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When it comes to cameras, in general, there is one that stands out from the rest: a professional-grade DSLR camera. They’re not cheap by any means, but they are well worth the investment if you hope to take your photography career to the next level. So this article is going to go over everything you need to know about these cameras (what they can do, how they work and what their specs are) and also gives you a few key tips on how you can start your own DSLR photography journey with more confidence than ever before.
WHAT IS A DSLR CAMERA?
A DSLR (Digital Single Lens Reflex) is a camera that has a mirror system so that the image it records can be viewed and focused through the viewfinder at all times, unlike most cameras which have their lens and viewfinder set in front of the camera sensor. This allows photographers to take images with greater depth of field and compose their shots more easily because they don’t have to worry about anything moving when taking the shot: everything stays still.
The advantage of using a DSLR over an SLR is that it never needs to be manually shaken or turned on and off, only focusing, because its mirror system does all this automatically as needed.
Also read: Why Is My Camera Taking Blurry Pictures and How Can I Fix It
WHAT CAN A DSLR DO THAT OTHERS CANT?
The main feature of a DSLR is its ability to capture a high quality image, and it is because of its design. DSLRs are considered to be ‘professional’ cameras mainly because they are able to take photographs that have greater depth of field than other cameras, which means they allow more of the image away from the central point of focus to be in sharp focus. This allows photographers greater freedom when composing their shots, as well as helps them to get a more professional-looking photograph.
The other advantage of a DSLR is that you can shoot high quality video with them. You’ll need to use external equipment such as a tripod, microphone and an external screen in order to make the most of the higher quality videos you can create, but it’s definitely possible and it’s almost better to start off with some videos than not.
IS A DSLR WORTH THE INVESTMENT?
This is probably one of the biggest questions people ask after they have decided they want to take their photography career into more professional territory: does it make financial sense? And the answer to this one depends on which type of DSLR you choose.
Because of the way that DSLRs work there are three different variations available: a DSLR, a mirrorless camera and an interchangeable lens camera. Each one of them has their own benefits and drawbacks, but this article is not going to be able to address every single aspect of using each one. The reason we’re going with these three types in particular is that they are the ones most photographers will use at some point in their careers, so if you’re planning to buy a DSLR now or in the near future then this is the information for you.
The main differences between these three types are the size and weight of the DSLR. It’s the biggest and heaviest out of all of them, but it is also the most powerful, especially in terms of software features. You need a more powerful computer to back up a DSLR because of this, since you’ll be doing more editing than with a mirrorless camera as well as being able to do things like video recording with more ease than with an interchangeable lens camera.
The mirrorless camera is lighter than the DSLR but it has less features when it comes to recording audio or video and editing features in general. It can also be a little difficult to use at first, simply because it is less like a traditional camera than the DSLR. Mirrorless cameras are also more expensive than DSLRs and interchangeable lens cameras.
The interchangeable lens camera is the least expensive of the three types of DSLRs and it also has the most features when it comes to recording audio or video and editing features in general. The only downside is that you have a limited amount of lenses available to you with this type of camera.
Read more: Why Does It Still look Blurry After Using the Manual Focus and Adjusting It
KEY TIPS FOR DSLR PHOTOGRAPHY
Become familiar with photography software programs. These programs are very useful in helping you learn how to edit your photographs properly, so they’re pretty much an essential part of any photographer’s toolkit when you start getting serious about it. The two most popular programs out there are: Adobe Lightroom and Adobe Photoshop. Both of these programs will take some time to learn, but there are plenty of tutorials online to help you get started.
Buy the right lenses. The camera is only going to be useful if you have the right gear to take with you, so make sure that you choose quality lenses which are of a decent size and weight. The best DSLRs come with a few lenses, but as a beginner it’s probably best for you to buy your own. A good start would be at least three lenses: one for wide shots, one for medium shots and an additional one with a wider angle of view than the first two.
Practice. It’s not going to happen overnight: photography requires a lot of practice and patience in order to get good at it. The more you shoot, the better you will get at it.
If you are really serious about photography then a DSLR is definitely going to be one of the best options for you, but if it’s just a hobby for you then there are other types of cameras out there which may suit your needs better. The good news is that there are plenty of different types of cameras available to choose from now and in the future so don’t worry too much about whether you should pick up a DSLR or another type: it all depends on what kind of picture-taking experience you want to have.
