How I Bought a DSLR Camera Without Knowing Anything About Photography

Assess Your Needs

The features you need will then become pretty apparent, and they might surprise you. I needed a camera for a couple of reasons:

• I had two photography classes coming up. At my university, all graphic design students must take two quarters of photography (and we have to provide our own cameras), so even though I knew nothing about it now, that wouldn’t always be the case. Therefore, I wanted a camera that would grow with my ability.

• I needed a way to photograph my work. My iPhone works for vacation photos, but not so much for archiving my design work. And while I have nothing against mockups, they often don’t offer the flexibility that actually printing your work and taking your own photos offers. Most designers have a relatively nice camera to photograph their work, and some even do their own photography for projects if it’s within their capability.

• I have been toying with the idea of making videos. I took a class once and loved it, and I watch YouTube frequently.

Based on your abstract desires, you can then figure out what kind of features you need.

Figure Out What Type of Camera You Need

There are three main types of cameras: point and shoot, mirrorless, and DSLR (digital single-lens reflex). If you also don’t know anything about photography, point and shoots are what we think of as “normal” digital cameras, mirrorless cameras often look old-fashioned and are slightly larger, and DSLRs look like the fancy, professional cameras. The point and shoot has a fixed lens, but the mirrorless and DSLR have interchangeable lenses, so they’re more flexible (if you know what different lenses actually do).

If you want solid photos without having to learn the technical details of photography or adjust any settings, the well-named point and shoot is for you. Most are also small enough to fit into any pocket, so they’re great to take on vacation or just carry around if you’re one of those people who is always taking pictures.

If you want to get into photography and want more control so that a higher percentage of your photos are keepers, a DSLR might be for you. The market is extremely competitive because both professionals and hobbyists use them, so there’s a broad range available. However, these are much more expensive than point and shoot cameras.

From what I can tell, mirrorless cameras are kind of niche, and are a slightly smaller, cheaper, and more discrete alternative to the DSLR. The downside is that they have fewer features, less sophisticated autofocus, and fewer native lenses and accessories because they’re so niche. I had never heard of a mirrorless camera before researching cameras a couple days ago, but I get the feeling they’re not really for beginners.

Do Your Research

Because I needed a camera with which to learn the more technical aspects of photography, I knew a DSLR was for me. Now, it was just a matter of figuring out which one. I scoured Amazon, CNET, Snapsort, and Reddit to see which cameras people were most happy with and what their strong and weak points were. Something I learned was that at my budget (about $500), no DSLR had it all. I had to choose what to give up.

Ultimately, a camera that I saw recommended often by classmates, designers, and photographers was the Canon EOS Rebel T2i, which was one step above Canon’s most entry-level DSLR line and comfortably in my price range since it’s an old camera and I’d need to buy it used (more on that below). I was left a little underwhelmed by it’s video capabilities, so I looked at its successor, the T3i. Excellent image quality, swivel LCD screen, and everything else I need? Perfect! The only thing about the T2i that’s better than the T3i is the slightly larger sensor and faster speed, but I was okay with that. After hours of reading reviews and comparing it against other cameras, I had made my decision.

Get a Good Deal

Cameras—especially DSLRs—are super expensive, and I’m a student. The newer models can cost upwards of $1500! In my research, I learned that the best way to get a great deal on a camera was to buy an older model used or refurbished. There are many reputable online sellers, including Amazon. I also still had an Amazon gift certificate from my birthday that would cover a chunk of the cost. I went ahead and spent an extra $70 to get it refurbished (used is cheaper), but it was still about $100 cheaper than buying it directly through Amazon. It also meant that the order was fulfilled by Amazon, so the camera was stored, packed, and shipped by them. To me, that made the whole transaction a little more trustworthy, but I’ve also never really purchased anything from internet strangers. Ultimately, the camera and kit lens (lens it comes with) cost me $440, which was well within my budget. For reference, it cost $899 when it first came out in 2011.

Get the Right Accessories

A camera typically comes with the battery, a charger, the lens cap, a strap, and a USB cable, but make sure you know what yours is coming with. If you plan to be taking pictures for long stretches, it might be a good idea to get extra batteries that you can keep with you. You also might want to budget for these extra but somewhat necessary items:

Memory Card

A memory card is pretty much crucial if you plan on taking more than a couple pictures at a time. I got the SanDisk Extreme 32GB Memory Card. If I move to shooting more video I might want to upgrade to 64GB, but so far I’m happy with it.

Camera Case

It’s more than just protection for your very expensive camera—it’s also storage. You have a camera, a battery (or two), a charger, a USB cable, and probably a couple of memory cards. A case is a nice way to keep all of that together. I got this one, and it’s great.

Enjoy

I absolutely love my camera, and have slowly been photographing all my work. I can’t wait to take photography in the fall and gain a better understanding of how to use it!