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Useful information which will help you buy the camera

3. The beginnings

2007-06-26

A lot of us follows the advertisements during choosing the the new device. Partly, iwe are right in it. The advertisement helps to choose the camera which appeal to us and fulfil our expectations. But, as we easy become interested by something and it become enjoy us, it can be inversely with fulfilling of the expectations. If we want to increase our chances of making the right choice, It's not enough to read the four lines of the description next to the picture in the supermarket's weekly leaflet from our postbox. However, the picture of the camera can be really impressing. It doesn't mean the that the cameras in the supermarket are rubbish. Moreover, it's still the place when are being sold the same camera as in other places and often some discounts make the price really advantageous. Though, not always. At last, pass on to the explanations.

On the first page "Introduction" I've quoted the exemplary advertisement. Below I put it again.

• Resolution: 5 Megapixels
• 3 x optical zoom
• 4 x digital zoom
• 2.5-inch LCD screen resolution
• memory card - 32 MB

Reading such an advertisement we should be aware what exactly the enclosed information means. Although the parameters are definite everybody can interpret it on his own. Advertisements don't convince me and it shouldn't convince you as well. If you read this article because you consider buying the camera, it's your advantage, because you increase your chances for making the right decision. Even though, as I sad before, it's not easy and there is no guarantee that even the well-considered purchase will fulfil your expectations.

First of all you have to ask yourself: "For what purpose do you want to use your camera for?". It's the crucial question! When I ask my friends, who want to buy a camera, in such a way the majority answer: "To take a photos."... and they are right - it is, nevertheless, the thing the camera is designed for. However, this question means also something else. It's really important to know before the purchase how often you will use the camera. Whether you use it from time to time at some family festivals, on the summer holidays or you will take it for the daily cycle trips. Maybe you want to take photos of the insects on the morning meadows. Or even you want to be more universal and to keep the camera always close at hand as not to miss any important moment at your life.

If you enjoy long extreme cycle trips and you want to make use of your camera during such a trips, you should have the device which will survive it. For example it should be shock-proof and water-proof. For the purpose of "catching" the frames of the insects during the morning walks on the meadows the camera has to be designed to taking the photos from the very close distance, to be sensitive for details, quiet and focusing very precisely on the chosen thing, etc.

The next questions are: "Do you want to photograph seriously?", "Or do you want to take a photographs as a holiday souvenirs and to show them to your friends" I wish you notice that as far as here I haven't mentioned any parameters, so before quoted advertisement shouldn't be source of your interesting. Upon reflection and with the answer to the questions above it's time for the following questions. "What is your budget for purchase of the camera?" The quality of the camera can vary, depending on the money you want to spend. The camera can be adjusted to your expectations or you will have to settle for a compromise between the price and the expectations. It's obvious that the price will always grow if your expectations increase in matter of, e.g. taking the photos of the insects. If you want your camera to be universal, and it have to be reliable as well on the bike as at the holidays, family meetings (dark spaces) and on a plenty of other circumstances, the price will also increase. If you can effort such a high price, that's no problem. It won't be so simple when you have limited budget. Unfortunately, most often we have to choose this second solution. If you want to photograph seriously from the very beginning, you should consider carefully about the funds for the equipment, which will satisfy you. Otherwise, it will surely come this moment when you become feel disappointed and the change of the camera becomes necessary. Such a change is a big loss of money caused mainly by the shocking drop in prices of the second-hand cameras and of the older models. Below it's the instance for the comparison. I bought the camera for the total price of 2500 PLN. After two years I sold it with the loss of 1600 PLN. For the next model I chose I paid 3500 PLN. It means that after the two years I sped on camera 2600 PLN again. Obviously, the quality camera is higher, but I would earn, not lost, if I decided for the camera in such a quality earlier. On the other hand, that's no point to spend money on the high technology camera more that's reasonable, e.g. in case of holiday taking photos and the photos will be seen occasionally on the computer and we aren't strict about the quality of the photo.

Before you see the next page consider and answer following questions:

"For what purpose do you want to use your camera for?"
"Do you want to photograph seriously?", "Or do you want to take a photographs as a holiday souvenirs and to show them to your friends?"
"What is your budget for purchase of the camera?"