Main Page     Medium     Format     35mm AF     35mm Manual     Focus     Point and     Shoot     Equipment     Reviews     Links

The Autofocus Debate: Entry Level Cameras      Looking for a good camera? You might want to think twice before buying any of the entry-level models. While they are a step above a point and shoot, they aren't really very good SLRs, and if you are at all serious about photography you will outgrow one of these cameras in six months or less. This includes the Canon Rebel, Minolta 400si, Nikon N60, and similar cameras from other brands. Why do I feel this is the case? For a number of reasons.      First and foremost, the construction quality is quite low, as everyone is trying to make their camera smaller, lighter, and cheaper than everyone else. The Nikon N60 is the best of the current entry-level cameras, but it costs more than the others and even it doesn't have nearly as good construction as the N70 and other higher-end bodies. The entry-level cameras have so much lightweight plastic that they are easier to break, and simply do not have the potential to last a long time under anything more than occasional use. In fact, I have seen point and shoot cameras that cost far less than an entry-level SLR and offer far better construction (take a look at the Konica Big Mini to see what I mean).      Second, the entry-level cameras don't really have good features. They have the basics, but that's it. There are very few additional features or options to allow you to get into more advanced photography. Also, the way the cameras are built, you often get mirror lag. This means that after you press the button, the motion of the mirror prevents the shutter from firing immediately. The picture is actually taken a half-second or so later. How much difference can that 1/2 second make? If you're doing ANY sort of action photography, it's the difference between getting the shot and getting absolute junk. In a recent issue of Popular photography, a woman was complaining about this very problem with her point and shoot, and I find it unforgivable that similar shutter lag problems exist in the entry-level SLRs.      Finally, the point of getting an SLR is to get a better camera than a point and shoot. However, with the lackluster construction quality and limited features, spending $400 or so on an entry-level SLR doesn't give you much better quality than a point and shoot. Yes, you get interchangeable lenses, but that's all.      So my opinion of the entry-level cameras is this: If you want a point and shoot type camera that you can change lenses on, then the entry level SLRs such as the Canon Rebel are a great buy. However, if you intend to do any sort of serious photography, buy an upper end model. If you don't, you'll only lose money when you outgrow the entry-level camera and upgrade to a better model (and believe me, you can outgrow one of the entry-level models after only six months).