In this time of photographic industry turmoil, when we are spoiled by the most incredible equipment ever made for photography…how good is good enough? I will deposit almost every mirrorless and DSLR camera out there could meet the needs of 90% of the family photographers like me out there. Just a fact…so what is the best choice for you? So I am using the following process to evaluate my needs:

1) Size of the Body: Too small and it slips out of your hands and does not balance lenses right. Too large and you don’t want to take it very far.

2) Size of the logical lenses you will purchase: Simple Physics. Fast glass has to be big. The motors to move this fast glass fast have to be big. The slower the lighter, and usually less expensive and less capable in lower lighting situations. Also ask yourself if they system you are buying into even has the lenses you want.

3) Does the sensor meet the needs of where you will be shooting? Most people do not photograph in the pitch black. Photography is the art of capturing light and balancing with shadows. We need something to work with. So sometimes the smallest sensor cameras work perfectly, while others may need big pixel light gathering hogs catch the little amount out photons you see.

4) Color Grading and Output Size: If a camera needs extensive tweaking to reach your minds eye on color grading it may mean more post processing until you get your in camera tweaking right. Frankly for some people a camera will just not make it easy to reach their desired endstate. Where are you putting your output? If you post to be seen on phones…you don’t need huge pixel counts. If you want a billboard you’ll be paying for big glass and a big sensor pixel count.

5) Ergonomics: Each manufacturer has a philosophy. I hate to say it, but make sure your brain and hands work they lay it out for you. Inside the ergonomics…consider the menu system. Can you work it out with a little bit of work?

6) Autofocus: If it does not focus intuitively, quickly and then close the shutter properly you miss the decisive moment. Everything else can be perfect, but if you miss the shot for the type of photography you are doing you might as well keep the camera in the closet at home.

Now take these six things and you’ll suddenly realize no camera line up is perfect. Some have color you’ll probably never have to play with, but have mismatched lens sizes for your needs. Some cameras will autofocus like THE CHAMP, but not have a very mailable color profile. Some rational lens sets for a specific camera system will simply be too big for you to carry all day long.

It will however give you some idea of what will work most of the time for you. If you need something special for the rare occasion, rent or borrow it. Who knows what will come in the future? What companies will survive to see the end of COVID insanity? It really does not matter too much to the casual shooter, except to dent our pride in the gear. Until then…shoot and publish. In the end no one cares what you shoot, just that you can produce.

-ehw