not only will it keep your glass clean, but it protects it from damage too.
8. Buy a camera bag to hold your camera and accessories. YES, deserves mentioning twice!
9. Pick a camera that has the zoom lens that will cover what your needs are. Keep in mind that digital zooms offered on a lot of cameras are good in a pinch, but don't give you as clear/good a picture. Large zip lock bags are recommended for storing your camera in (inside your camera bag) when in the boat. Camera bags get wet and cameras inside need protection from the water.
10. Here's a good website to compare features of cameras when considering a new purchase: https://www.dpreview.com/reviews/sidebyside.asp This is the "side by side" comparison page of the website.
Happy shooting!