As a photography tutor I’m involved in numerous groups and forums, where I aim to help people at all stages of their learning – and many of those are looking for their first, or next, camera. Yet often with very little knowledge of what might be best for them, or why they should choose one model over another.
I’ve found that over 50% of my beginner clients have entry level DSLRs from the most familiar two brand names, even in this era of mirrorless becoming the more mainstream technology. Probably because they are still the brands that most people think of first, and also they are pretty cheap these days. But are they the most user-friendly to work with?
From my experience, one of the biggest issues that new photographers face isn’t actually understanding the concepts of aperture, shutter speed and ISO – it’s applying those settings to their individual camera ‘in the field’. I see my clients becoming frustrated when they can’t easily change their ISO, or adjust their exposure compensation, which makes it harder for them to capture shots they are happy with, and then to progress.
I think it’s time to move the goalposts when it comes to the decision-making process. People typically consider brand, price, and image quality – but they rarely consider one of the most important aspects for beginners, which is ease of use. Or even realise it’s something that makes a difference!
Here’s just one example that stands out. Entry-level models especially (and I’m afraid I’m going back to DSLRs here) often have just one control dial on top, near the thumb or forefinger. But this makes it harder to change your settings quickly, and without looking, vs cameras with two or ideally three control dials.
Whether you’re shooting in manual or priority modes, the first thing you need to be able to do is to adjust the aperture and/or the shutter speed. With one dial, you can change the aperture – but then to change the shutter speed, or set exposure compensation, or change the ISO, you have to press another button first. Not only that, but some models require you to press and hold this button, while simultaneously turning the dial.
Of course once you’re familiar with a specific camera, and muscle memory takes over, then it might seem easy. But it’s different for a beginner who’s struggling even to hold it level, or find the shutter button without looking!
In short, the wrong camera choice can make learning how to change settings much harder, while the right camera makes these fundamental requirements much simpler to achieve – so new photographers can focus on capturing great shots, that inspire them to continue learning.
Gill Prince is an award-winning photographer based in Milton Keynes, specialising in commercial property and landscape photography. She is also an experienced photography and Adobe Lightroom tutor, with clients throughout the UK and beyond. Gill works with photographers at all levels, and is committed to helping people to learn photography and editing techniques in a way that works for them, and with the most appropriate equipment for their needs. She shoots with the Lumix S5 and G9 systems, and has been a passionate advocate for mirrorless technology since its inception. You can find out more about Gill at www.gillprince.com.
Related reading:
The best cameras for beginners
Best cameras for photography students
Beginners guide – How to use a camera and take photos
The views expressed in this column are not necessarily those of Amateur Photographer magazine or Kelsey Media Limited. If you have an opinion you’d like to share on this topic, or any other photography related subject, email: ap.ed@kelsey.co.uk
