By David Gewirtz
Probably the most common question we get asked here at Connected Photographer is what camera to buy. Given that new cameras come out each week, it's an almost impossible question to answer. In our "Your First Digital Camera" series, rather than telling you which camera to buy, we're helping you learn about how to choose a camera from all the available choices out there.
There's two parts to this problem, of course. What camera to buy? And, where to buy it? It's the second question that we're exploring today. In this article, we'll give you a few simple tips that could make the difference between having a camera you love and a camera you wish you hadn't bought.
First, make sure you hold the camera you're considering in your hands before buying it. Make sure you've felt it, feel how heavy or light it is, feel where your fingers fall, and feel how well it feels to your hands, face, and eye. After all, if you're like me, a big guy with big fingers, a teeny little camera that doesn't allow you space to click the shutter isn't going to work. Conversely, if you're a small person and the weight of a big camera is difficult for you to handle, you really need to get a feel for it before you buy.
I'm a big fan of supporting local businesses, but many local businesses tend to charge much more than mailorder. You'll need to think about whether the advantages of local service outweigh the expense. Also consider that some of the mailorder shops are less than reliable. Be sure to check out the reviews of the store, do Google searches to see if there are complaints, and look at the various reseller rating services out there (like, for example, http://www.resellerratings.com).
More and more stores will not let you return a camera after you buy it. This is an unfortunate trend. In most cases, you're not going to really know if you like the camera until you touch it, play with it, and get to know it. So you want to make absolutely sure that wherever you buy the camera will honor returns. Don't buy a camera from someplace that doesn't -- even if you're going to wind up paying a bit more or searching a bit further afield.
Although we've talked about cameras a lot, there's one price trend that makes for a good rule of thumb. Generally, cameras under $100 suck. Just don't buy them. Yes, the cost of manufacturing is coming down, so you can get some reasonable specs in the under $100 cameras. But there will be cost-cutting somewhere, and it's likely to be in the physical features of the camera. Chips generally cost the same everywhere, but the construction of the case, the solidity and quality testing of the materials, and, certainly, the quality of the optics will be lacking in a sub-$100 camera.
If you're looking for great camera deals, we can recommend a few sites that will get you started. Two of our favorites are Pricewatch (at http://www.pricewatch.com) and Ben's Bargains (at http://www.bensbargains.net -- that's dot-net, not dot-com).
Pricewatch lists many different items and sorts them by price. Be careful, though. Some of the dealers listed in Pricewatch are less than fabulous. Be sure to double-check the reviews and the vendor ratings before buying.
Ben's Bargains is also interesting. Ben lists deals, and they change each day. Sometimes the deals he lists are really good. Other times, well, not so much. Ben also has reviews, so read the reviews of the deal before you buy. Ben seems to have something going with Dell, so if you're thinking about buying a Dell computer, check Ben out first. He's got some great coupon codes.
Enjoy shopping and caveat emptor!