Pamela on Cameras: How to choose the brand that is right for you

Ok, we've gone over the digital camera basics.  By now you should have a pretty good idea about what features you want.  But what about brands? Should you aim directly for a particular brand of camera, to be sure you get the best?  Is there a best brand of camera? Well, maybe there is a best one for you--if you take the time and patience to look at the tremendous variety available, you may find that one brand suits you better than another--it feels more comfortable in your hands or has a feature set that you like a lot. For example, some digital cameras can now record video clips, which may be very handy for some travelers! A number of companies have entered the digital camera market, some of which expanded into the field after years of producing film cameras and lenses. Most offer a whole spectrum of choices, from a tiny p&s to a hefty pro model costing many thousands of dollars. There are two well-established brands that rise above the rest in terms of quality and prestige, Canon and Nikon. Each of these has countless fans, who are prepared en masse to defend their favorites at considerable length, and do, if given half an opportunity!. Most serious photographers are either "Nikonians "or "Canonians".Both are wonderful choices; you simply can't go wrong with either one. Other brands that are more recent entries into the market, but who have their proponents as well, are Sony, Pentax, Olympus, Panasonic and Kodak. The pros and cons are different with each brand (look at issues like customer service and repair statistics, for example) but you can get very nice pictures with all of them. It's just up to you to learn how to get the most out of your camera.

 One more suggestion--as you share photos with other traveling friends, ask them about their cameras, especially if their pictures look good to you. Try to home in on their skill levels, and find out how they chose their cameras and whether or not they are happy with the results. Take a picture if you can! Conversations like this can provide you with some valuable shortcuts!

 So get out your calculator and your checkbook, and set your budget. Next time, we'll discuss point-and-shoots in greater detail.