Key points to consider before buying a DSLR

DSLRs are growing in popularity among hobbyists and professionals alike due to their advanced functionality and friendly interface and more importantly their ability to provide better image quality, more control over settings, faster performance and versatility to switch lenses. Before you head to the store for buying one for yourself here are some basic features to consider before buying.

Megapixels myth - More megapixels do not amount to better image quality. The main advantage of having a camera with more megapixels is, it gives you flexibility when it comes to image cropping. More mega pixels help if you have to take print outs of your images else, higher megapixel counts also produces larger files which take lot of space in your memory card or hard drive. These days most of the camera offers minimum 8 to 10 mega pixels, which is more than sufficient for most of the shooters.

Sensor size - Another question to consider is how big the image sensor is. In general, a larger sensor has some advantages over smaller sensor like better image quality, less noise, faster speeds. Make sure to check the sensor size before buying a camera and compare it with other model you are considering for buying. The two common sensor sizes are Micro Four thirds and APS-C.

Adaptability in terms of lenses - Ability to mount different lenses is an important feature to consider, as it open up a whole world of possibilities for photographers. You can mount different lenses ranging from wide angle to macro lenses, telephoto lenses depending upon what you want to capture. Make sure what lenses are compatible with your camera before you buy.

Manual Controls - DSLR is designed in a way, that you get flexibility in terms of camera settings. With Manual controls, you can tweak your camera settings for exposure, depth of field, shutter speed and much more to get a desired shot.

Viewfinders - DSLRs come with three basic types of viewfinders such as Electronic viewfinder, Optical Viewfinder, and an LCD with Live View. The electronic and optical viewfinders are both eye level viewfinders whereas an LCD lets you preview a scene on the cameras LCD screen. When evaluating a camera, make sure viewfinder it offers is vivid, and the focusing screen is clear.

Flash - Some DSLRs offer built in flash while some have a mount that lets you attach an external flash to the camera when needed while other offer both. A built-in flash is good enough for casual photography but if you are looking for high quality flash that produces more consistent light than external flash is your best bet.

Depending upon your usage, you can evaluate different DSLRs model, and get started with your photography passion.