How to choose a semi-professional camera

Newbies in the photo or those who dealt only with the so-called "soapboxes" are often advised to purchase a semi-professional camera. However, modern photographic equipment, even the same "soaps", is distinguished by a huge number of functions, parameters, characteristics. Sometimes this amount of information makes it difficult to choose. How to find what you need?

The first question that occurs when buying a camera - how and what will it be used? For example, for permanent shooting of tourist landscapes, the family chronicles are more suitable for light and compact camera. But for artistic photos, shooting in the absence of good light or high-quality photographing of moving objects you will need a semi-professional camera.

What cameras refer to semi-professional? Not those that have a greater number of megapixels. After all, what megapixels are the light sensors located on the camera's matrix, and their excessive amount may cause noise in the photographs. It is the matrix, or rather its size, affects the image quality. Therefore, the largest matrix - 24x36 mm - have professional cameras, they are also called full-frame, they are semi-professional (incomplete) and closed a series of "soaps" with their smallest matrix size. So, everything is clear here - the greater the size of the matrix, the more high-quality photos you will receive.

An important distinction of semi-professional cameras is the ability to manually manually set the shooting parameters such as a diaphragm, shutter speed, focus, white balance and photosensitivity (ISO). The ability to work with these functions can raise the level of your photographs to this art.

The most important advantage of semi-professional cameras - lens. This may be a standard lens (18-55 mm) suitable for conventional shooting conditions, or wide-angle (18-200 mm), with which you can photograph a large space. There may be several of them, because the lenses of such cameras are replaceable. If you are not sure what type of lens you need, you can purchase a camera in the configuration "BODY" - that is, without a lens, or "Kit" - with standard optics of 18-55 mm.

Although the semi-facilities include some systemic (murdious) cameras, most often meaning the "Sls". The most important difference is their presence in the design of such an element as a mirror. In addition to the optical viewfinder, there are already a familiar screen in such cameras on which the footage can be viewed in Lyvvyu mode. However, in cheaper models, such a feature of the preview may be absent, so before purchasing, be sure to specify this moment. The video or recognition of individuals and others may also be unavailable.

As a rule, after studying the characteristics of the camera, the future owner stops before the choice - the camera is preferred to the camera. Leading leaders in this area - Nikon and Canon, and just between these two stamps you will have to choose. Since the pricing policy of these companies and the functional characteristics of the cameras produced by them are approximately the same, everything will depend on personal impression. Ergonomics of the model, the location of the buttons, a convenient and clear menu, the case material can be decisive arguments.

Be sure to check the camera before buying. It should be not just a couple of pictures. It is important to make sure that the matrix does not have defects. To do this, set the maximum photo resolution, the minimum ISO value, turn off the noise cancellation function and make several frames with a closed flash lens, preferably with different shutter speed. You need to view snapshots on the big screen. You must see completely black photos - it means that the matrix of this camera does not cause complaints. If you see the points of different colors - the matrix has a marriage, so-called hot and broken pixels. These points will be visible in all pictures made by the camera, which is unacceptable. Also pay attention to the operation of the buttons - they must be well pressed and not to add.

When choosing a camera, weigh your financial capabilities, as in the future you will have to buy a lot of things you need to photographer - lenses, tripod, outbreak and, of course, bag for all accessories.