When you have your first child? When your kids start playing sports? When you hobby requires it? When do you know when it is time to trade in your current camera for one that has more bells and whistles?
The answer: When you become consistently displeased with your pictures. At least that’s what did it for me.
Let me back up a bit.
My grandfather was a professional photographer. A year before he died (nearly 10 years ago) he bought me a Nikon camera for my birthday. It was a major upgrade from my well-worn (but very trustworthy) Ricoh, which I used to document my college memories. (Note: this was well before the digital photo phenomenon swept the country). My new Nikon had a multitude of features my old camera didn’t including a power zoom, high shutter speed, enhanced flash control, etc. It was (is) a wonderful camera. I didn’t dream of getting a new one even after I got married (it did an incredible job capturing candid wedding and honeymoon shots) and had my first baby.
Yes, you read right. Even when I learned I was pregnant I didn’t run out and buy a new camera. It wasn’t until my daughter was about four months old that I began to seriously consider upgrading. So what took me so long? My pictures were consistently clear and vibrant. It wasn’t until I grew frustrated with not being able to capture “the moment” that I started researching new camera options.
I admit I am not professional photographer; however, I have been around cameras long enough to know when a bad picture is the result of operator error (or inexperience) and when the camera is the source of the problem. I’m not saying that my Nikon was a bad camera; I am merely saying that it did not have the features that allowed me to capture the shots I wanted.
After months of researching I decided to purchase the Canon EOS Rebel K2. It had improvements such as faster shutter speeds, better auto focus, LCD data panel and oversized command dial, and a variety of custom shooting modes my Nikon didn’t have. These functions enabled me to capture my daughter’s milestones without the needless frustration I experienced with my old camera. Don’t get me wrong; I still have a ton of not-so-perfect pictures (which are often the result of uncooperative children and are to be expected when shooting any moving target); however, they are not blurry or trashy-worthy because of bad lighting. When you have a camera that is equipped with a mode for tracking moving subjects (with a maximum speed of 2.5 frames per second) you are bound to get a better shot than with a camera that doesn’t have the same feature.
So back to my question: When do you know when to upgrade your camera? Consider these points:
Your Subject. Are your pictures blurry? Are you shooting more action shots (e.g. you son just started playing soccer or your daughter is a competitive gymnast) that require a faster shutter speed?
Your Environment. Do you find yourself consistently shooting in an environment where your lighting is compromised?
Your Experience. Do you have the desire (and patience) to learn how to use all of the features most high-end cameras include? Are your photo subjects consistently missing heads or other body parts? If so, perhaps, you should enroll in a photography class because no matter what kind of camera you purchase it will not restore missing body parts that have been cut off because of your framing techniques.
Your Budget. Do you have an extra $200 to drop on a camera that features more bells and whistles?
Bottom line: If you are happy with the way your pictures turn out, stick with what you have.