I’ve wanted to get a professional camera for a while (the ones with the huge lens), but I still have to save up enough money (it’s hard to have money when you’re 14 and without a job). I wanted to know the differences between professional cameras and digital cameras, like why do professional cameras create amazing photos, but digital cameras make crappy ones?
And do you know if there are any ways to make digital camera pictures look as good as professional camera pictures?
Thanks!
Sorry, I guess I should have mentioned that I’m taking photography class
a couple things you should become aware of:
1–the camera does not make the photo, the photographer does, however, once you know what you want to tell the camera to do, you have to have a camera that will do it. point and shoot cameras are designed to be easy to use for someone who doesn’t know what they are doing, hence they do not have the controls or emphasis on quality that a camera built for someone who knows what they are doing does. a good photographer can take a good photo with a $5 camera or a $50,000 camera. a student needs to learn on something that costs from $100-$700 in order to learn enough to operate the $5 and $50,000 cameras though.
2–before buying a more capable camera, you need to learn about them enough to understand why you want one. a "huge lens" is not always desired or necessary for example. if you simply run out with your current level of knowledge and buy an expensive camera, you will end up buying something that doesn’t do what you need it to and could end up spending money unnecessarily as well as learning poor technique. so my point here is much like the first one. educate yourself. quality photography is first about the photographer’s knowledge, second about the equipment used.
3–since you are not a professional, you don’t need a professional camera. you are a student so you need a student camera. and likely, what you think is a professional camera, is not. professional dslr’s cost well over $1000, more like $2000 and up. student dslr’s cost around $600 but probably look like professional cameras to you. 35mm slr’s are only around $150 but can produce professional looking images too.
4–the differences between pro and consumer cameras are numerous but the main difference you need to concentrate on right now is getting a camera that you can use in full manual. this means that you don’t use any auto features and you have to set all the settings yourself based on your knowledge. you need to learn manual white balance, iso, aperture, shutter and focus. learning to control each of these things individually and being able to decide when to effectively use auto features and accessories is what divides professionals from snapshooters.
good luck and start reading! read a basic photography manual, photo magazines and talk to local photographers and camera sales people. much of what is said will be over your head but you will start to understand as you immerse yourself in things. taking a photo class of course is vital too.