CHOOSING THE RIGHT CAMERA FOR YOUR FAMILY PHOTOS

How to Choose the Right Camera for Your Family Photography

If you are looking to purchase a new camera, there are a number of factors to consider. With so many options available to you, it can be hard to decide what camera to choose. If you’re interested in family photography and want to up your game to produce professional-looking images, it’s time to think seriously about the equipment you’re going to want to use to make it happen. From cell phones to professional DSLR cameras, the variety of cameras options available to you can be both exciting and overwhelming at the same time.

Your Smartphone as a Camera

Your smart phone is going to take decent pictures of you and your family, especially if the subjects in your photos are going to pose for you without moving around too much. Most people find that smartphone photography produces good enough quality for sharing family snapshots on social media, but the technology isn’t enough to take their photography to the next level. There are a number of tools and accessories, such as mini tripods and clip-on lenses, that can help you take better pictures with your smartphone, but it will take a bit of research to uncover ways to maximize image quality. If you’re serious about family photography but want to stick with your smartphone as a camera, take some time to research ways to take the best images possible.

Point and Shoot Cameras for Ease

Point and shoot cameras, named so because you simply focus on your subject and take the picture, are lightweight, small, and fit easily into a pocket or bag. The images you get from point and shoot cameras will generally be a little higher in quality than a smartphone, but slow shutter speeds restrict their versatility. For example, if your subject is moving, the slower shutter speed of your point and shoot might create a blurry image that will be hard to fix if you choose to edit the photo later on.

Up Your Game With Hybrid Mirrorless Cameras

If you want to begin creating images that have a professional look, it's time to upgrade from a smartphone or point and shoot camera. Hybrid mirrorless cameras are still lightweight and generally more affordable compared to DSLR cameras, and allow you to use interchangeable lenses to take a crack at macro or long distance photography. Mirrorless cameras are great for producing clear images if there’s lots of movement, they’re easy to carry and have large sensors that will help you create dynamic images that are easy to edit later on.

DSLR Cameras Make Amateurs Look Like Professionals

The range of DSLR cameras is huge. All major camera manufacturers make a DSLR camera that suits any budget or skillset. These cameras have incredible fast shutter speeds to produce the highest-quality images. While each DSLR will take images much faster than any of the other above cameras, the differences between low-end and high-end cameras is most noticeable in DSLR cameras. If you’re shooting images in low light situations, for example, you will likely need a higher-end DSLR than if you are simply shooting images outside in great light.

In addition to choosing the right camera, there are also considerations you can make related to lenses and flash equipment that you can easily work into your budget. These are also great things to buy second-hand. In many cases, high-end lenses are being sold by experienced photographers at a much more affordable price that you might find at a photography retailer while delivering the same quality as a brand new unit.

While you may get a great shot once in awhile with a smartphone, DSLR cameras are going to give you consistent, high-quality images of your family. Taking your family photography to the next level doesn’t have to break the bank. But you will want to be conscious of the fact that, with cameras, you get what you pay for. In most cases, spending a little more on a higher-quality camera will go along way in taking pictures of your family to the next level.