I have had fun learning digital photography and taking pictures of family and friends.  Mostly I enjoy taking action pictures.  I am often asked by people what camera to buy and here are my thoughts.

I know photographers who are artists.  However, I take mostly action sports pictures for fun and memories. Some people over analyze the bells and whistles of the cameras and compare picture quality for a poster sized print with a magnifying glass, if this is you read no further.

For Fun, I recommend a Point and Shoot

These are the pocket size cameras that start at around $100.  They take good snapshots and are great for trips.  Again I have had very good luck with Canon and still use a 5 year old digital ELPH.  The new Canon G11 is an excellent camera that has many of the features of a DSLR.

When choosing a P&S, I highly recommend trying them in the store.  Things to consider are size, speed, optical zoom and options.

 
Size – The ultra compacts look great but can be too small for some.  For example, people over a certain age may prefer a larger P&S because the buttons are larger and easier to find.  I prefer the really small because it fits in my pocket.  Go somewhere and try the different sizes.

 

Speed – How fast does the picture take once you push the button?  This can range from immediate to what seems like an eternity.  Again, try it out.  If the photographer is not perfectly still during this time gap or the subject is moving, you may get a blurred picture.

 

Optical zoom – How far will you be from most of your subjects?  Some P&S cameras have a very short zoom range that may be perfect for snapshots, these may not be so great if you are taking pictures in a distance.  Also, digital zoom is nice but the picture quality degrades quickly, even for 4x6 prints.

 

Options – There are too many to go through, but check them out.  For example, I like having an old fashion viewfinder along with the display, for some this doesn’t matter.  Check it out.

 

For sports and quality prints, I recommend a DSLR. (Digital camera that allows you to change lenses)  This is also for fun…

For sports you want a high camera speed. What I mean is fast focus, minimal shutter delay and high frames per second.  For a sports lens you also want speed.  Some lenses focus faster than others and you may want a zoom.  It is best to have a high aperture (small f-stop); this makes it faster and lets you take pictures in low light.

My preference is Canon and is based on my experience with their cameras.  Canon makes three levels of DSLR.  Nikon is also a great camera but I have never owned one. My suggestion is to stay one of these two brands.

Things to look for:

Pixel counts-most all of the DSLR's are 10 mega pixels or more.  This is fine for almost any home use of the image. If you are viewing on a computer or normal size prints you will not notice a difference of anything over 10mp.  I have made prints with my 10mp camera of 16x24 and they look great.

 

ISO-Canon cameras have an ISO of 100-1600+.  This means that you will be able to take pictures in cloudy or dark conditions.  This is part of the speed equation mentioned earlier, the higher the ISO the faster the shutter speed. Also, the higher the ISO the higher the noise level which will add a grain to the picture.  Personally I can live with some grain if I can get a good picture of sacking the quarterback.

 

Raw format-all cameras take pictures in a jpeg format.  It is nice to have Camera Raw also.  I will not go into detail but this will give you extra flexibility in some situation that will help overcome a poorly exposed picture.

Camera Bodies:

 

The Canon Rebel is the entry level (price only, not functions)DSLR.  They take very good pictures but are slower to focus and slower frames per second (3).  On the good side they are small and light.

 

The next level up is the 40D/50D and 7D.  The 7D is the newer model.  The 40D is what I currently use and it takes great pictures.  These have very fast frames per second (6) and have fast focus. These models are heavier and larger than the Rebel and are more rugged.

 

The top level is the Mark series.  In my opinion these are for professionals.  These camera bodies are faster, waterproof and heavier. They are also much more expensive.  But if you have the muscle and money, go for it.

 

Camera Lens

 

A really good lens on any of these cameras will take great sports pictures.  You can go crazy over lenses, which is what makes a DSLR so flexible.  I would recommend starting with a lower priced lens (kit lens) then upgrading later when you know exactly what you want.  You can easily spend more money on a lens than a camera body and will see a huge difference in picture quality.

 

I use a Canon 70-200 2.8L lens.  I have had it for several years and really like it.  It's one of the white lenses like the pros use, so it looks like you know what you are doing - even when you don't.  It is heavy and many people do not like the extra weight.  It is hard to hold without a monopod for very long.

 

I also have a Canon 70-300 and it will take good sports picture in good daylight.  It is smaller and lighter but is not as fast.

 

I use the Canon 17-85 for close ups and like it as well.  I usually take this one skiing because it is smaller and lighter.

 

There are non-Canon lenses from Tamron, Sigma and others.  They are usually less money but do not always take the best picture.  Again - my opinion. 

I have had good luck with www.bhphoto.com. They have a great selection, good prices and helpful staff.  They have a great store in NYC that is fun to visit if you are in town.

Have fun taking pictures.