The first step in choosing a digital SLR camera must be to clarify what type(s) of photography you will doing most of. What type of photographs do you most love taking? What types of photography are you eager to explore when you get your new digital SLR??
Once you have done that, you can then determine which particular camera and accessories will help you take photos you love.
Portrait photography. This is the area for you if you are fascinated by faces and people.
Landscape photography. If it’s the beauty of nature that interests you most, if you come back from vacation with more photos of the places than of the people, then this is the area for you.
Macro photography. The small stuff . . . flowers, bugs, the tiny details that others tend to miss.
Night/Low Light photography. If you love the city at night, or landcapes by moonlight, inside shots in dimly lit museums or art gallerys.
Travel/Outdoor photography. For those who love having their camera with them whenever they are taking a trip. Wether it’s 5-star hotels or backpacking, hiking, biking or a road-trip.
Indoor photography. For those who love photographing family life, dinner parties, children, pets inside the house, or business conferences etc.
Spontaneous photography. For those who love those unpredictable moments which just have to be captured for posterity.
Planned or studio photography. This is a somewhat specialist area, for those who love to prepare each shot carefully beforehand, with special lighting and backdrops often playing a part, whether it’s still life, flowers or people.
Wildife photography. This area can have elements of action photography, as the subjects are often in motion, as well as aspects of spontaneous photography, as after hours of waiting the subject suddenly appears for a brief few seconds, and you have to be ready.
So, which style, or styles of photography do you find most exciting?
Writing them down is a good idea, as it’s often easy to get so involved in all the special features and technical details, that you forget what the camera will be for when you get it.
The next sections will help you through the other stages in choosing a D-SLR, including clarifying which camera features, and which acessories, are important for the style of photography you’ve chosen.