0

I'm new to photography. In the past I took photos using cellphones. Cellphones are not professional cameras (are they?), so I want to buy a professional one. Because I have no idea what makes a good camera, I did some search on Google, but only to find huge variance in their price. For example these are 3 of the Google search results:

  • Panasonic $448

  • Nikon $1400

  • Canon $2900

I didn't search Made-in-Japan products specifically, but most of the results are Japanese products. However their prices still vary a lot. The cheapest one is $400 but expensive ones can go thousands of dollars. What makes the difference? I'm not asking for recommendation of a specific product, but I would like to have some tips about choosing a good camera that would not unduly restrict my skills. Still I'm wondering if all good cameras are made in Japan?

Philip Kendall
  • 21,867
  • 6
  • 67
  • 101
Nasty
  • 1
  • 1
  • 1
    This question is too broad. Can you please define the criterias which are important to you? – Romeo Ninov Dec 10 '22 at 15:39
  • 4
    Hi and welcome. Unfortunately this is exactly the kind of question that this site is not for, per https://photo.stackexchange.com/questions/ask it is not for "open-ended purchase recommendations" nor "which camera/brand is the best". I expect that it will soon be closed. But I would advise researching the difference between interchangeable-lens cameras and non-interchangeable-lens cameras, between mirrorless and DSLR cameras, and between sensor sizes. Those are good places to start if you know nothing at all yet. – wonderbear Dec 10 '22 at 15:50
  • 3
    Moderator note: I have removed the links from this question because they are monetised links to install ad blockers. Please do not do that anywhere on Stack Exchange. – Philip Kendall Dec 10 '22 at 16:58
  • 3
    As @wonderbear has noted, this question isn't a good fit in its current form so I've closed it pointing to two of our canonical "first camera" questions. I will pick up on one thing though - "Cellphones are not professional cameras (are they?), so I want to buy a professional one.": there are no professional cameras, only professional photographers. Gear will not make you a better photographer. – Philip Kendall Dec 10 '22 at 17:01
  • 1
    Don't focus too much on where a camera brand comes from. It doesn't matter if you are buying a camera, a bicycle, or a car, all the manufacturers offer different products at different price points, with increasingly appealing/useful feature sets. (Mostly.) – osullic Dec 11 '22 at 14:14
  • Additionally, the 3 cameras you link to (now redacted) are in pretty different categories - one bridge camera, one APS-C DSLR and one full-frame mirrorless camera. You need to understand the categories of cameras, and the fact that some cameras have interchangeable lenses. You also need to have a reasonably clear idea of why you want to buy a camera, what you will use it for. You should accept that throwing money at gear is not the way to improve your photography - IMO, this path almost never works, and you end up dissatisfied, and with an expensive piece of camera kit that never gets used. – osullic Dec 11 '22 at 14:31
  • Cameras are tools. Which tool is most useful depends upon what one wishes to use a tool to do. This question reads almost like, "Which tool should I buy? A crosscut saw, a #2 Phillips head screwdriver, or a 24 oz. framing hammer?" Or maybe, "Which vehicle should I buy? A Chevrolet Corvette sports car, a Mercedes Sprinter delivery van, or a Prevost Motor Coach?" The answer all depends upon what task you need to perform, doesn't it? – Michael C Dec 12 '22 at 00:00
  • See also: What do I need to consider to choose between dSLR, mirrorless, or a compact as my first "serious" camera? – inkista Dec 12 '22 at 01:38

0 Answers0