Digital Photo Equipment - Buying Tips For Beginners

Digital photography is a fantastic hobby, and there are more and more folks getting into it every day. The reason so many are interested in it is because of the word "digital." The technology has come so far and it has become so user-friendly that being an amateur photographer is now easier than ever. The question is, what kind of equipment do you need in order to take the kind of pictures that you want? There is a big difference between buying and economical point-and-shoot camera and buying a mid-range DSLR camera.

If you want to take snapshots and travel photos that you pasted into a scrapbook or posted on a website such as Facebook, one of the newer point-and-shoot cameras will probably be sufficient. However, if your intention is to become an advanced amateur are beginning professional, you will want to purchase a more professional digital SLR camera. However, before taking the leap, conventional wisdom suggests that you should "count the cost."

While digital cameras have certainly come down in price, they are not cheap. A midrange DSLR will cost somewhere in the neighborhood of $1500-$2500. Then you have to add the cost of any extra equipment, including lenses. Buying a great camera without a good lens defeats the purpose of the great camera. In fact, many professional photographers spend far more on their lenses than they do on their digital SLR camera.

In addition to a camera and lenses, there are a couple of other things that you will need in your camera bag. The first one, of course, is the camera bag itself. No self-respecting photographer would go off on a photo shoot without a decent bag. The bag needs to be able to hold most of your equipment, at least equipment or your normal outings. Each lens needs to have its own padded compartment, and the camera itself should fit snugly into its own little padded space.

One other thing that is a must if photography is going to be your hobby or your profession is a tripod and a tripod head. This is another place where you do not want to skimp on price. Get a tripod that is rated for a weight heavier than your camera.

But all this talk about midrange DSLR cameras, lenses, and additional equipment is unnecessary if you're going to purchase a digital compact, or point-and-shoot camera. There are many professionals who carry these kind of cameras in addition to their professional models. If you are going to be a serious amateur photographer, you might still be able to rely on one of the better digital compact cameras rather than an expensive professional camera. Of course, there are some limitations, such as sports and action photos, but if you know your needs and in digital compact will fill them, you can be quite satisfied knowing that your bank account is still intact.