“The most powerful weapon in the world, as far as I’m concerned, is the camera.”
This quote can make you see some things from a certain perspective. Get it? Professional photographers create better photos not by having the most expensive cameras and accessories at their disposal, but because they know how to perfectly capture a moment.
However, this does not mean that you can produce a quality image with a cheap camera. And furthermore, you’d be able to put more life in your images by having the right accessories. You might have the eye to spot a unique moment, or set a great scene for imagery, but you’ll need to arm yourself with a decent DSLR camera, preferably with double digit megapixels and a decent sensor size. And with the internet at your disposal and the number of shops that sell cameras and camera accessories in Australia, you’ll have plenty of choices to pick from.
You probably wouldn’t want to over-do it on your initial purchase. If you don’t own a camera already, buying one along with few other pieces of the most essential equipment will be sufficient enough to create quality photos.
Remember, “You don’t take a photograph, you make it.” It is you who is in control. Hence, pay attention to things like lighting and composition. Also, positioning yourself at the right angle is key to making outstanding photos. Still, the power of the lens is what can make or break a photograph; it’s what it takes to leave a viewer in awe or unimpressed. Even though lenses are top-sold camera accessories in Australia, the lens’ spec sheet leaves many (particularly those new to photography) a bit confused. In short, here’s what those numbers represent:
- the focal length (defines the lens’ angle of view)
- the aperture (describes how much light it can gather)
- the format (sensor size it’s designed to work with)
- the mount (whether or not it can physically fit on your camera)
- the image stabilization (optical stabilization for minimizing or ignoring blurring effects of hand shaking)
The key is making sure the lens physically fits into your camera. And again, you don’t have to buy all the different kinds of lenses as you will most likely end up not using all of them. Buy a few, or just rent them. Renting camera accessories and gear is a smart way to try out the equipment without actually buying it, which is something a lot of photographers (newbies and pros as well) take advantage of.
Besides lens, there are other accessories designed to make ‘taking great photos’ much easier. An extra set of battery will ensure you don’t run out of power in a crucial moment, for example. An SSD card will increase your storage capacity, allowing you to experiment and take as much photos as you want without deleting most of them in concern for not having enough space.
Bottom line is, when shopping for camera equipment, you have to pay attention to many things – specifications, compatibility, price, etc. The right gear however, is your one way ticket to making incredible shots. Broaden your horizons to reach beyond the unreachable!
