Do you really need a DSLR?

So you’re looking to buy a new camera. And you’re unsure of whether you want to make the jump into the world of SLRs. Well you’ve come to the right place. This article will outline some of the things you need to consider while making your decision. It’s also a list of realistic expectations from taking up a photography hobby from a person 2 years into it. Also, I will make inappropriate jokes about cameras. ;P (did you expect different from this blog?).

Do you really need a DSLR? … or are you just overcompensating?

Go ahead, make your assumptions of anatomical proportions. You know you want to.

OK maybe I didn’t mean the last part (especially since I myself own one of those ‘large’ lenses!). But you know what they say about guys with big lenses right?

DSLRs have the advantage of providing better image quality and interchangeable lenses than your regular point-n-shoot. However, if portability is important to you and you don’t plan to be doing anything more than taking snapshots for your Facebook page, a point-and-shoot camera would serve you better. Of course this wouldn’t be much of a post if I left it at that! Let’s break this down shall we:

Why to get a DSLR

Your budget will support it.

No SLR for you until you give me... one HUNDRED BILLION dollars

Ok, maybe it’s not that bad. But photography is still a sizable investment. Current entry-level DSLRs cost upwards $600. Getting a decent lens would push that up to $1000 at least. And if you plan to be doing any form of indoor photography, an external flash is absolutely necessary at another $2-300. Yes, the DSLR world is expensive. Know what you’re getting into and set a decent amount of your income aside! Or, you know, have a rich dad. Preferably not the guy in the above picture.

The first $1,000 you drop on your first DSLR is just the tip of the iceberg. As your skill progresses, you will begin to find your niche in photography and begin to buy equipment to support it. Tripods for landscape photographers, flashes for events, wide-angle lenses for architecture, telephoto for nature… and none of it comes cheap. You may start to generate some income, from odd photo gigs, but it will in no way support your need for equipment… just yet!

You want manual control of your pictures, perhaps eventually go pro.

If you’re like me and suck at drawing, photography is an awesome medium of expression. Learning the manual features of an SLR is opens up a world of possibilities. Also, as is with all artists, you will be under-appreciated and ignored until you’re eventual death, alone in your photo studio while your computer monitor projects Adobe Photoshop. A few years later, your work will be discovered and will auction for millions to silly rich people who don’t have a better place to put their money and think your art gives their life meaning.

Evidence would suggest the slippery slope of photography is actually a devolution...

If you have a passion for photography, and would like to see if you could turn that into a source of income. Something you should be aware of though: It takes a long time form getting your SLR to actually starting to book clients. You need experience, a decent portfolio and serious business skills. Also, don’t expect to recoup your initial investment in bodies and lenses until at least 2 years into working at it.

If you answered no to the above, you should at least willing to learn.

Read up on photography before you buy your camera. Attend a class. An SLR is a sizable investment, so you might as well benefit from it. Find out what focal lengths are. What the connection between apertures and depth of field is. The trade-offs between shutter speed and ISO speed. It will all pay off when you finally start taking shots, even if you just want to be taking regular snapshots.

Why not to get a DSLR

You want portability

An SLR is just not something you take with you for a night out with the friends. Not only do you get weird stares from people, chucking it somewhere where it wont get damaged while you eat/party/whatever is absolute horror. I carry a point-n-shoot myself for this reason. Also, you know that picture you girls seem to LOVE taking – that one-armed self-portrait…

To do this with an SLR, you need some SERIOUS muscular fortitude. Guys, don't laugh. Holding out a 9 pound camera while simultaneously operating the shutter would require you to be this guy. (Image Source: Getty)

You want less hassle

SLRs are notoriously difficult to operate. Even if you understand the basics of photography, there are buttons and dials everywhere. You will be required to look through a viewfinder most of the time, which allows photographers to judge focus but not exposure. Exposure comes from experience. As of now, using the live-view mode (the nice little LCD at the back) means slow focusing, and controls that are difficult to reach or inaccessible. SLR lenses are manually zoomed for precision and speed. All of this takes time to get used to (and experienced photographers prefer it this way). For those that want to just snap a quick snapshot, this is all unnecessary hassle. And we haven’t even begun talking about proper camera care and dust protection yet!

Teehee look at all em buttons!

What to expect from your DSLR

You will not automatically become a better photographer.

I can’t stress this enough. An SLR does not give you artistic know-how. It’s a precision instrument, just like a paintbrush to a painter. You have to be willing to spend a significant amount of time and effort learning the trade. Some attend classes, or even seek degrees in the field. Others read up from photography books. And most spend years, taking thousands (and tens of thousands) of photos improving their skills.

That said, your photos will improve faster than you think

A little knowledge goes a long way in photography. Once you begin to understand the basics and take an active role in analyzing and improving your images, you will suddenly find that your pictures are light-years better than they used to be. Given time and effort, you’ll be snapping away and taking amazing pictures!

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