Lenses Make A Better NEW Photographer? NO.

Lately I began to notice that a lot of new 'photographers' often ask these 3 questions on lenses even before their first DSLR purchase.

1. The 18-55mm kitlens range is a bit short, would it be too basic?
2. 'That' lens is better, but more expensive. Should I get it? And get 'this' and 'that' lens?
3. Which lens is the sharpest?


Answer:

1. Any kitlens that comes with the body is the best all-round-lens. It covers almost everything you can shoot. Every qualified photographer should be able to capture GOOD photos with the kit lens regardless of situation or camera. Too near? Walk back. Too far? Walk nearer. If you're lazy, quit being a photographer.

2. Lenses are tools, not for show-offs. There is no point having 5 lenses in the bag if you cannot change them on time. You purchase only the lenses you need, not want. Also, there’s no point buying expensive lenses if you cannot create 'expensive' images. You go around showing people photos, not lenses. If you're getting your first DSLR, forget about lenses. Go with the kitlens that comes with the body(because it's the cheapest) and just go shoot. Only later in the months/years you will realize what you actually need.

3. Sharper lenses equals better? Yes, at a price. Photography is a hobby of creating images based on light sources, colors and interestingness, not pixel peeping on the monitor. Developing photos on ordinary 4R size will not show you any sharpness. Focus more on the subject and composition. After all, how often do viewers ask about sharpness? Sharpness is the last improvement you can make after a perfect shot, not the first criteria for making the shot.


Camera body question:
Canon, Nikon, Sony, Olympus, Pentax, which is better?

Are humans born with the exact same hands and eyes? Every hand in this world is different and everyone sees things in different ways. Do your homework, read reviews, test the cameras, seek expert advises. Different cameras are designed to look and work in different ways, but towards the same objective - to capture a photo. Ask yourself "which manufacturer makes a system which best suits my particular photographic needs?"

Forget about the 'marketing' specs, such as Megapixels, high ISOs, Face Tracking, Scene Mode, Miniature Effect, Filter Effects and Nikon even has a thing called Guide Mode on a D3000! All these are features for people who wants a DSLR, but not photography. Example, the differences in resolution between 10.0 megapixels and 8 megapixels are minimal, especially for beginner photographers, even though the numbers look significantly different. What's really different is the file size it takes on the memory card.

Price of entry levels can range from about RM1500 RM3000. So spend within your budget, and buy the camera you can afford. Some beginning photographers end up spending more than they need to, spending too much for features that they'll never use or that they don't understand how to use.

You would have to hold it, and maybe even try it for a few days to see if it suits you, since ergonomics also plays a very important role. You'll be holding the camera all the time as you shoot, and a suitable grip ensures stability and comfort. I once had blisters after holding the 450D's tiny grip.

The camera that fits best is the best camera. There is no perfect camera in this world yet.

*All these are based on my personal opinion. Do share with me what you think.
There's a lot more to read online on purchasing a new DSLR/Camera written by professinal authors/photographers.

Update: I just found some very useful reading by Photonotes. READ HERE.