What features in a camera are the most important?
Used to have a Nikon D5000, now I'm camera-less and looking to get a new one.
Was considering a Canon Rebel T3i but don't know how they compare to other cameras…
Budget's around $1000, willing to stretch it to get a nice camera.
I'm not a professional by any means, but would like to be someday.
What things should I look for when choosing a new camera?
Added (1). I fell in a lake with my Nikon D5000 last summer. Have been saving up for a new camera ever since but was never overly thrilled with it, so am exploring other options.
Added (2). I fell in a lake with my Nikon D5000 last summer. Have been saving up for a new camera ever since but was never overly thrilled with it, so am exploring other options.
It should have a lens cap!
Well, the camera body isn't really all you need. It's mostly just priced for the high MP. I have the Canon T3 and it takes fine photos, but then again I don't use the starter/kit lens. I would have kept the Nikon and just bought a different lens, but that's just me…
I guess the first question is why you would want to change camera systems?
Both Nikon and Canon do make the high end professional cameras, Nikon D3 and D4, Canon 1D, Mark IV and 1D X.
But at $1, 000 budget the Nikon D5100 and Canon T3i fit just fine.
Here are how the sensors of those two cameras compare.
http://www.dxomark.com/...nd2)/Canon
What is most important?
* sensor size
* sensor performance
* lens availability
* durability
* ergonomics
NOT mentioned is the most important piece: The competence of the shooter
NOTE: If you want to compare all the Nikon and Canon sensors, follow this link and choose Canon and Nikon
Seven Important Camera Features:
Amount of Megapixels
Many cameras of today will offer 10MP or more. A high amount of megapixels is a good option if you will be printing large prints or doing a fair amount of cropping.
Optical Zoom
The higher the optical zoom number, the closer in you will be able to focus and shoot a subject. Optical zooms can range from 3x up to 24x.
Shutter Speed
Fast shutter speeds (high numbers) are advantageous if you are shooting quick moving objects, such as sports, birds, etc. An example of a high speed would be 1/2000th of a second.
ISO Settings
High ISO settings are typically used when you are taking photos in dimly lit or dark situations. Here is where the quality of the camera is important. Just because a camera offers a very high ISO setting does not mean that the image captured will be noise-free. Noise is tiny specs that appear in a photo. If this is important to you (taking pictures in dark areas), be sure to buy a camera that produces quality photos even at high ISO settings.
Scene Modes
If you like things to be very automatic, be sure the camera you are considering has lots of Scene Modes, where you can set the camera to just shoot, for example, Sports. The camera makes the correct settings automatically.
LCD
This is the viewing screen on the camera. Generally they will range from 2 to 3 inches in size… The larger, the better. Some cameras offer this with or without an electronic viewfinder, which is the small opening you look through when framing a shot.
Flash
Automatic flashes usually work for a specific distance. If you are shooting in situations where you will need to use the flash, check out the flash distance of the camera to make sure it will work well for you.
It's the level of control meaning my favorite would be a dSLR. Any dSLR is good. They are all basically the same. With your budget, you can afford to get a mid-level model which is more than enough for me (a pro struggling with low-ends but managing just the same).