How to Select the Right Camera – Camera Buyer’s Guide

Buying a camera 100 years ago was an easy process. There wasn’t a huge selection, and all the features were probably very similar. In today’s world, cameras are much more complicated, and come with a huge variety and assortment of features. As if that wasn’t enough, there’s so many different brands to choose from, price ranges, sizes, makes, and models.

Just like buying a car, computer, even a house, there’s so many different factors to take into account when choosing a camera. Let’s get even more complicated when you’re trying to decide whether you should buy a camera from the store, internet, or even your neighbor. The worst part about trying to buy a camera in the store, is that you never know whether the employees is trying to make a quick sale off of you. Add that to the pressure of trying to distinguish what the buttons do, what the price ranges are, and what the individual features do, and you have yourself quite a headache.

The fact that you’re here reading this means that you’re a smart consumer, and your best course of action is definitely to read all the reviews you can online. Instead of going into specific models in this post, we’re going to shed some light on the various makes, models, and styles of cameras.

Our guide will help you to figure out what exactly you’re looking for, which price range is right for you, and what features you need for your photography hobby or job.

There are generally three types of digital cameras: Digital SLRs, interchangeable lens, and point and shoot cameras.

In today’s guide we will be addressing each of these three types of cameras.

Point and Shoot Cameras

The first camera will be discussing today is the point and shoot model. These are the most common that you’ll find in today’s world. They make up approximately 60% of camera sales and for good reason, they are extremely simple to operate.

These types of cameras are especially good for beginners, or for people who are just looking to take some simple and beautiful pictures.

While the cheapest of these cameras can easily be sold for under a hundred bucks, the more advanced version of these cameras can reach into the thousands.

Most cameras in the $100 price range are not going to be a whole lot better than your phone camera. This is especially true if you have a new galaxy or iPhone. They do offer some features that phones do not come with, however. Some of these features are adjustable lenses, sensors, more powerful Flash, image and video stabilization, and many others.

Some of the more advanced point-and-shoot cars are known as Megazooms. These cameras are named Mega zooms because of their impressive ability to zoom in and out quickly and at far distances. This helps you to be able to narrow in on your target quickly and efficiently, helping you to take beautiful pictures on a whim.

The big brother to this camera is known as a bridge camera, these cameras are very similar to Mega zooms, although they offer higher performance, quality, and better sensor technology.

Another camera in this category is known as a compact travel zoom. These cameras as their name suggests are generally smaller and have great Zoom features. They’re excellent for people who are on the go, or traveling, as the name suggests.

If you’re looking to take high-quality pictures at a reasonable price without much fuss look into the mega Zoom or compact cameras. A $400 to $700 price range will include most of the features you are looking for if you’re not a professional photographer. These are great starting cameras and intermediate cameras alike.

Some of these cameras can fetch a very high price tag costing as much as $2,000. These have more professional features, better sensors, low-light functionality, and some other advanced features that might not be needed for someone who is just starting or intermediate.

The only problem with these cameras is in addition to their high-price tag, they’re often a lot bigger than their counterparts.

Luckily as technology improves these cameras are getting smaller and smaller, and the price tag continues to decrease.

This is a stark comparison to even 10 years ago, when bridge cameras were massive and often costed up to $5000.

These types of cameras can definitely capture pictures that are much better and different than smartphones, however smartphones are still a viable option for taking pictures on the go.

Some of the benefits of these cameras is that they often include waterproof, dust proof, and scratch resistant features, making them extremely appealing to people who like to enjoy the outdoors, and outdoor photography.

You may have heard of GoPro cameras before, these are regarded as the king of adventuring cameras, their water resistant, very small, durable, and record excellent video and high quality images.

Point and shoot cameras are no longer as popular as they once were, with the rise of smartphone technology, many people are opting out of carrying a camera around, simply using their smartphones camera instead.

Mirrorless Interchangeable Lens Cameras

These cameras are mid-grade cameras that have many features point and shoot cameras don’t, but still lack features that dlsr cameras often have.

These cameras tend to be quite a bit more expensive, often costing between $1000-$2000. These cameras are a lot better for intermediate to Advanced photographers, offer many more options for taking excellent pictures. These are great cameras for anyone looking to get serious with photography, or simply looking for an upgrade.

These cameras offer many advanced features such as better sensors, advanced performance, better viewfinder systems, and less weight.

A few years ago these camera’s were not as popular, due to their bulkiness, but within the past few years technology has caught up, allowing these cameras to be operated with less weight and more features than before.

With the rise of stronger and faster processors, ILC cameras have become a popular choice for taking high resolution photos.

Within the ILC category there are many types of brands, cameras, and styles. Each company uses their own type of lens, sensor, and options. It’s important to study the camera you are planning on buying, to make sure your choice of lens and hardware are compatible.

Some of these cameras can cost upwards of $12,000, meaning they are for both intermediate and professional photographers alike!

DLSR Cameras

DSLR cameras are the most popular camera for anyone looking to get serious with photography. When you hire a photographer for portraits, family photos, or anything similar, chances are they are using a DLSR camera. They have similar price ranges as ILC cameras, but often come with more features.

The main downside of DSLR cameras is their weight. These camera pack a lot of advanced features, but they also pack a lot of weight. If this doesn’t bother you, then the DSLR camera is probably the right choice for you if you’re looking to get serious.

Out of the box DSLR cameras are price for price much better and higher quality than compact point and shoot cameras, and offer more bang for your buck. With YouTube, and other tutorials online, it’s easy to learn how to use your choice of DLSR camera. This is especially true if you’re looking to start vlogging, or looking for a great vlogging camera. (If you’re looking for our vlogging camera guide be sure to check our latest guide out here:

As mentioned, an added benefit with DLSR cameras is their ability to record HD video. These cameras also have made tremendous advances in lens, stabilization, low-light, and zoom features. In today’s market, their auto focus performance is extremely impressive, especially for sports photography.

The viewfinder on these cameras is stunning and often touted as one of the best, making them a popular favorite. They also have a great battery life, and can easily take thousands of pictures and hours of video without running dry.

While these cameras are often the most pricey, they are well worth the cost, especially if you plan on taking professional pictures or videos.


Overall, the DLSR camera is a favorite pick, as it sports incredible features for a similar price tag to the other models. For someone just looking to get into photography the point and shoot camera is still a viable asset. Smartphones are another popular choice for people who are just looking to get great looking basic pictures, though they don’t come with many options that standalone cameras have.