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Choosing a SLR

With so many SLRs available today, it can be challenging to find the one right for you. It is important to get a camera that has enough features to do what you need but not ones with too many which are usually expensive. Use the guidelines below to find an effective SLR for your needs.

Choosing a Body

What to consider:

Max Shutter Speed:	How fast can your shutter go? A shutter that can open for 1/2000 sec. or 1/4000 sec. can stop movement better and supports faster film in bright conditions.
Exposure Controls:	What exposure settings can I control? A modern SLR should have a choice of aperture or shutter priority and full manual. For easy shooting, get a camera with exposure programs which automatically choose both aperture size and shutter speed.
AF System:	How's it work? A three-point crosscut autofocusing system does a good job focusing, even on off-center subjects.
Weight:	Is it lightweight? Lighter, more compact cameras are easier to hold and to take sharp pictures with longer shutter speeds.
Built-in flash:	Do you want one? If you don't take many low light photos that need a flash, get one. If you take a lot of indoor photos, spend the extra money for a real flash for longer range and less redeye.
Continuous Film Advance:	How fast can you shoot? Especially in sports photography, it may be important to take photos rapidly. A continuous film advance of 2 or 4 frames per second is good.

Choosing a Lens

What to consider:

Type of Mount:	Is the lens made for your camera? Every brand camera has its own mount types.
Lens Speed:	What's the largest aperture size? A "fast lens" smallest f number (largest size) is normally f 2.8 or f 1.8. The larger the aperture, the faster the shutter speeds are.
Focusing Ring:	Is it easy to focus manually? Now that most SLRs are auto-focus, focus rings are smaller and harder to use.

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