Buying a digital SLR can be a daunting prospect. Once you've decide which of the many manufacturers' platforms you would consider buying into, you have to decide which of its cameras you want. There are many options to consider once you move up the pecking order to a pro or even semi-pro camera.
One of the most important aspects of your camera-purchasing odyssey should be centred on the lens on which your camera of choice will rely to bring the world into focus. We'll tell you if you should go for a so-called bridge camera that spans the divide between compact and full-on digital SLR with a fixed but highly capable lens, or if a digital SLR is more appropriate for your creative needs.
With this in mind, we'll explain the various lens types and standards so you can match the best lens to your photographic interests. The range of manufacturers and the types of lens available from each of these can make your choice both confusing and difficult. Why, for instance, is a 28mm-70mm f2.8 lens so much more expensive that one of an equivalent focal length but with an aperture range of f4-f5.6? Should you go for a fixed lens in these days of the affordable and high-quality short zooms?
Take a quick scan around your chosen manufacturer's offerings and you'll see a long list of numbers and letters that mean very little to the untrained eye.
If you go for a bridge camera with a permanently attached lens, such as the Canon Power-Shot S1 IS, you'll get an excellent optic and great results, but you'll be restricted to low-quality lens add-ons in order to expand the focal range of the lens. Even with a 10x zoom, you won't have an angle of view for every situation. The advantage, though, is that your initial investment is lower and you won't have to carry a bulging and heavy camera bag everywhere you go.
Buying a digital SLR opens up a number of options that in the long run will serve to improve your options when it comes to changing interests and expanding your skills.
Most digital SLRs are supplied with a basic lens to get you on the road, and this should be of high enough quality for the majority of uses. Nearly all the digital SLR manufacturers use their own lens-mount system, with the notable exception of Olympus, which has a four-thirds system. This should mean that any lens that uses a four-thirds mount should fit any four-thirds body. At the moment, though, the only cameras using the mount are made by Olympus. Canon, Nikon, Pentax and Minolta all use their own lens-mount system and so aren't interchangeable with anything but their own cameras.
Here, the waters are muddied further by legacy and independent support. With occasional restrictions, Nikon and Pentax cameras can support their own manual lenses from film-based cameras without a problem. Canon and Minolta fittings are only backwards compatible with their EOS and Dynax fittings respectively.
Third-party manufacturers supply lenses for all of the brands and most of these will work without a hitch. Independent brands Sigma, Tamron and Cosina have good reputations: their lenses are of a high standard and are usually cheaper than branded kit. Some of the older lenses from the independent manufacturers will need to be upgraded to work with newer cameras, but the manufacturer will usually do this for you at minimal cost to eke out a few more years of use.
The type of lens you go for will affect your photographic results and the range of images you can expect, but don't obsess over your lenses: creativity and talent are much more important. Don't spend all your time in camera shops agonising over lenses you can't afford: our guide will tell you which to buy.
Author: Christopher Brennan
How to buy a digital SLR lens