Choosing the right Camera for You.

Are you thinking about improving your photography skills?
Before you start spending rash money on cameras you don't need, do a little research into what it is that you want to accomplish.
Point and shoot cameras, and to some extent, mobile phone cameras are all very well if you want to record your holiday snaps or remember the good days out you had.
However, should you wish to take things a step further, you are going to need a step up in the equipment you are using.
Digital single lens reflex cameras (Digital SLR's) are the direction in which you should be looking.
There are many pitfalls for the amateur photographer to overcome when choosing a Digital SLR, not least is the vast array of terminology which is not understood (or mis-understood) by the uninitiated.
Another Digital SLR conundrum is that most don't have a live screen mode. I.E. With your point and shoot camera you can see the picture on the viewing screen, this does not apply to most Digital SLR's, most (Although not all) of the camera manufacturers tend to stick to the old Single lens reflex camera strategy where you need to look through the camera lens to compose the picture you want.
Before you sink your head into your hands, try this with your old point and shoot camera, the one where you always look at the viewing screen to compose your picture.
You will find that viewing through the lens is just as easy and indeed, most point and shoot camera manufacturers recommend this method rather than using the screen to compose.
Back to finding out what you need.
If you just need a camera to take snaps of the family and record the highlights of days and weekends away, stick to the point and shoot camera.
Updating it will help you a lot, cameras are similar to any other electronic device in that, they are literally, out of date before they are 6 months old. This is not to say that they are no good after this, just that they have been superseded by a newer model which will out perform the one you bought.
If on the other hand you want to take pictures that say something to the viewer, pictures that convey feeling and mood, you are going to have to upgrade to a Digital SLR. You need a camera that you can control fully, a camera that responds to your input.
In short you have to have total control over the camera, if you are going to use the auto settings (which you can) you may as well stick with the point and shoot.
So, what do I recommend?
1. If you just want to take snaps, upgrade to an up to date camera with at least 10 Mega pixels.
2. If you want to get interested in photography and take really good pictures, buy a Digital SLR camera.
3. Don't forget that with a Digital SLR, the lenses are interchangeable, you can choose from a vast array of lenses and filters that will make your pictures different and give you total control.
4. Don't buy the top of the range Digital SLR to start with, buy a well known make by all means, but start at the price level you can afford.
5. Remember, there are loads of accessories, some of which you will need almost immediately. These can be expensive, something to think about then, when choosing your camera.
6. With these criteria you are almost always better off buying a kit which consists of, the camera, a couple of lenses, filters, an extra memory card and a tripod.

Ken Trueman