"The best camera is the one you have with you" 

        - said every photographer ever

With the holiday season quickly approaching, I think this is a good time to mull this one over. My friends and clients often ask for my input when they are preparing to buy a camera, and I always find it a hard question. When we are able, we have the tendency to feel that buying the best we can afford is probably what we should do. For me, it's not that simple. There are a few questions I always consider before making a camera purchase (and I've done this a few times). 

What am I going to do with this camera? 

It's a silly question, right? You're going to take pictures. But are you taking a lot of landscape shots? Wildlife? People? Are you going to make large prints, or stick with small ones? The answers to these questions will help you decide what kind of camera you need. If you're shooting landscapes, you want something sharp with the capability of capturing wide angles. If you like photographing wildlife, you'll want something with some zoom. And for people, you want something that will render color nicely and give you some flexibility with aperture. If you're a sports enthusiast, you'll want a fast camera and some zoom. And if you like to make large prints, then megapixels matter. So before you go looking for a camera, decide what you're going to use it for the most. 

Am I going to learn how to use this thing?

Are you looking to shoot raw? Need a high iso sensitivity? Do you want a lens with a wide aperture? 

If you have no idea what I'm talking about, you're going to want something that is user-friendly, and will give you good results on auto. I've watched many friends over the years buy themselves too much camera, only to leave it in the closet because they can't figure out how to use it. You've got to figure out what your learning curve is, and get something that will meet you where you are. This is something that no one likes to hear, but a really good camera will not take really good pictures by itself. It will not magically turn you into a photographer.  On the flip side,  it is possible to take great photos with an unimpressive camera. A friend of mine is an amazing photographer, but he only knows how to take photos on his phone. Guess what? That's ok. It's better to use what you are comfortable with. You'll take more pictures that way. 

Am I really going to carry this thing around? 

SLR cameras are big and heavy. Most good lenses are even heavier. If the idea of lugging 10+ lbs of equipment around doesn't appeal to you, you're not alone. I like to hike with my family, and carrying around my camera bag for miles can really be a pain. Now it's time for me to let you in on a little secret: sometimes, I wear a fanny pack. It's true. When I do this, it's not because I think it's cool (though they ARE making a comeback), but because I want to be hands-free, so I can focus on staying safe, and on holding my kids' hands if they will let me. A big SLR camera doesn't fit well into my hands-free lifestyle. So I bought myself a little present, a Canon G9X. It's tiny. It's under $400. It's easy to use. It doesn't have a lot of zoom. It fits in my fanny pack. And every picture in this blog post was taken with it. Sure, I could have gotten a better shot with my bigger camera, but some sacrifices are worth making. There are lots of smaller cameras on the market that are capable of taking some pretty fantastic photos! 

What's my budget? 

No really, what's your budget? Just because you CAN spend $1500 on a camera doesn't mean it makes sense for you to do so. Anyone who knows me well knows I'm a bit frugal. My husband loves this about me (read: sarcasm). It hurts me to watch other people waste money. Figure out what your budget is before you start looking, so you don't start dreaming about features that you don't need. There are so many options on the market to fit any budget, from an SLR starting at $250, to full-frame compacts costing $5k, that there is really no reason to spend more than you are comfortable with. 

So, which camera should I buy? 

Well the truth is, I don't know. There are so many great cameras available,  whatever I suggest is not likely to be the best fit for you. Figure out what you need and can afford, and start some research! Read professional and consumer reviews, search for sample images, and if possible, try it out before buying! And if you outgrow your camera down the road, there will be plenty more to choose from at that point too. 

PS: I love both of my kids equally, but my son was much more willing to let me photograph him today than my daughter.