Choosing the Right Camera

How to find the ideal camera

Are you looking for a camera and don't know where to start with the large selection of very different models? Then we would like to give you some help in this article. Before you decide on a camera, you should ask yourself a few questions, the answers to which will help you to tailor the selection of camera models to your needs.

For example: What subjects do you mainly want to photograph? Will you be out and about with the camera a lot or are you more drawn to the studio? What sensor size makes the most sense for your photographic work? And how many megapixels should the sensor have? We answer the most important questions to make your choice easier.

Where will the camera primarily be used?

This question forms the basis for all other factors that a camera must fulfill. So first think about which motifs or photographic areas you would like to photograph with your new camera. For example, if you travel a lot, we recommend a camera that is as small and light as possible so that it doesn't take up too much space in your hand luggage on flights and is easy to carry.

Or are you likely to be photographing sporting events or event coverage frequently? Then cameras with fast continuous shooting speeds and precise autofocus systems are the ideal choice. The same applies to wildlife photographers who want to photograph birds in flight, for example.

Cameras with high-resolution sensors are ideal for landscape and architectural photographers who want to capture as much detail as possible in their shots. If you like taking portraits, cameras with effective eye and person recognition will result in fewer rejects due to misfocusing. And if you want to film as well as take photos, many manufacturers offer excellent hybrid cameras that combine both worlds.

What sensor size should your camera have?

There is no clear answer to this question. Various factors need to be taken into account when choosing the sensor size. In general, full-frame sensors offer better image quality than smaller APS-C, Four Thirds or smartphone sensors. This is because the individual pixels or photodiodes have more space on the comparatively larger sensor surface. This allows the photodiodes to be larger and absorb more light. The result is generally less image noise than smaller sensors with the same resolution and ISO sensitivity. Full-frame sensors can also offer a higher dynamic range. Another advantage of full-frame sensors is the depth of field. Full-frame sensors produce a shallower depth of field than smaller sensors with the same aperture. This makes it easier to crop people and other objects against a blurred background with full-frame sensors. Full-frame sensors also play to their strengths when using wide-angle lenses. Due to the large sensor surface, larger image angles can be realized.

If the same lens is mounted on a camera with a smaller sensor surface, the angle of view is narrower in direct comparison. This is referred to as a crop factor or extension factor. With APS-C sensors from most manufacturers, this crop factor corresponds to an increase in focal length by a factor of 1.5. With Canon, the crop factor is 1.6 and with the Four Thirds sensors of the Micro Four Thirds system (MFT), the extension factor is even exactly 2. What does this mean in practice? If, for example, a 14 mm full-frame fixed focal length is mounted on an APS-C camera with a crop factor of 1.5, the focal length is multiplied by this factor. In this case, the result is 21 millimeters.

This means that while the 14 mm lens on a full-frame camera actually provides the image angle of a 14 mm lens, the image angle on an APS-C camera is narrowed to such an extent that it corresponds to that of a 21 mm lens on a full-frame camera. So on the one hand you lose focal length in the wide-angle range, but can use this crop factor as an advantage in the telephoto range, for example. For example, a 300 mm full-frame telephoto lens on an APS-C camera with a crop factor of 1.5x results in a focal length of 450 mm converted to 35 mm format.

So if you frequently shoot in the telephoto range, an APS-C or MFT camera could be the more sensible solution. In addition, lenses that have been specially developed for smaller sensor areas can be made more compact and lighter. So if you are looking for a handy camera with a low weight, a model with a smaller sensor could be the better choice.

Info about the image: You could put a white frame over it to visualize the wide-angle example mentioned in the text with 14 and the cropped 21 mm.

Finally, the cost factor must also be taken into account when choosing the sensor size. While full-frame cameras are not always, but often more expensive than cameras with smaller sensors, the lenses in the full-frame class in particular can cause high costs. Especially if you also want to buy a fast lens. In this case, larger, heavier and more expensive lenses are to be expected in full format.

How many megapixels do you need?

What resolution should the sensor of your desired camera have? Is 24 megapixels enough? Or should it be 45 or even 60 megapixels? Here, too, the question arises as to where and for what purposes you will mainly be using the camera. Before you reach for a model with a very high resolution, because the higher the better it sounds, we would like to show you the advantages as well as the disadvantages to make your decision easier.

The advantages of high sensor resolutions

With very high resolution sensors, you can capture more details of a scene. You will notice the difference very quickly, for example, if you open images of the same subject with a 24-megapixel and a 60-megapixel camera side by side in your image editing program and enlarge them to 100 percent using the magnifying glass. In this case, you will notice that you can enlarge the 60-megapixel image considerably more in comparison and that more sharp details can be seen.

Another advantage of high sensor resolutions is when you want to crop your images after taking them. This can be a good solution in wildlife photography, for example, if you give a flying bird a little more space when taking the picture so that it doesn't fly out of the frame so quickly, and only crop the ideal image section later during image processing. In this case, a section from a high-resolution image will provide better image quality than if you select the same section from an image with a lower resolution. Concrete example: If you crop an image with 60 megapixels to a quarter of the image area, you will get a section with 15 megapixels. If you crop a 24 megapixel image to a quarter of its size, this section will only have a resolution of six megapixels.

