You are a fledgling shutterbug who simply wants to take family and event photos that are a cut or two above point-and-shoot level, or if you are a seasoned professional, finding the right camera takes research and consideration.
Online sellers such as FocusCamera.com make your search easier and simpler. Find all the possible cameras and gear that you have in mind then compare prices among the most popular brands and models.
Choose from the best digital SLR cameras from Canon, Nikon, Leica, Cerevo and many others. For those looking for point-and-shoot, Canon and Brinno are the top reliable sellers on the market. Video cameras include brands such as Brinno, Canon, Bell and Howell, Sony and GoPro. Get real-time action of one-of-a-kind events for friends and family members that you can relive over and over again. You can also check my article “What to Check Before Buying a DSLR?“
Extra gear is often a must, so you can get that perfect shot at the soccer field or dance recital. Shop for the best in zoom lenses to make sure you get crisp details no matter how far you are from the action.
Though cameras are the main focus, you will also find telescopes, microscopes, binoculars, spotting scopes and other field tools that don’t involve capturing an image as much as simply having a better view of something in the distance or something too small for the human eye.
Additionally, look for secure and reliable gear bags to accommodate all of your camera equipment. Make sure to check out the tripods and other accessories.
Auto-focus can be a lifesaver at times, especially when things are happening very quickly. But sometimes auto-focus can be very annoying. For some shots it will focus on the right part of your subject, but then the very next shot it may choose to focus on everything but what you would like it to.
It may focus on something far and away into the background or a subject very close to you like a person’s shoulder who is standing in a profile pose, causing their head to be out of focus. This often happens at weddings, when a bride is holding her bouquet in front of her, and you end up with her facial features blurry and out of focus but the bouquet looks great.
Sure, you could avoid this problem by always using manual focus, and you should use manual focus whenever possible but, there are other simple solutions to the problem. Now there are two ways to lock your focus and prevent your camera from auto-focusing on the wrong part of your subject:
1. Set your auto-focus point to the center spot, then point this spot at your subject or at a specific spot in your scene if you are taking a pictorial photograph. Then press your shutter button half-way down. Do not press it completely down yet. Then, while still holding your shutter button half-way, recompose your shot and press the button completely down, and take your photograph.
2. A second method which is good for pictorial photographs is to auto-focus as you normally do, but once your camera focuses on the right spot, just switch off auto-focus on your lens, changing to manual focus. Your lens will keep the current focus when you do this. Now you can take your photograph and your focusing point will stay fixed.
Having your auto-focus chase, or move back and forth, can be very annoying. This can cause you to become frustrated and miss some potentially great shots. But if your eyesight is less than perfect, like mine, these tricks will improve your success rate once you work with them a little.
