Should I Upgrade To A 35mm Camera?
“Should I upgrade to full SLR?” I see this type of question often in digital photography forums, and it is indeed a good one.
First off I would say that everyone or every family should own at least one compact or point-and-shoot camera simply because they’re small enough to take almost anywhere. Even a good camera phone can be useful for a pretty good carry-around image capturing device. I would hate to miss a great photo opportunity simply because I didn’t have a camera with me. So by all means, get or keep your compact or point-and-shoot camera, preferably in your car, purse, or pocket whenever you’re out and about.
Okay, so you’re wondering if you should upgrade to a 35mm. Well, the following are my reasons why you might consider it:
Larger Camera Size
You want to have a better grip on your camera. Your point-and-shoot camera may feel too small in your hands. Many of your shots may come out blurry simply because you can‘t stabilize it as much as you like or need to. A 35mm camera is often built for firm holding. Even when I owned a 35mm Canon XTi, I found the body a little small to get a firm grip in my hands, which are not large. Attaching a battery grip under the camera was the ideal solution. So naturally, a 35mm is larger than a compact and the size could be very helpful in taking better photos
Better Candid Photos
You’re taking much more candid photos of say your children, or you are shooting special events that require a faster aperture and shutter speeds. Capturing candid photos require speed, which can’t always be gotten with point-and-shoots. The compact Canon G9, for example, can only shoot about 1.5 frames per second, whereas the Canon 50D can shoot 6.3 fps. With compact there’s always a slight shutter lag when taking and recording images. That’s not the case with 35mm cameras.
Exchangeable Lenses
You want some variety in the camera lenses you’re using. While compact and point-and-shoot cameras often have various zoom ranges, they can’t compete with faster and longer exchangeable lenses designed for 35mm cameras. 35mm camera lenses are often faster than what you get with compact lenses. A very affordable Canon 50mm f/1.4 lens can shoot powerful shallow depth-of-field photos that simply can’t be achieved with the lens on a compact camera. The same goes for the distance reach of say a 70-200mm f/2.8 zoom lens. While trotting around one or more lenses can be a hassle, it’s sometimes worth the effort, because good fast lenses provide you better image capturing capabilities.
I would almost say that if you’re going to upgrade to a DSLR, you will probably need to make the purchase of one or more additional lenses as part of your upgrade. While the kit lens that comes with a 35mm can be a good start, you will not want to limit yourself to that lens, which will typically be slower than what you will need in many shooting situations.
Better Exposure Capabilities
You want or need other advance features such as high ISO capabilities, and advanced focus and exposure modes. Most compact cameras are limited to 800 to 1600 ISO, whereas 35mm cameras can have a range of up to ISO 6400. In this regard, DSLRs work better for say night photography than compact cameras.
Being Professional
You simply want to look and be professional. It almost goes without saying that if you’re looking to shoot photos on a professional level, you’ll will need a professional level DSLR camera. In fact, you’ll want a couple of DSLRs, plus a few exchangeable lenses. I doubt if anyone shoots photos on a professional using just a compact camera.
Reason for Not Upgrading
There are numerous other reasons (mainly technical) that you should consider for upgrading. But I would say the only reason not to upgrade is that photography is not at least a hobby for you. You don’t need a 35mm camera to shoot and make great photos. So make sure that if you‘re going to invest in a DSLR that it won’t be product collecting dust two months after purchase. Compact cameras have improved so much in the last few years that many of them can complete with lower end 35mm cameras. If the above reasons for upgrading don’t apply to you, you might consider saving the money and investing it in an image processing application and printing the photos you take
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