I hear it all the time. People saying how they wished they had a good camera so they can take better pictures. These people need to be slapped upside the head. The camera is not what takes good photos. That's the photographers job. I know a few people who spent thousands of dollars on camera equipment and they actually think they are really good photographers because they have all of this gear. When in reality, their work is far from being good. I know that sounds kind of cruel but it's true. Just because you have professional gear, doesn't mean you are a professional. Sorry about that rant, now on to something that is possibly useful!
What I like to tell people when they first start off in photography is to ease into it. Don't go to the camera store and buy the very best that money can buy. Heck I have seen some very good results from toy cameras. If your not sure if photography is your "thing", think about getting a point and shoot camera. Many times the people will get better results from a point and shoot camera then they would from a digital SLR. Many times when people who are starting off in photography they buy a digital SLR with a bargain-basement deal lens. So the image quality of that lens is very poor. Then people get upset that their camera is less than what they expected. If you the type a person who knows that your not going to get into photography that much, then stay away from the SLRs. Go buy yourself a good point and shoot camera. The image quality is going to be a LOT better than any SLR + El cheapo lens combo. Plus, those point and shoot cameras have come a long way in the feature department. You can do many of the same things on a point and shoot as with a SLR.
OK, what if photography is your "thing"? I still urge you not to go out and buy the latest and greatest camera. Why? You need to invest in glass, that's why! Like I said before if you have a cheap lens on camera, the image quality of your photos will suffer. I'm not saying you can't get stunning photos from cheap lenses or that you shouldn't buy cheap lenses. I am saying don't waste all your money on the best camera body. Invest your money in lenses or other accessories that will help you expand your photography. In all reality a 6MP camera is sufficient for just about anything you'll do. So don't get into to the "more mega pixels are better" sales hype. My opinion is that anything over 10MP is overkill. The entry level SLRs can do most anything a pro SLR can do too. So don't worry about lack of features. As of what brand to buy, any are fine. I am a Canon guy myself but I'll say stick with either Nikon or Canon. Stay with those two only because it is easier to find accessories for them when your traveling. Don't get me wrong, Sony, Olympus, Sigma, etc... they all make good cameras. Shop around, see what one you like the best.
The summary of all of this is don't worry about getting the most expensive camera with the biggest sensor. It's not going to help you any. Spend your money on good quality lenses that will bump your image quality up. Or buy some accessories for your camera that you can use to dabble in other areas of photography. Such as an off camera flash, reflectors, studio gear, etc...
For more great comics like the one featured at the top of this page please visit What the Duck's website
