Which Camera Should You Buy? –Tips For Choosing The Right Camera

Which Camera Should You Buy? –Tips For Choosing The Right Camera

0:00 intro
0:32 difficult question
1:15 personal opinion
1:48 #1 budget system
4:19 #2 portable system
6:18 #3 many lenses
7:14 #4 prime system
8:32 #5 compact camera
10:34 #6 best advice
11:51 #7 bonus tip

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My name is Matti Sulanto, I'm a photographer based in Helsinki Finland.

[peterwilson]

What a nice person you are. You talk slowly so that one can understand, no whistles, no noisy music. You just explain and you feel very, very trustworthy. Your channel is a bright star!

[hsmphoto]

Started out with a used Nikon D810 (800 dollars from Japan) a few months ago and am really happy with it so far. Had photography as a hobby in my teens and my own darkroom etc. in 1989, so it feels great to rediscover this hobby which adds a whole new dimension to travelling and looking at the world in general. Thanks for this great channel.

[Krosselhoff]

Was an absolute beginner and bought a new Lumix G9 with 12-60 Leica. Fantastic camera. Fantastic lens. I am more than satisfied. Bought a couple of lenses (100-300 Pana, 42, 5mm Oly, 25mm Pana) and can shoot nearly anything I am interested in.

[Leptospirosi]

Instead of camera brand preference, I'd suggest to go in a physical store and pick the body up in your hands: you would probably come out with something completely different then what you thought going in. You could have the best specs in your camera, but if you dislike holding it and fight the control every time you will end not taking it out with you, and a camera left at home is of little use.

[ruuddirks]

I think practical features like portability, battery life, or wheater sealing, are more important for most people than sensor size or image quality. Unfortunately, they are often ignored.

[twomole]

These tips are really useful. Thank you!

[jacobh]

#6 is a great advice, but I’d like to add #7 to that: be honest to yourself. In our workshops I talk to a lot of enthusiast photographers who’ve spend a fortune on ‘the best’ since that’s their ambition. An expensive full-frame or otherwise top-of-the-line kit doesn’t make you a better photographer. If you’re new to photography, start with one lens (e.g. 35/50mm equiv.) and you’ll notice what you need next. If you already have a catalogue, check which focal lenghts you’ve used most. That’s what you need for your new camera as well. Last year we had a guy in our portrait workshop who was entirely new to photography. In preparation he bought an A7RIV with the entire f2.8 trinity of zooms. Only to find out that a 50 or 85mm would have been perfect and pref. also a much simpler camera. For some reason these are always men…😂. So, ask yourself what subjects do you find fun to shoot and adjust your choice to that. Be honest. One portrait doesn’t make you a portrait photographer… and even they only have 2 or 3 go-to lenses (max.).

[Julianpms]

Re ergonomics, not just the physical handling of the body and controls, but the layout of the menus, customisation etc. I've had several Panasonic M4/3 bodies (first a GF1, then a GX-7, now a GX-8 and GX-9, plus a GM-5 to replace a compact) and feel completely at home with them. With more free time now for landscape photography, I recently decided to get a full-frame camera and went with a (heavily discounted) S1R. The familiar ergonomics have helped me to get up to speed with it.
Being able to use the same flashguns and some other accessories (e.g. remote release across S1R and GX-8) has been a further bonus.

[marcp.]

Hi Matti,

i do think - the right camera, is that one that suits you the most, into the best possible way - means, it doesn't distract you into any way, and it's being "just a Tool" to let you do the job - taking fine compositions, without getting on your nerves, or having issues. ;-)

A fine weekend.
Greetings

[JanPippel]

Best advice you can give… 👍
I bought a used GX8 with the Olympus 12-40/2.8 standard zoom lens (offered as a set) in great conditions. There are a few cosmetic cons on this camera, but over all…such a great little piece of tech, i love it. Like you said, the over all counts…
Many thanks Matti!

[dzeng]

Here are my 5 tips
Buy a used camera body but not well worn
Buy a used fast prime
Buy a used standard or telephoto zoom
Buy a flash
Don’t listen to YouTube influencers on why you need this or why you should switch systems or why this sensor is inferior

And practice practice practice. You can produce amazing results with used old stuff and practice and save your money.

[KoneStone]

Really good tips for any beginner phtographer. When you start this hobby you may think that you need the best for best results but its not true. We have done great photos for many years now so used gear is more then viable to start with.
Go out and take photos to learn your camera and exapand your skills with what you have and then learn how to edit photos for best possible result.

[terryhorn]

I just purchased a new camera and new lens, it may or may not have affected my decision much to watch this video, but I really wish I had watched it prior to ordering. Very thorough video on selecting a camera. I stuck with the M43 system but I wanted to switch from Panasonic to Olympus, so I went with a OMD EM10 Mark IV w/45mm. I have a a wonderful PanLeica 15mm and a Panasonic 25mm. I think I now have a serviceable travel, street, and still-life system. Eventually I may get the new OM Systems camera, but a combination of this new Olympus and my LUMIX GX9 will work for now. Thanks again for such a good video.

[emptyandseephotos]

Wide genre wide options you covered thanks

[geoguimages]

Thanks again Matti, you’re very centered and fair in your presentation, and the only ‘gear channel’ I watch anymore. One piece of advice that I give folks just starting out, is to try and identify the images that catch their eye, then try and identify what camera systems and lens were used to capture those images. New or used, I’m a lens geek so I start there. You date your camera, but marry your lenses. Micro 4/3? PanLeica lenses rule of course. GRiii? A superior lens with a little fiddly camera attached.. 😊

[SSingh-xyyz]

Great Advice. Thank You. I would add one more. If Photography is not your living, buy camera and lens you can carry easily. I had Canon M50 that I can keep anywhere in bag or carry in hand as if it is point and shoot. It was not weather seal so I sold it and brought Canon EOS R6 + 24-105 L lens. Man, walking with Camera is a project in itself. I am planning to buy Sony A7C with small lens as Canon does not make compact full frame camera.

[malcolmcog]

I bought a Panasonic micro four thirds in 2009 because I am a cliber and walker and wanted a lightweight camera system. I could not afford Leica, so this new system was just the system for me. And from 2009 to the present day it has worked for me, for both still and video !

[MichaelGerrard]

Excellent advice, thanks Matti. I believe you really must like your camera, it encourages you to go out and take photos. M43 is the most cost effective system, such high quality lenses for a reasonable price.
For a camera with a fixed lens, one you didn't mention, the X100V is fab!

[r_faisal]

Thank's for your advices about what camera should have. I'm a person who like to bring camera and few lenses (even only a fix lens) in my entire trips. I have many interesting experiences in my photography life when bring Olympus E-P5 with M.Zuiko 17mm f/2.8 in my trip. Because portability was more worthed for me. And now I will learn & make videography for my travel (and maybe for some jobs) besides making photography for this purpose. After saw this your video, maybe Panasonic MFT system will be my choice. Once again, thank u sir.

[luzr]

Perhaps what people sometimes don't think through so much are the design attributes and technologies that will allow them to shoot what they want and when they want. For me, these are things like weather-sealing, IBIS, screen configuration (fixed, articulating or flippy) and the ability to select from any one of a number of custom settings quickly and easily - things that mean you can respond quickly and accurately to changes in the environment or of subject.... things that expand possibilities. If a camera doesn't have the right combination of these attributes, no matter how good in other areas, then it's not something i'm interested in owning.