Shutter Bug

Things to know before upgrading your camera

There comes a point in many scrapbookers’ lives when they’re no longer satisfied with their point-and-shoot digital cameras. They save up their money and upgrade to a DSLR model, with hopes of achieving better color, enjoying a shorter shutter delay, and trying their hand at different lenses. And while a DSLR will open up a whole new world for your family photography, it also opens up a whole new world of questions.

Whether you’re thinking of buying a new camera or you simply want to learn how to use the DSLR you already have, I hope you’ll benefit from a few basic tips that I wish someone had shared with me when I was getting started.

Say No to the Kit Lens

I get quite a few emails with questions from folks who are thinking about buying a new DSLR. And it’s amazing to me that the number one suggestion that I make is rarely taken. Whenever someone is looking to seriously upgrade their camera, I always suggest that they buy the camera body, without the kit lens. (Unless they plan to use their DSLR as a point-and-shoot, that is. In which case, why upgrade?) Especially on entry-level DSLR cameras, the lenses that come with the camera body can be pretty low quality. You’ll pay more for a separate lens, but it will be far better quality, and you’ll be able to select a lens that does exactly what you want it to do. When I bought my last two DSLRs, I bought the camera bodies and chose which lenses I wanted to add to my bag.

(Note: if you’re jumping right into a higher-end DSLR model, and after researching it, you discover that the kit lens has the functionality you’re looking for and it’s a good-quality lens, then go for it! The point is to do your research first and know what you’re buying.)

Rent Before You Buy

Renting lenses is a great way to figure out which lenses are right for your photography goals. My local camera shop rents many different types of equipment, and there are several online rental sites as well, such as borrowlenses.com, tryandbuylens.com , or lensgiant.com . Test-driving lenses before I buy has been a tremendous help in weeding out lenses that aren’t what I need and discovering those lenses that have turned out to be my favorite. When I do rent lenses, I try to remember to really experiment by shooting the same shot with different lenses and comparing the results.

Buddy Up

I also think it’s important to have at least two lenses in your repertoire that do different things. My go-to lenses are my Canon 50 mm f/1.4 and my Canon 24-105 mm f/4 L . (Clearly, I’m a Canon fan.) I love my 50mm for low-light, indoor portraits and cloudy gloomy days. And my 24-105 L is my most versatile lens; I use it more than any other. I can make it work for sports, large groups, and even portraits. I have a couple of other lenses that I use for more specific situations, but I think most photographers have their 2 or 3 favorites.

5 Shots Using My Favorite Lenses

Example #1

Specs:

50 mm 1.4 lens, ISO 640, shutter speed 1/250, aperture f/3.5

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This shot was taken indoors with window light on a very gloomy day. That is one of the reasons I like this lens. It allows me to take indoor shots on a less than spectacular day. I do like the small depth of field on this shot (focusing mostly on the hair bow and blurring out from there).

Example #2

Specs:

85 mm 1.8 lens, ISO 400, shutter speed 1/100, aperture f/2.5

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This lens is one that I don’t use as often as I thought I would, but after doing this shoot, I think I’ll use it more! I don’t want to get too technical here, but I know that I like the range with the 85mm lens more when I use it with my full-frame Canon 5D camera. (I didn’t like it as well when I used it with my Canon 20D.) So I do need to pull this lens out more often now!

Example #3

Specs:

85 mm 1.8 lens, ISO 400, shutter speed 1/125, aperture f/2.5

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The thing that I think most people have a hard time adjusting to with a prime or fixed lens (no zoom), is that you have to use your feet as your zoom. For the sample before this one, I was standing fairly close to Lauren. But for this shot, I backed up halfway across the room. I personally like to be moving because I see different angles and perspectives when I’m moving with my feet and not depending on a zoom lens. Because it was so overcast and dark, we found this nice little puddle of light and used it. I like the way that the shot from this distance sort of highlights the light.

Tip: I like to take some shots that have something quirky about them, like the electrical outlet near Lauren’s shoulder. I once took a shot of a bride and groom with a really cool architectural building, and a garden hose happened to be hooked up to the building. I thought about editing it out, but in the end, that hose and the contrast it presented made that shot even better in my eyes. Have fun and experiment when you are taking photos! If they are all too much alike, what fun is that? (See a few examples of quirky contrasts on my blog!)

Example #4

Specs:

24-105 L lens, ISO 400, shutter speed 1/125, aperture f/5.6

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After shooting indoors on the four previous shots, we decided to brave the cold weather and shoot a few outside. As we drove to our destination, the sun popped out, and since it was just before sunset, the light was golden and beautiful! These were perfect conditions, particularly with this lens. I would say this lens is the most versatile lens I’ve owned so far. (I would love to have a huge variety of high quality lenses, but right now, I’m trying to keep my costs reasonable. So the sample shots I’ve shown are with what I consider to be very affordable equipment.)

Example #5

Specs:

50mm 1.4 lens, ISO 400, shutter speed 1/200, aperture f/4.0

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As you’re considering taking your photography to the next level, don’t forget that there is more to taking better photos than just upgrading your camera and buying quality lenses. I invested a ton of time studying online, asking questions to experienced photographers, and taking a few hands-on classes. I’ve appreciated all the help I’ve gotten with my photography in the past, and now I’d like to pay it forward!

To help you get a head start on your photography, I teamed up with Elisha Snow and Kelly Noel in writing an eBook all about improving your portraits! It covers everything from infants to toddlers to adults to group shots to pets, and you’ll love it. Watch for this exciting new title in April.

For more of Becky Novacek’s stunning photographs and wise perspective, visit her blog.