Gift Time - Get out the Checkbook

This is the time of year when I get the most questions about "what camera to buy", and that makes sense as gift cards and money are looking to be spent.

The advice I have been giving for years is that there are generally two dominant brands in the DSLR business just as there were in the 35mm film camera business - CANON and NIKON.

In the early days, things were more wide open. Those two companies did not have converging pricepoints and their products were in thir primitive years. Now, they go head-to-head in pricing, features and value. This simplifies recommendations for me.

First, ask yourself if you want a camera to "grow into", or one you could potentially "grow out of".

Second, find the pricepoint you have for your purchase. This automatically narrows the field of brand models as there are generally hundreds of dollars separating the models in each brand.

Third, consider your sources and resources. If you have a personal friendship, or are related to a photographer, see what they use and what they think. THis photographer offers two very significant things to his friends and family:
1 - knowledge of the camera system he uses
2 - a recycling of well maintained equipment -- flashes, lenses etc.. to his closest family/friends before it goes on EBay

Last, consider the absolute fact that this is just the beginning. Whether turning pro, or just wanting to have a good camera for whatever purpose - rest assured your spending does not end with your camera purchase - it just begins.

Here's what else you will soon discover you need/want:
1 - More memory cards
2 - A very well padded camera bag with room to grow the number of lenses, flashes etc... you will soon purchase
3 - A more comfortable camera strap
4 - More camera batteries and charger for those batteries -- FORGET AA batteries - they are worthless for powering today's digital cameras
5 - More lenses - the more they cost the better they are - it's that simple.
6 - A real flash - the popup flashes found on DSLR's are a virtually worthless sales gimmick - as you will immediately find out
7 - Software and computer that runs and works when you turn it on (TRANSLATION buy a MAC)
8 - Storage - whether or not you print your pictures, you have to either store them on CD's / DVD's or on hard drives
9 - Printer - to have real control and once you have rounded the learning curve, you will get used to making your own prints and start actually saving money int he long run
10 - Let's say you have gotten this far. Now your old CRT monitor is on its last legs. Now you need a good monitor.

That should provide plenty of fodder for the gift buyers. If you seek details on any of these categories, please ask and I can go into detail - HERE - on each.