What Do I Really Need? How Do I Get Started in Choosing A Camera? | Family Photographer Photography

As family photographers located in Northern Virginia, we specialize in family photography and creating beautiful portraits which you’ll treasure for years to come.
 

 
Oftentimes as a starter in the photography world, it can be very confusing as to which products to begin with, what are totally necessary, and which are not. Generally the best place to start is a brand. For most people the choice comes down to Canon or Nikon. Both exceptional in quality and similar in price, it really comes down to personal preference or recommendations by friends and family.
 
From there, the first investment is the camera body. Most brands have good starter cameras with basic set-ups and easy, user-friendly settings. These will be cheaper and easier to find than the professional models. (For Canon this would be the Rebel T5 camera body, and for Nikon, the D3300.) Once the camera body is purchased, the next is a basic lens that could be used in multiple situations. A good starter lens would be a 35mm. It’s wide enough to get a lot in the shot, but tight enough that it could work for portraits. Another good option would be a 50mm, although this is more suited for portraits because of the tighter shot it captures.
 
These are basic ideas of how to get started, but of course everyone is very different, and the best way to know what you would like is to do some research on your own, or go into a local camera store and get some opinions!
 
And of course, we have a strong preference toward Nikon, because our experience has shown that the lens/glass is sharper and the camera bodies are more durable, so that would be our recommendation!
 

Family Photography