System camera instead of cell phone photos – you should proceed strategically when buying
Single lens reflex or system camera: It is important that the camera is comfortable to hold
Source: dpa-tmn / Christin Klose
A smartphone is no longer enough for really good photos. System cameras have a number of advantages over a SLR camera. Good entry-level models are available for less than 500 euros. When buying, you shouldn’t save at the wrong end.
Ssmartphones have long since supplanted inexpensive compact cameras. If you want to get a higher quality photo camera today, you should proceed strategically.
“I would definitely advise anyone who wants to expand their hobby and do more in photography to buy a camera that can be expanded,” says Stefan Schröter, purchasing manager at a large photo shop and himself a hobby photographer.
Both SLR and so-called system cameras can be expanded. Then what’s the difference?
“SLR cameras use a mirror to divert the light that falls through the lens into an optical glass viewfinder,” explains Schröter. “The viewfinder shows me a picture like looking through a window.” Visually, it’s perfect, the technology alone takes up a lot of space and is quite heavy.
System cameras are slim, light and quiet
System cameras, on the other hand, no longer have a mirror, which makes them lighter and narrower. “The system camera viewfinder looks like looking at a high-resolution television, and that corresponds exactly to the image that the camera sensor sees,” explains Schröter.
System cameras usually also have a mechanical focal plane shutter that opens and closes to allow the light to reach the sensor. In addition, a purely electronic shutter is almost always available, which is completely silent.
What shimmers green there is the camera sensor. With system cameras, it is many times greater than with smartphones
Source: dpa-tmn / Sina Schuldt
“I would recommend this more modern technology to anyone who can make friends with the electronic viewfinder of the mirrorless system camera”, says Andreas Jordan from “fotoMAGAZIN”.
Because: “In addition to the lower weight and the silent release, the cameras have comfort features such as an exposure preview in the viewfinder and subject recognition and tracking, for example for faces, eyes or animals.” The series image modes are also usually faster.
System cameras are being further developed
There are still SLR cameras to buy, but the camera type and its lenses are hardly further developed today, says Stefan Schröter. For two or three years everything has really been converted to system cameras: “The development is rapid.”
And system camera photos are at least as good as SLR photos, if they are not even better, since the lenses for system cameras are constantly being improved.
If you do not want to do without the grip and feel of the technically somewhat bulky SLR cameras even when switching, you will also find system camera models where the manufacturers have thought of larger grip areas on the housing.
Because as nice as a compact camera is, in the end it is also important that it still lies comfortably in the hand.
If you try to walk with a camera for the first time, you can rely on the automatic program (P)
Source: dpa-tmn / Sina Schuldt
Good cameras for beginners are available for less than 500 euros, says Andreas Jordan. But if skills and demands increase, you can “grow” out of a camera in this price range quickly.
It is therefore possible that reaching for the middle class is worthwhile. Here you are there with 750 to 900 euros. Don’t forget: The price of several good lenses can quickly exceed the price of the camera housing.
Don’t cut corners when it comes to system cameras
“Lenses are extremely important,” says Jordan. “Anyone who buys an expensive camera and a mediocre lens is therefore saving at the wrong end.” His tip: buy lenses little by little when you know what your requirements are and which subjects you photograph most often. Because which beginner already knows whether he or she will end up with landscape, portrait, macro or astrophotography.
The next purchase is usually a tripod, which is indispensable at least for night shots or long exposures. And those who take a lot of indoor photos often need an external flash.
You shouldn’t forget a photo bag or backpack with enough space and compartments for lenses and filter attachments, but also for smaller equipment such as memory cards or spare batteries.
Don’t save at the wrong end: good lenses can exceed the purchase price of the camera housing
Source: dpa-tmn / Robert Günther
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