Which camera is best to buy for family shots

Today there is no family that could not boast of an impressive photo archive. Indeed, photographs have become an integral part of our lives. However, it is not always possible to capture the best moments of life without distorting the natural beauty. Much, of course, depends on the skill of the photographer. But the camera plays an important role. As a result, the question arises of how to choose a camera for the family.

Criterias of choice

If you ask for help on any forum, you can read approximately the following:

1. “Take only the SLR!” Everything else sucks! ”
2. “Only Nikon can take normal shots!”
3. “You won’t understand these“ mirrors ”. Better is the usual “soap box”! ”
4. "Yeah, only while she takes off, the child will have time to escape!"

And so on and so forth.

As a result of such comments, anyone begins to go crazy. So, which camera to choose for family photos? First of all, you need to answer a few questions for yourself, which will help you choose the right camera:

1. Budget. How much can you really spend buying a camera? Obviously, amateur cameras will be much cheaper than professional ones. In addition, they do not require additional costs for the purchase of accessories.
2. Goal. Who, where and when will they shoot on this camera? As general practice shows, children, family feasts and outings are usually filmed on a family camera.
3. Skills Is there a minimal idea of ​​exposure, exposure, photosensitivity and other important parameters when shooting? If not, is there a desire to learn all this? You may even have to go to special courses.
4. Convenience. What is more convenient to hold in your hand? An impressive SLR, compact or hybrid? In fact, this is a very important issue, since only in conditions that are comfortable for a photographer can he make high-quality pictures.

After all the answers are recorded, you can start choosing the right camera. To do this, just go to the nearest store. However, if the seller says that I need a camera for family shots for such a sum of money, he will only shrug his shoulders in response. In the worst case, it will offer what is stale and urgently needs to be sold. To make the purchase really successful, it is better to inquire about the available types and models of modern cameras. Moreover, they have already accumulated a lot on the Internet.

Everyone can take pictures

Most often, fans are advised to purchase compact cameras. In common people they are also called "soap dishes". It painfully resembles them in their appearance. Advertising manufacturers of such cameras promises that everyone can take pictures. You just need to press a button, and a great photo is ready! But is it really so? It is worth weighing all the pros and cons of compacts before buying.

Of the advantages of "soap dishes", the following can be noted:

• small size, thanks to which it is convenient to take with you;
• preset modes that allow you to do frame by frame without additional settings;
• low battery consumption;
• affordable price (from 3000-5000 rubles per copy).

Unfortunately, this is where the advantages of compacts end. However, this does not mean that you must immediately abandon their purchase. If you are not confused by the existing restrictions (they will be discussed below), then the “soap box” can be an excellent family chronograph.

So, what are the disadvantages make more and more consumers prefer compact cameras to SLRs?

• the impossibility of manual settings, even when required;
• low resolution of the matrix, due to which the images are grainy;
• large shutter lag (more than 1 second passes between pressing the button and the picture);
• low photosensitivity, which is especially noticeable when shooting indoors and at night.

How does this threaten when shooting family chronicles? If you have to shoot in cloudy weather or in a dark room, then the quality of the photo will be better. They will be dark, grainy and with distorted colors. Moving images cannot be recorded on a compact disc. They just get blurry. An active child will need to learn to stand still for 1-2 minutes. You can’t get a good shot without this.

Feel like a pro

So, after some thought, it was decided that the family budget will withstand the purchase of an expensive SLR camera. But the pictures will be really high quality. And before friends it will not be a shame for a cheap "soap box". However, even on the most expensive “DSLR” one needs to be able to take pictures in order to get a good shot. But first things first.

So, why should you pay attention to this type of camera?

1. The quality of images is undoubtedly better than that of compacts. This is achieved due to a number of conditions: high resolution of the matrix, good photosensitivity and individual settings.
2. On many "mirrors", especially the amateur class, an intuitive menu that even a novice in this business will cope with.
3. It is possible to purchase interchangeable lenses and an external flash.
4. Relatively low battery consumption.
5. Photos are saved in a format that is convenient for editing in Photoshop.
6. Without loss of quality, you can photograph moving objects from close or long distances, in low light and other conditions that are not very good for shooting.

