Phone or DSLR- Know your camera need

The objective of this post is to help people choosing the right camera

I have often seen people buying a DSLR just because their friends have it or fellow bloggers use it. Most of the times, instead of an actual need, it's become a status symbol. So, before you think which camera is good, you must understand your real need.

First let’s understand the kind of cameras or devices available in the market.

1. Cell phones- Are quite advanced these days and can take good pictures.

Advantage- Small, easy to carry, not-expensive, small picture size which are easy to edit and share. 

Disadvantage- (Only if you are serious about photography)- Limited zoom, not good for portrait shots, print version is not sharp and lacks low light capability.

2. Point and shoot digital cameras- Small and easy to carry. With features to learn basic photography

An entry level point and shoot camera 

Advanced level point and shoot camera 

Advantage- Good battery life, compact and easy to carry, sharp pictures, no post-processing of images required. 

Disadvantage- Limited functions and fixed lens, fixed zoom (in most cases)

3. DSLR- For advanced, professional and high-quality photography.

Advantage- Can click very sharp and unbelievable images, top notch low light capability, long battery life, advanced features like extra flash and microphone attachments, interchangeable lens, extended zoom with telephoto lenses and upgraded in all aspects of photography.

Disadvantage- Expensive, heavy to carry, cost of extra lenses will burn a hole in your pocket, you need to learn post-processing and maintenance, huge image size- not easy to share or edit. 

DSLR has some different categories like crop sensors, full frame and mirror less camera. I am not covering these because this will confuse the reader.

Hence, coming back to the topic which one you should buy. If you have deep interest in photography, start with a point and shoot camera because the functions are easy to learn. There are some advance products available in the market which you can start with. Once you overcome the limitations choose an entry level DSLR with the kit lens (lens comes along with the camera) and a zoom lens. These days there are many options where companies like Nikon offer a combo deal. I used my SONY DSC-H7 for 5 years before switching to Nikon D3300.

If your need is just to take a good picture in close range like selfie, group picture and travel pictures without much hassle, your cell phone camera would be good enough. This is also an added advantage for those people who want to share their pics instantly from anywhere.

If you are a blogger or vlogger (Travel, food, fashion and all kind) where the objective is a good picture or video for the vlog or blog, I would suggest an entry level or an advance point and shoot camera. Vloggers also need a good Bluetooth enabled microphone for clear sound and they should be aware of video editing.

It’s totally upto you what camera you want to buy. The choice will depend on your interest, need and budget to begin with.  

PS- If you have any questions or doubts, please feel free to ask in comments. :)