Relevant reading: What is Shutter Priority in Photography?
Chapter 5 – How to Create a DSLR Photography Portfolio
A photography portfolio is essentially a place on the internet where you can show off your best work, and it’s important for you to create one if you want to be able to get some work done.
A photography portfolio is basically an online collection of images which show your capabilities and artistic style. You will want to have these images, particularly your best ones, available online for other people who may be interested in hiring you as a photographer. These people could be other photographers or companies who wish to use your services as their own.
If you’ve never made a portfolio before, then it’s important to know that they are usually presented in a professional way in order to make a good impression. The first thing that people will notice about your portfolio is the design of it and so you will want to make sure that your own photography portfolio looks professional so that people will take you seriously.
The first thing that people will notice about your portfolio is the design of it and so you will want to make sure that your own photography portfolio looks professional so the first step is to find some photos which are worthy of being included in your online collection. Organizing them into groups or categories will make it easier for others to browse through them if they wish.
One thing that you should keep in mind is that you don’t need an overly complicated design for your website; a simple black background with white text and plenty of space for your images is enough. If you have a website already then you can make use of it as your photography portfolio, or you can create a new one if you don’t have one. If you want to make money from being a photographer then having a website is crucial, and so this is something which you will be interested in doing regardless.
Once your portfolio is created online, the next step is to start promoting it online. There are many ways in which you can do this, but the most effective ways of doing so are:
- Linking to it from your blog.
- Posting about it on social media websites.
- Writing about it in online articles and magazines.
There are many other ways but these three will be the main ones. Conventional methods such as putting up flyers and leaving business cards are also helpful, particularly if you have a business card which contains a link to your portfolio website. All of these will help you gain more subscribers to your photography portfolio, as well as help to spread word of mouth advertising for your services as a photographer.
Read here: What is Sensor Cleaning?
If you are just starting out with photography, or if you have a DSLR camera and want to learn how to use it, this guide is for you. The first thing I should mention when making this list is that the order of items in the list does not represent any level of importance.
- 1) Batteries – You should have at least three batteries on hand at all times. Unless your battery grip has two slots, one battery isn’t going to last very long. The more expensive batteries will last longer than cheaper ones but they’re also more expensive so there’s no point in buying those if the cheaper ones work well enough for you now.
- 2) Lenses – You should have one lens on your camera at all times. A wide angle lens is good for indoors, while a telephoto lens is better for outdoors. Having the option to go from 25mm to 70mm and having an in between focal length (like 50mm) is very convenient and it allows you to create a variety of different kinds of pictures with just two lenses. An affordable lens that covers many focal lengths is the Canon EF-S 17-55mm F/2.8 IS USM .
- 3) Tripod – If you don’t have a tripod, get one. A good tripod is a necessity to capture time-lapse photos, which are time-consuming to create.
- 4) Filters – Many DSLR cameras come with protective filters that help protect your lens from moisture or dust, such as UV or haze. You should get these as soon as your camera comes out of the box. The cheap filters range from 1-stop to 3-stop and the expensive ones range from 5-stop to 10-stop. You can find cheap ones at any camera store; here’s some examples: Nikon MRC4 (1 stop blue filter); Sanyo HMC FGC180 (Haze 3).
- 5) Memory cards – You should have at least two fresh memory cards on hand at all times. Even if you have one that’s full, you will want to have a backup card in case your main card fails or becomes corrupted. Buy the best memory cards that your money can afford; they will make your life easier. SanDisk and Lexar are great brands for buying memory cards.
- 6) Bags – Many camera stores sell bags of different sizes and shapes. If you don’t want to spend a lot of money on a bag, get a backpack or messenger bag. They are much more convenient than shoulder bags since they allow your camera to rest against your back so they feel weightless while walking around with them. This will make you more likely to bring your camera with you on trips and outings.
- 7) Lens hood – Some lenses come with lens hoods (petal-shaped plastic or metal sun shade that goes over the front of your lens), while some don’t. If yours doesn’t come with a lens hood, buy one. Lens hoods don’t affect the pictures in any way, they just help protect your lens from getting scratched by dust, water drops or branches when you aren’t using the camera. They also direct stray light away from the front element of your lens so this will reduce glare in pictures and help eliminate reflections from non-metallic surfaces such as glass or windows.
