Should I buy this camera?

The "you know about cameras" conversation often starts with some variation of "which camera should I buy"

More often than not, this is from people who are looking at more advanced cameras - dSLR cameras, bridge cameras or compact system cameras.

I'm not going to pretend I've used all of these cameras - I haven't even used all three types of camera in anger. I use dSLRs, or I use my cellphone camera. But each type of camera has its merits.

What I will say is that there is no 'best' manufacturer. There is no 'best' camera. It'd be like me saying "what's the best car for me", or "what's the best meal for me" - there are just too many personal factors that influence it that there is no single, universal 'best'. So when someone asks me "which camera should I buy", they're often dissapointed, because they're hoping I'm going to say "you need one of these - here's the catalogue number". It's not that easy.

More after the break...



Instead, I tend to tell people the top level pros and cons of each system:

dSLRs
Pros:
- fast to use (speed of shutter delay, speed of focus, number of frames per second)
- lots of accessories/lenses available to suit your specific needs
- lots of control, but lots of automation if you need/want it

Cons:
- big, heavy
- expensive, especially if you buy several lenses

Bridge Cameras
Pros:
- convenient - typically has a wide ranging zoom lens, so can cover most situations
- dSLR-like image quality (there are some technical reasons why this isn't always true, but for many people, the differences are hard to see)

Cons:
- limited expansion
- 'Jack of all trades, master of none' - for all the situations where a bridge is useful, I could give you a better suited dSLR or CSC... but to get the flexibilty of a bridge camera, a dSLR or CSC needs a bag full of lenses to suit each scenario

Compact System Cameras, or CSC
Pros:
- smaller than dSLR, but still responsive to use
- accessories/lenses available (though not such a range as with a dSLR
- lots of control and automation

Cons:
- less intuitive controls (menus rather than buttons
- less compatibility with legacy lenses/accessories

There are lots of places to read specific reviews of specific cameras, and there are lots of places which will compare different genres of camera. None of these sites can compare with physically handling a camera, seeing whether it's comfortable in your hands, checking whether you can make sense of the menus etc. When I bought my first dSLR in 2006, I convinced myself on paper than I wanted a specific brand. The reviews looked good. But when I held it, it just wasn't for me - it didn't feel right. I can't emphasise strongly enough how important it is to handle a camera in the flesh before you buy it.

You'll also notice I haven't mentioned brands. Whilst there are many camera manufacturers out there, there tends to be a specific obsession between two, particularly in the dSLR field: Canon and Nikon. Each side has passionate followers who would have you believe that the other is worthless. The reality is, both Canon/Nikon (as well as Sony, Olympus, Pentax etc) produce great cameras. You really would struggle to buy a 'bad' dSLR at the moment. Sure, one manufacturer may have this years 'killer feature', but next year something else will be developed. 

Don't get caught up in the brand wars. If the camera works for you, that's the one to choose.