It seems like recently I’ve been fielding a lot of camera questions — from friends, from strangers, from people on Facebook. In some cases, I’ve felt completely up to answering the questions; in others, I haven’t felt qualified. But here’s what I know: As someone who hasn’t had a digital SLR camera slung over her shoulder for a decade, I still get confused by some camera terminology — although the list of confusing vocab words and techniques is shrinking by the week — and I’m not far enough removed from my point-and-shoot days to have forgotten some of the questions I had about buying my first DSLR. So, since several of the questions I’ve heard have been about buying a DSLR, I thought I’d compile a (fairly) short, (somewhat) helpful guide of what to consider when you’re ready to start shopping. Here goes.

Before you start comparing cameras, make sure you know why you want a DSLR.
Knowing what you want to use your camera for will have a huge impact not only on how much you’re willing to spend, but also which camera manufacturers you’ll want to consider. Consciously think about what it is you most enjoy photographing, and what you most frequently photograph. Then think about what you need to photograph those things effectively. Example: If you simply want more control over your family pictures than your current pocket-sized camera allows, you probably don’t need the camera with the most megapixels or focus points; however, if you’re hoping to get great action shots of your kids’ basketball games in a dark gym, you’ll need a fast camera with high ISO performance and rapid burst shooting. Also consider whether you’ll stay satisfied with a kit lens, or if you’ll want to add some high-end lenses to your collection as your skills improve and you want to get creative. If that’s the case, you’ll most likely want to stick with one of the major brands, like Nikon or Canon, which each have a wide variety of top-notch lenses that are compatible exclusively with their own cameras. Once you’ve answered these questions for yourself, start researching cameras based on your specific needs. (If you’re not sure what you need for the type of photography you’re interested in, just search around online for a while.)

Ask friends if you can test drive their DSLRs.
This is a great way to find out about how different cameras perform and how they feel in your hands. (This is also not something that Danny and I did when we were camera shopping.) Check different cameras’ menus, see whether you like their LCD screens and viewfinders, think about the cameras’ different weights and sizes. One note here: Make sure to distinguish between the camera and the lens. If possible, ask your friends to let you use their cameras with the original lenses rather than lenses your friends purchased after the fact. If none of your friends have DSLRS, once you have a short list of cameras you’re considering buying, you could rent each one for a few days from a company like LensRentals.com or BorrowLenses.com, which will give you a lot more freedom to experiment with the cameras than looking at them inside a camera store, although this could add several hundred dollars to your camera search.

Read more than the Amazon.com reviews.
While buyer reviews are very helpful, you’ll definitely want to turn to the experts before you lay out a significant sum for a camera. Check places like Digital Photography Magazine and KenRockwell.com for information about different makes and models, what makes one a better buy than another, and specific tips about which cameras are useful for which types of photography and photographers.

Honestly assess how much a DSLR is worth to you.
Once you start reading about different cameras, it’s really tempting to inch your way up the price scale — and that might be a good thing if you want to work as a professional or have a ton of money to spare. But the fact is that the average, non-career photographer won’t ever tap into the myriad settings options or utilize the high-end features that make the most expensive cameras, well, the most expensive. Unless your camera is your livelihood, stick to a model that’s in the price range you can comfortably afford without going into debt. And if you don’t plan to learn how to shoot your camera manually, you might as well spend even less; otherwise, you’ll never make use of features you paid for. And don’t buy a certain camera just because everyone else has it. There are a couple of cameras on the market right now that come to mind as the “it” cameras — the ones that in and of themselves are a bit of a status symbol. They’re fantastic cameras that can produce beautiful images, but let your common sense prevail, and don’t pay for what you don’t need.

Decide if you’re in it for the long haul.
If you plan to really tackle photography and learn the art and craft of it, there are two ways to approach your camera-buying venture. On the one hand, you could decide to buy the camera you think you’ll want in a couple years, rather than spending a chunk of change on one camera only to replace it as your skills grow and your shooting demands higher performance. On the other, you could buy a nice but still more modestly priced DSLR, put all your practicing — and all the wear and tear during your early days as a DSLR photographer — onto that camera, and buy fancier, and possibly newly-released, model when you’re ready to move up.

Leave some spending money for lenses.
If you’re serious about creating great pictures in diverse environments, you’ll want a few lenses to choose from. The lenses that come in DSLR kits are usually very serviceable lenses, but they are rarely top-shelf. A good, sharp, fast-focusing lens with a low aperture is frequently even more important than a good camera body, so consider leaving yourself some cash to purchase a nice lens or two to go with your new camera, such as a 50 mm f/1.4 or a good zoom lens with a fixed aperture. (For those of you who aren’t sure what “aperture” is — and I wasn’t when I first decided I wanted a DSLR — it’s the opening in the lens that controls how much light reaches the camera’s sensor, and it plays a key role in the brightness and depth of field in your pictures.)

Remember that a good camera does not equal a good picture.
It’s easy to assume that some pricier camera gear will automatically produce great pictures, but that simply isn’t the case. There’s an adage that goes like this: If a great photographer with a professional camera and lens traded gear with an amateur who owned a cheap camera and lens, the great photographer would still take better pictures on cheap equipment than the amateur on professional equipment. And it’s true. Knowing how to use the equipment is just as important as owning it, and honing your photography skills is the only way to produce truly quality images. Don’t get discouraged if you pick up a DSLR and your pictures don’t immediately look like they belong in a magazine. Keep practicing, keep learning, and your pictures will improve.

Is there anything I missed in what you need to consider when buying your first DSLR? Anything you disagree with? Let me know!

~ Laura