- 8) Tripod – You should also buy a tripod. They’re not that expensive and it’s great to have one when the weather is a little too nice for comfort. Many people don’t use tripods when taking pictures because they feel it’s too obvious, but anyone who uses their camera outdoors will understand how useful it can be. A tripod is especially useful for time-lapse photography, which takes quite a long time to create so having one to steady the camera at various intervals can help you finish the shots more quickly.
- 9) Lens cap – It’s a good idea to buy lens caps for all your lenses and keep them in your camera bag so you always know where they are. You should also buy lens hoods for all your lenses and keep them in your camera bag as well.
- 10) Manuals – You should have at least two manual books on photography handy so you can learn more about your camera’s settings as you shoot. The most important book to have is the Canon EOS Rebel T3i/600D user’s guide; this will tell you a lot about how to take great photos and save yourself from making the same mistakes again and again (or having things like exposure compensation, ISO rating and white balance set incorrectly if you’re not careful). The other book you should have is a book of macro photography tips. The best one to get is “Macro Photography Made Easy” by Mike Caveney.
- 11) Software – You can record your videos with the iMovie software that comes with your Mac or purchase third party editing software that will let you stop, edit and re-record video clips, titles and music. If you’re looking for a cheap alternative for the Mac, iMovie actually costs money and was only free for a short time when it was under development, which means there’s no reason not to just follow the manual instructions and purchase the full version of iMovie at the Apple store at $19.99. You can’t use iMovie to edit video clips, so if you want a software that can do that you’ll need to purchase Final Cut Pro instead. You’ll also want to purchase iMac and Mac OS X Leopard for your computer.
- 12) External drive – You should buy an external hard drive so that you have the ability to back up everything on your computer, including photos and videos. They’re not as big as the internal hard drives; however, they are still much larger than the memory cards in most digital cameras. The benefit of using an external hard drive is that it is portable and you can take it with you wherever you go. It’s a good idea to keep at least one copy of your photos/videos offline so that if your computer gets lost, stolen or damaged it won’t be all for nothing.
- 13) Business cards – You should also make business cards that have your name, job title, company name and contact phone number on them. This way, whenever someone wants to hire you for a photography job they can quickly and easily find out how to get in touch with you.
- 14) Computer and printer – You’ll also need a computer and printer, though you should get a less expensive model than the iMac that has an optical drive so you can just plug it into the Mac instead of purchasing an external drive. You should also get a small, portable printer; this will allow you to print photos without having to be at your computer or lugging around your digital camera.
- 15) External card reader – Finally, if you’re going to use your digital camera for digital photography then you will need an external card reader so that your camera can transfer the photos to the computer.
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The Internal Hard Drive and Memory Card Reader Are Just Two of Several Steps You Need to Take to Become a Novice Photographer. Now that you have all of the camera equipment needed to start taking photos, you’ll need a computer with software so that you can edit those photos and upload them to Facebook or Flickr. You’ll also need photo editing software, though it won’t be difficult to learn how to use Photoshop Elements since it was designed as an interface that is both simple and intuitive. Another crucial step you’ll need to take is marketing. You can’t expect to become a successful photographer if you don’t know how to market yourself, your company and even your brand. Once you learn how to market yourself, as well as your photography business, you’ll be able to attract more clients than ever before. The next step in becoming a novice photographer is learning the basics of photography.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Q: Does a large sensor make a camera better?
A: Yes, but only if it is paired with good glass. A high megapixel count does not matter if the quality of the lens is poor because it will still produce a lower quality image than a camera with less megapixels and a higher quality lens.
Q: What is the best lens to use with a dslr camera?
A: In general, a longer zoom lens will give you better results than a smaller fixed focal length lens. A wide angle lens is also preferred for underwater photography.
Q: What is the best zoom lens to use?
A: There are many different brands of lenses that will work with the DSLR camera. You can find a good list of these lenses on this site’s new ‘Lens Guide’ page.
Q: Should I buy an entry-level camera or upgrade to higher quality glass?
A: The most important factor in choosing the right camera for you is your budget. Entry-level cameras are extremely inexpensive and can be a great way to get into photography. Higher-end models will produce better photos, but they are more expensive. The best way to decide is to try both entry-level cameras and high-end cameras side by side and see which one you like best.
Q: How much should I spend on my first camera?
A: As a general rule of thumb, we recommend spending the minimum amount possible on your first camera in order to get started with photography. If you don’t like it, then you don’t have much of an investment.
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