There is no one thoroughgoing tv camera . But if you require a television camera befit to a specific sort of picture taking , you could get the good camera for your demand by looking for specific lineament . patently , it ’s not practical to buy and carry a separate camera for every potential shooting position , but if you regularly pip in low light , carry your geared wheel into rough conditions , capture portraits , or favour to travel light , then it ’s worth buying a tv camera tailor-make to your needs . Keep in mind that most of the feature we mention can be had with point - and - shoot camera , through manual controls , but a few are available only on DSLRs or heavyset interchangeable - lens cameras .
Low-light photography
If you like to hit field in low lightness — whether a dismal alley , a dimly lit house , the night sky , or a performance in a darkened auditorium — you’ll want to bet for sure features when shopping for a camera .
First and foremost , you postulate a television camera that supports high ISO options without move over images that contain a lot of racket . Be sure that images shot at ISO 800 to 1600 are destitute of speckles or splotchy color patterns .
Olympus XZ-1High ISOs let you use fast shutter speeds , so you do n’t have to occupy about blur when doing handheld shot . You ’ll also be able-bodied to freeze out go objects . To give yourself even more latitude with shutter focal ratio , attend for a lens ( or a television camera with a crystalline lens , if you ’re buy a point - and - shoot ) that has a “ fast ” lens of the eye — that is , a lens whose maximum aperture is very wide . An f/2.4 or lower maximum - aperture setting will allow you even quicker shutter focal ratio . The $ 500 Olympus XZ-1 point - and - shoot camera has an impressive maximum aperture of f/1.8 .
Olympus XZ-1
A tv camera or lens of the eye with icon stabilisation wo n’t help you freeze motion , but it will avail alleviate the effects of camera shake , often establish it possible to tear sharp images that would be impossible to achieve with an unstabilized crystalline lens or camera .
canyon EOS Rebel T3i
If you ’re interested in low - light landscape painting pip with a DSLR , then you ’ll need a photographic camera with a mirror lockup feature , which helps abbreviate vibration during retentive exposures . Many Canon DSLRs have this feature of speech , include the $ 900 ( with lens)EOS Rebel T3i .
Olympus XZ-1
Many raw point - and - shoot cameras ( as well as the iPhone 4 and iPad 2 ) utilise can - illuminated sensing element , which commonly capture more information in scurvy - light situations . But a more utilitarian percentage point - and - shoot feature is a hand-held low - light mode . Sony ’s cameras call this mode Handheld Twilight , and Canon ’s HS business line calls it Handheld NightScene .
Rugged shooting
Bad weather can break your whole day and really have it off up your photographic camera . Even if you do n’t tear in extreme atmospheric condition , there might be times when you need to conceive about the durability of your tv camera . If you like to snap shots of your kids around the puddle , if you tend to regularly visit dusty mood , or if you shoot in uttermost heating or cold , you may need a camera made to withstand the elements .
Most photographic camera are in reality more durable than you might think . abstemious rain , a few splashes of water — these most potential wo n’t offend your camera . But if there ’s a fortune that you might inundate your photographic camera , or get trapped in a serious deluge , shop for one that is fully waterproofed or else of water - resistant . Most waterproofed cameras are rated to at least five meters of depth , which is salutary enough for most casual water - associate shooting . If you already have a camera , then you’re able to opt for a waterproof enclosure , which can let you go even deeper underwater .
Some cameras are in full sealed to protect them from water ( but not submersion ) and dust . For dash in desert or in other places where the air can get wooden-headed with particulate matter thing , using a weather condition - sealed camera can prove essential . Note , though , that on DSLRs , these seal are only as good as your lens mount . In other words , if you put on a lense that ’s not also sealed , then your television camera will not be protect . Pentax K-5
Canon EOS Rebel T3i
If it ’s not weather but rather wear and tear that you ’re worried about , consider a stupor - proof photographic camera , which is optimise to stand firm dropping and even smash . Sony Cyber - shot TX10
The $ 1700Olympus E-5 DSLR camerais spatter - proof and dust - proof . The $ 1600 Pentax K-5 is conditions - sealed and built around a unsullied - brand skeleton in the closet . The point - and - shoot grocery has some cool ( and far more affordable ) broken offer , like the $ 350 Pentax Optio WG-1 or the water- , dust- , shock- , and immobilize - proof $ 320Sony Cyber - shot TX10 .
Landscape photography
Typically , when you dash a landscape scene , you require deep astuteness of field , to ensure that everything in the scene is in focus . Fortunately , any genus Lens or camera will be able-bodied to stop down to a small aperture to get mystifying depth of field . Obviously , if you want to shoot in low light , then you ’ll also want good gamy ISO performance .
A sharp lens is authoritative for conserve detail , and if you ’re work with a DSLR , note that the smaller its image sensor ( as oppose to full frame ) , the deeper profundity of field it will give . at last , small photographic camera sizing might be your biggest concern — for representative , if you ’re head late into the backcountry and desire to keep weighting down .
Portraits
For portraiture , you ’ll want a fast genus Lens , which will let you capture shallow depth of plain , to blur out background . You ’ll also require a lens of the eye that ’s slightly telephoto . The kit lenses on most SLRs and point - and - shoot photographic camera will emphatically ply a slimly telephotograph focal distance that will be idealistic for portraiture . A slightly longsighted lens compresses feature film , to produce a more flattering aspect .
Look beyond the specs
Knowing the features you need for the types of picture you want to seize is a great first step in buying a camera . But keep in mind the many other factors that make a television camera neat , good , or just OK . Macworld Lab does extensive ikon examination on compass point - and - shoot , stocky interchangeable - lens , and DSLR photographic camera . See the previous full review at Macworld ’s Digital Photo channel .
[ Senior Contributor Ben Long is the author of Complete Digital Photography , 6th variant ( Cengage , 2011 ) . ]
Olympus E-5 Digital SLR Camera
Optio Wg-1 Gps Digital Camera (orange)
Pentax K-5 Digital SLR Camera
Olympus XZ-1 Compact Camera
Sony Cyber-shot DSC-TX100V Compact Camera
Pentax K-5
Sony Cyber-shot TX10
