If camera sales soar during the holidays, so does consumer confusion. The expanding choice of point-and-shoot cameras that line retailers’ shelves can challenge even the most decisive shoppers.
According to Jose Perez, sales manager for 35 mm and medium-format cameras at Helix Camera and Video in Chicago, “The biggest mistake people make is to buy a camera based strictly on its looks.”
It’s no wonder. Many of today’s feature-rich point-and-shoot cameras are designed to be eye-catching. But Perez and other camera retailers advise consumers to look beyond that smooth chrome finish. Ask about the camera’s optics. See if the camera feels comfortable in your hands. Consider the pros and cons of the camera’s features before buying one loaded with extra capabilities you may not need.
For example, zoom lenses, which allow you to take close-ups, are a standard feature on many point-and-shoot cameras. A 38-120 mm zoom lens will get you closer to the action if you’re snapping photos on the sidelines of Little League games, or hoping to zero in on Grandma’s face when she walks through the door at her surprise birthday party. But keep in mind that you’re sacrificing clarity.
According to Ed Evans, owner of Glenview Camera Shop in Glenview, “If you’re at your son’s soccer game and want to zoom in, it’s better than a 35-70 mm, but you have to realize that the definition falls off when you zoom. For sharpness, you’re better off with just plain old 35 mm.”
While most experts agree that a zoom lens is worth owning, they’re less enthusiastic about the panoramic function on point-and-shoot cameras. The manufacturers tout this feature as the ideal way to capture a scene that is too wide to fit into a normal image, such as a sprawling mountain range or a large wedding party.
“Panorama is really a sales feature. Most panorama cameras don’t give you a wider picture; they just give you a skinnier, longer picture,” said Evans. The reason: They use only one frame of 35 mm film.
According to Perez, “A true panorama camera will give you a frame-and-a-half or a two-frame image. What the manufacturers now market as panorama cameras actually cut the top and bottom off the image. Then it gets printed on an 8-by-10 sheet. It’s very misleading.”
The red-eye reduction feature is another function that may not deliver on its promise. With small cameras, the flash is so close to the lens that it can cause a disconcerting reflection that shows up as a tiny red dot on the eyes of the people you’re photographing.
“The manufacturers have tried to reduce or eliminate it, but they haven’t been very successful,” said Evans. “For the red-eye reduction to work at all, people have to look right into the camera. Advanced Photo System (APS) cameras have the best red-eye reduction, but they still don’t get rid of it completely.”
APS cameras are the stylish Lilliputians of the camera world.
“APS camera designs are unique. They’re trendy cameras,” said Perez.
The Konica Revo, for instance, weighs a mere 5 ounces and measures 3 inches by 2 inches. APS cameras are smaller because they use smaller film and lenses–24 mm rather than the standard 35 mm. They range in price from $50 to $400.
In addition to its design, an APS camera’s major selling point is its convenience. It’s easy to tote around. Loading the film is a matter of simply dropping it into the camera.
“APS cameras are popular with people who hate to touch film,” said Paul Legutki, manager of Shutan Camera and Video’s downtown Chicago store. “But one limitation is that if you have something cluttering the background of your photo, you can’t crop it out after you’ve taken the picture. The negative size is too small.”
The smaller image also means lower-quality enlargements. “APS is the perfect camera for you if you don’t blow up your shots very often,” said Perez.
Digital cameras are an option for people who want to send photos over the Internet or post photos on a Web site. “Digital cameras let you e-mail your photos to you family, but they’re also good for people who need to show a photo of merchandise they’re selling on the Web,” said Legutki. “Also, since you don’t have to process the film, you can see the picture immediately.”
Prices for digital cameras have dropped to as low as $300 and image resolution has improved dramatically with the introduction of two-megapixel cameras (which cost in the neighborhood of $1,000). Images are stored on media that are designed to pop into a computer disk drive, either directly or via an adapter. According to Perez, their storage capacities are growing, “There’s a mini-hard disk coming out soon that will give you one gigabyte of memory–enough for thousands of pictures,” he said.
For the majority of consumers who still opt for a film-based point-and-shoot camera, what’s the best buy? Legutki recommends Konica, Pentax and Yashica cameras with zoom lenses. If you want to combine quality and style, he suggests the Canon Sure Shot 120 Classic. “It’s more classically styled than their previous models. It’s got a nice chrome-finish body. It sells for about $250 and has a 38-120 mm zoom,” he said.
Evans favors German-made Rollei cameras. “They sell for $200 to $1,200. We feel they’re a better value because they have better optics and camera mechanics,” he said. The Rolleis come with a three-year warranty, compared to the one-year warranty from most other manufacturers. “That shows you they know their product is well made,” added Evans.
Perez also recommends looking for German optics. “You may have to pay more and you may get fewer features, but in the long run you get better optical quality,” he said. Perez notes that certain Samsung cameras have high-quality Schneider optics. “But be careful where you buy the Samsung cameras. They make two that are almost identical except for the optics,” he said. “To get the Schneider optics, you have to go to a specialty dealer.”
To help improve your picture-taking, consider investing in some low-cost accessories. For instance, if the photographer in your family is always left out of the pictures because the camera’s self-timer is too awkward to use, a remote-controlled shutter release, known as a wireless remote, is a convenient alternative.
“It allows you to put the camera down on a table or a tripod, push a button and it will fire,” said Perez. “Most camera self-timers give you only 10 seconds to run back in front of the camera and make sure everyone’s posed. With a wireless remote, you have all the time you need.”
Before buying an accessory, check to see if it’s included in a kit. Manufacturers often package cameras in kits that contain extras like a wireless remote, a camera case and an extended warranty, all for $20 to $30 more than the price of the camera by itself.
As dazzling as today’s equipment is, no amount of technological wizardry can replace good photography skills. Consider taking a photography course so you can learn to make the most of your new camera.
According to Barbara Kasten, professor of photography at Columbia College in Chicago: “Often people just shoot away and don’t think about composition and what the camera can really do to aid in composition. People don’t think about how the light is hitting the subject, how shadows can be interesting. Cameras today are very sophisticated, but the person behind the camera is still the most important element.”