However, if SLR cameras possessed only these qualities, then, undoubtedly, every new camera in the family would be just that. But they also have their drawbacks, which nevertheless cannot be ruled out.

1. Unfortunately, even for older models and amateur DSLRs, the price starts at 30 thousand. In order to purchase a truly worthwhile device, you will have to prepare an amount of at least 50 thousand rubles.
2. An additional lens and flash also cost money, and without them it is difficult to get high-quality images in all kinds of conditions.
3. The SLR camera is quite impressive in size. It usually comes with an interchangeable lens and an external flash. You can’t put all this equipment in a small handbag.
4. To get really high-quality images, you need to have at least a minimal understanding of the camera settings.

Take the best and create new

Recently, in addition to compacts and DSLRs, a new class of cameras - hybrids - has appeared on the market. They are also called "mirrorless". They have already firmly entered into everyday life and have significantly squeezed out of the market their main competitors - DSLRs. But are they suitable for family photos?

First, a little about the device of these devices. In hybrids, unlike DSLRs, image transfer to the matrix is ​​performed by a special processor. Thanks to this, it was possible to ensure that the camera has a compact size. At the same time, the quality of the photo is not inferior to those that were made on a SLR camera. With the advent of hybrids, the dream of many photographers of the late 90s - early 2000s came true - to combine 2 cameras into one.

But still more about the advantages of hybrid cameras over DSLRs:

• as mentioned above, they are compact in size, comparable to "soap dishes";
• the quality of the pictures is not inferior in anything to those that were taken on a professional camera;
• there is the possibility of individual settings, including due to the presence of removable optics;
• silent operation (due to the design features of the “DSLR” they photograph quite noisily).

In fact, manufacturers of this class of cameras managed to take the best from both types and make an almost perfect camera.However, hybrids have their drawbacks.

• unfortunately, since this is a relatively new class, the choice of interchangeable lenses, flashes and other devices is small;
• high battery consumption (although for family shooting this is a small drawback);
• the cost of a hybrid is not inferior to the price for a similar SLR camera, sometimes it even surpasses it.

However, it is worth noting that, compared with the first two classes, this is a very young kind of cameras (the first models appeared in the early 2000s). Specialists in the near future predict the expansion of the optics and accessories fleet and, of course, the price reduction.

What to choose?

So, all classes and models of cameras are studied. However, it was not possible to select the desired camera. But do not despair. Perhaps, in this case, it is worth listening to the opinion of experts. Of course, the only correct answer does not exist. But nevertheless, in their rating you can see a certain pattern.

1. Do not save on the camera. Therefore, experts recommend buying an inexpensive, but still a SLR camera. You can subsequently buy a good external flash and a fast lens for shooting indoors. This kit is enough to create a family photo archive for many years.
2. If you don’t want to carry a voluminous DSLR with you, you should pay attention to the hybrid camera. Of the significant shortcomings, only expensive removable optics can be noted. The rest of the "mirrorless" are very convenient in traveling conditions. By the quality of shooting, they are comparable to their closest relatives - SLR cameras.
3. Those who are not ready to understand the intricacies of photography are usually advised to buy a good compact or superzoom. They are usually equipped with high-quality integrated optics and a large selection of preset modes. At the same time, they are easy to take with you. True, you still have to come to terms with a certain loss in the quality of photos.
4. If, nevertheless, the allocated budget for the purchase of a family camera is very modest, then you will have to come to terms with the choice. For a modest price, you can only buy a “soap box” with very limited capabilities. The quality of the images will depend on external factors. A good photograph is a matter of chance, not a rule.
5. And, of course, you should hold the future family camera in your hands during the purchase. No matter how expensive the device, it should fit well in the palm of the photographer. Only in this case there will be many interesting and vivid family pictures. It is best to touch a few devices to compare the comfort of use.

It is worth remembering that when deciding which camera to buy for family photographs, you need to focus primarily on your feelings. Unfortunately, most experts are professional photographers. For them, mastering the “DSLR” is long gone. Many of them still worked with film cameras. Therefore, 100% rely on their opinion is not worth it. Sometimes the amateur is satisfied with the quality of the pictures that an ordinary “soap box” gives. Still, choosing a camera for a family photo archive is everyone's personal business.