Photography and videography have both become an integral part of our lives today, thanks to the social media platforms where we regularly post and share our clicks.
Although smartphones have taken over the world of visualization, cameras are still desired for high-quality images and videos. In today’s world, deciding on a particular camera is tough because of the plethora of options. Choosing the best camera that suits your budget can take some time. You could be flooded with tons of features to choose from but the few major things that you definitely need to take into consideration are noted below:
Sensors – types and sizes
When talking about the digital camera line, we have the DSLR, mirrorless, and compact point-and-shoot cameras to choose from. However, they all come with different kinds of sensors. The sensor can be considered as the soul of a digital camera. It determines the image size, low-light performance, resolution, dynamic range, depth of field, lenses, and even physical size of the camera.
Commonly, we find the two sensors used in digital cameras which are CCD (charged coupled device) and CMOS (complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor). CCD being a much older technology is now largely replaced by its power-efficient counterpart, the CMOS sensor.
Now talking about the sensor size, we have the Full Frame (36mm by 24mm), APS-H (28.7mm by 19mm), APS-C (23.6mm by 15.8mm), Four Thirds (17.3mm by 13mm) and CX-format (1 inch).
Ergonomics
How good does the camera feel in your hands? When speaking about ergonomics, we should consider things like the size, weight (with the lenses), durability and the menu system of the camera. Make sure that the camera is compact and lightweight enough for prolonged usage. The menu system should be straightforward and easy to use.
Must have features
Better manual controls – ISO range, Shutter speed, Aperture control.
Image Stabilization – Make sure to either have OIS or EIS (Optical or electronics Image Stabilization) and the very famous 5 axis IBIS (In-Body Image Stabilization).
4k video – more resolution = better image quality, and hence sharp videography.
External mic input– to get the best audio, you need to be able to plug in an external mic.
Flip LCD– to film yourself, or just to save your neck from craning over all the time while shooting.
Auto Focus - A better autofocus can give u photos that are not blurred.
Lenses
When buying a DSLR or a Mirror-less camera, one big thing to keep in mind is the lens ecosystem you are subscribing to. Buying a lens can be a costly affair and you might not even find the right lens of your choice if you don't look for brands with the highest number of lenses.