Advantages for perfecting your photography

High-resolution images also offer advantages when printing. This is where the so-called dpi value comes into play. While the resolution of digital photos is specified in pixels, the "dots per inch" (dpi) are decisive for the print resolution. The dpi value indicates how many dots per inch the image is made up of. Printed magazines, for example, are usually printed at 300 dpi. The premium photo manufacturer WhiteWall also works with this resolution in many production areas.

Why 300 dpi? As magazines and photo books, for example, are held in the hand and the distance to the eye is therefore relatively small, the print resolution must be so fine that no individual print dots can be seen with the naked eye. 300 dpi is therefore considered ideal for distances of up to 30 centimeters. What does this mean for the resolution of the camera? Assuming 300 dpi, a 60-megapixel image can be printed larger than a 24-megapixel image due to the significantly higher number of pixels. For comparison: A 24-megapixel photo can be printed at 300 dpi up to a size of around 51 x 34 centimeters. This is sufficient for prints in DIN A3 format (42 x 29.7 cm). If the image is to be printed on DIN A2 (59.4 x 42 cm), the image would have to be scaled up, i.e. pixels would have to be added digitally, which can have a negative effect on the image quality. In comparison, a 60 megapixel image offers more leeway. The 60 million pixels are sufficient for printing at 300 dpi for prints up to a size of approx. 80 x 54 centimeters.

Is it absolutely necessary to buy a very high-resolution camera for large prints? No, this is not necessary, as the print resolution in dpi required for a printout also depends on the viewing distance. To view a mural as a whole, the viewer takes a step back - or several steps back in the case of large photo prints. As a result, the individual color dots become increasingly difficult for the eye to see and the required print resolution decreases. From a distance of two meters, a print resolution of 50 dpi is sufficient. This means that at 50 dpi, a 24-megapixel photo at around 307 x 204 centimeters still looks good - provided the image is viewed from around two meters and not directly up close.

The disadvantages of high sensor resolutions

At first glance, photos with 60 megapixels often appear better than those with 24 megapixels. However, in addition to the advantages of high resolutions mentioned above, there are also disadvantages that can speak in favor of a lower resolution. For example, 60 megapixels on a full-frame sensor can lead to higher image noise than 24 megapixels with the same sensor size. This is due to the fact that the photodiodes have to be smaller in comparison at 60 megapixels in order to fit on the same sensor surface. Smaller photodiodes absorb less light, which means that the converted electrical signal has to be amplified more than with a larger photodiode of a full-format sensor with 24 megapixels. The amplification of the electrical signal ultimately leads to higher image noise.

The files are also significantly larger at high resolutions. An average JPEG of the high-resolution Sony Alpha 7R IV requires around 40 MByte, an uncompressed RAW even 120 MByte. It therefore makes sense to always take several memory cards with you when using high-resolution cameras. Tip: With lower resolutions, it takes longer for the memory card to fill up.

High sensor resolutions can also affect the speed of the cameras. Due to the larger amounts of data that are generated at high resolutions, the processor must also be optimized accordingly in order to be able to process and save the data quickly. How well this is achieved is often noticeable in the continuous shooting speed. For example, cameras with 24 megapixels often deliver a faster continuous shooting speed than cameras with 60 megapixels - and also maintain this speed over a longer image sequence. This is also the reason why even professional cameras such as the Canon EOS R3 only work with 24 megapixels. With 30 frames per second, it is also capable of capturing fast action sequences and is therefore ideal for professional sports photography.

Another possible disadvantage of very high sensor resolutions can occur when the images are processed and archived on the computer after shooting. This is because the computer hardware must also be able to process the data quickly enough to enable smooth image processing. Older computers can quickly reach their limits here if, for example, 10-20 RAW images with 60 megapixels are opened simultaneously in the RAW converter. Modern and fast hardware is required here, which may incur additional costs.

If you want to replace an old system camera with a new, higher-resolution camera from the same manufacturer, you may also need to think about new lenses. This raises the question: Is the imaging performance of the existing lenses sufficient for the new camera? Cheaper lenses in particular can impair the impression of sharpness. High-resolution cameras require high-quality lenses - preferably with image stabilization, as even the slightest blurring can be visible in the image due to the many fine details.

Conclusion

When looking for the ideal camera, you should therefore consider the following points. For example, do you photograph landscapes and architectural motifs, do you often crop your pictures afterwards or do you want to print your photos in large format? Then we recommend high-resolution cameras with 45 or 60 megapixels for lots of fine details. If speed is of the essence, for example when photographing action-packed sporting events, animals or weddings and other events, 24 megapixels combined with fast continuous shooting speeds are often the better choice.

And if you also want to print or print out the 24 megapixel images in large format, for example as an ultra HD photo print, this is also possible as long as a certain viewing distance is given.

When choosing the sensor size, the question arises as to whether the camera and lenses should be small and light and whether you frequently want to take photos in the strong telephoto range. In this case, cameras with smaller APS-C sensors or the FourThirds sensors of the MFT system are recommended. In addition, APS-C cameras and their lenses are often cheaper. If the size and weight of the equipment play a subordinate role and the budget allows, full-frame cameras offer better image quality in comparison and a shallower depth of field for cropping.