I have a renewed interest in photography, so I'd thought of sharing my views on how to choose your first 'decent camera'.

Let me start with one of the more interesting article that I found on camera systems. The article compares the mirrorless systems available today, and provide a very good overview on what to invest your money in, especially if you're just starting out and want to drop RM 2-4k on a camera. You can get it for less, if you're willing to go for used units but I would not recommend it if you are new to this world.

https://photographylife.com/evaluating-mirr...-camera-systems


My personal story:
I used to own one of those compact digital cameras from 2006 and to be honest, the quality then was not really good. The camera was just good enough to 'capture the moment', but if conditions were unfavourable (e.g. low light condition, in a moving vehicle, etc) photos would either be unusable or has excessive noise in there.

Back in 2015, I decided that I needed a decent 'prosumer' (yeah, I remember that was the fancy jargon of the day then) camera which allows me to take shots that would be of at the very least okay quality. I asked my dad for advice, who happens to be an photography enthusiast who owns DSLRs, dry box, multiple lens with lens hood and stuff. He proposed that I buy an Olympus PEN E-PL 7, which he just bought a few months back.

However, I was quite enamoured by his large DSLRs at that time to be honest, and asked him why didn't he propose a DSLR for me? After all, it looked damn cool with the large camera and lens. I imagined the various scenarios where I would be practicing photography and taking shots, like in weddings, light trails of moving cars at night, night landscapes, portraits at fashion shoots, etc. I had very big ideas of what I will do with my new an powerful DSLR. His response to me was that I am not at that 'level' yet, and my interest would fizzle out very quickly should I buy the DSLR. He also mentioned that the weight would just deter me to take the camera out, which would defeat the purpose of having a camera in the first place.

Not really believing his words, I proceeded to ask the question: "What if I graduated from the noob and reached a decent 'level'? Do I have to buy a new camera then?". He responded by saying that when you reached that stage, you can consider to upgrade your lens or buy a DSLR. He added that lens alone will make a lot of difference in photography, that's why many people have only 1 or 2 cameras but many lens.

I didn't really believed him then, but decided to just follow his proposition since I figured he has much more experience than I do.

3 years passed, with 6.5k shots taken and 3k switch-on count later, I couldn't help but to recall my discussion with my dad then. My Olympus PEN E-PL7 had been with me on every trip overseas (about 80 return flights over 3 years). Most of my travel was for work, but there were more than a few times when it was for pleasure. I took pictures of food, historical places, breathtaking landscapes, me riding an ox-cart, my visit to the first Starbucks in the the world in Seattle, Great Wall of China, The Forbidden Palace, the Craters of the Moon, Angkor Wat, drinking beer on a rooftop bar in Phnom Penh, floating market of Anphawa, my colleagues working in office, my office desk and many many more. The point is I took out my camera and clicked on the shutter. My E-PL 7 was with me every where I went, and in my opinion, that is what is the most important thing of owning a camera.

My pictures were not great or anywhere close to it (most of the time anyway). I took selfies that looked like it was taken by an beginner most of the time. Some of my shots were blurry, some has me right smack in the middle (which means lousy composition most of the time), some were slightly over-exposed, some had people in the background spoiling the scene and the list goes on. But, I captured many memorable moments with decent sharpness and good quality. My pictures will not win any awards, but they are there. It shows that I have been to a place, reminds me of my travels, and occasionally allow me to boast my photography skills (whenever I get lucky) to my limited audience in FB. At least I won't cringe at my own photos or be disappointed by the noise level when I review them.

The main point I want to share with all of those who just started out to consider buying a 'serious' camera is this: buy a small camera so that you can bring it everywhere with you. The number of shots taken with your camera and the number of occasions you have your camera with you is a lot more important than having gears that allow you to take the best pictures.

If space capacity permits, buy one with that allows interchangeable lens. This will sort of future-proof your camera quite a bit, and provides you a flavour of how the DSLR world works. That is the whole purpose of the first link that I quoted, because camera and lens are only compatible when they share the same mount. When you buy a camera, you're also buying into their ecosystem, so to speak.

Hope this helps you in your decision to buy a new camera.

Sir , from your story you sound very wise in photography .
But im not into photography , im more into video.

Currently im using panasonic camcoder , it can do basic things you need for a video
I know basic video editting(i learn to do magic kind of thing like zach king)
I dont have any income from the current camera im using as i just use it for personal video , assignment , and school project(event promoting like montage video)

But not being able to have bokeh and lowlight video and slowmotion im thinking of upgrading to DSLR or mirrorless that worth the price , able to do things my camcoder cant (such as above) and also dont have to dig my wallet too deep.



So im planning to get A6500(RM4000 new) with 30mm lens(used)
This camera will be my first camera that able to change lens , those aperture or focus thing.

Should i do it ?
how do i generate income with it?
can i actually get money with it ?

i really look forward for your advise.
Thank you

There's no way one can have it all - the best camera is the one that's always with you, and always inspire you to shoot.

This post has been edited by Casey Joo: Aug 14 2018, 08:57 PM

I am not really into video, but from my research around cameras, I read a lot of comments indicating that Panasonic cameras are generally at the top for videos. For A6500, you're getting a much larger sensor, which definitely helps. But it does costs quite a bit more, and it is larger.

Generally, I think what you should do is bring a bag that you will bring out often (i.e. a bag that is not too big that you find comfortable) to the camera shop and try to fit the A6500 with the 30mm lens into the bag. Throw in a few random stuff as well, to simulate a real everyday situation. If you find that you're ok to bring that weight and size around, then it is a go. Remember to discount your estimate by 10% to 20% as well, as when you're shopping for new items, you tend to under estimate inconvenience.

The main thing to keep in mind is convenience. I would rather have a decent camera which goes out with me 90% of the time for social outings, than an excellent camera that goes out with me only 30% of the time.

Check out Panasonic cameras. The reason I am suggesting that is because Micro 4/3 cameras are really light, and once you've invested into a system, it is very difficult to change. Micro 4/3 has almost 100 different lens. The only reason I would choose Sony over M4/3 is only due to the low light performance. Bokeh at f/3.5 full frame is more than enough. But remember, as sensor size grows, so does the weight of your lens and camera. Go to shops and try it out.

Use mobile phone lah

True that

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.indiewire....1201941565/amp/