The selection of digital cameras for amateurs has increased significantly these days.
New models and new features are constantly being introduced and advertised. The range of film cameras is also regularly updated, making it increasingly difficult for non-technical customers to keep track of the variety.
Furthermore, the same digital camera can be described as a "professional 5-megapixel camera" in one place and an "amateur camera with few features" in another.
Why is this?
The authors of descriptions and reviews include completely different people with different experiences and different evaluation parameters. They may also include advertisers who work for the manufacturer but are far removed from photographic reality. Salespeople, who often have no practical experience with the cameras they sell and rely on magazine reviews and promotional brochures, also add fuel to the fire.
Sometimes a potential buyer visits forums, but their questions usually escalate into flames, confusing them even more.
The reason for this confusion is actually quite simple and harmless: the versatility and numerous meanings of the terms that flow into the arguments and evaluations.
1. As diverse as the subject of photography. It includes people in portrait photography, people in reportage photography, photography in the home, landscapes, architectural structures, animals and birds, micro-objects, and moving objects.
2. There are many styles of photography.
3. There are many criteria for the technical quality of a photograph. Some value details, "every hairline or every petal," while others focus on the right colors, e.g., "pink, healthy skin, but no earthy tones." Some are bothered by color noise, others by colored outlines. Some photographers look for geometric distortions, others for vignetting (or darkening) at the edges, and still others for a beautiful "smearing" of the background in portraits.
4. All kinds of criteria, both for photography comfort and camera functionality.
5. The question of camera cost is also very important. This applies not only to the digital camera itself, but also to the entire process and subsequent consumables. Due to the variety of photography activities, it's not correct to compare only the price of a camera.
Also, keep in mind that while some features are precisely on a scale of better or worse (e.g., cost or color accuracy), others can be judged based solely on the photographer's genre.
Conclusion: Before purchasing a digital camera, decide which of the above factors are important for your work.
And based on these answers, choose a camera that's exclusively suitable for you.