Pictures, Pictures, Everywhere

Capturing the Image

It is possible to create attractive and memorable images using any type of camera - bought at almost any price - providing you stick within the limits of what the camera can deliver.

Budget Digital Cameras

Here is a small selection from the ever-changing range of cameras available in the UK. Priced at under £200, the most popular category for general use is here >>>

Sports Photos

The switch from film to digital has made it possible for sports and event photographers to take lots more pictures without incurring the costs of film and processing - while also getting  immediate access to the results. A modern digital single-lens reflex (DSLR) camera body fitted with a quality f2.8 lens can take lots of high quality pictures, very quickly. Just one of these cameras can create several thousand images at a single event.

The Ultimate Sports / Action camera - Canon’s 1D Mark II and Mark IIN can take bursts of 40+ images at better than 8 per second with minimal shutter lag. A fast focusing zoom L Series lens with image stabilisation gives a combination with the ability to capture the action all day long.
	Canon EOS 1d MarkII	Canon 70-200 f2.8 L

Image Libraries

The latest top-end digital cameras can provide very high levels of technical quality. They are being increasingly used professionally and the switch to digital images has seen a rapid growth in the range of inspiring images available at leading image libraries such as Alamy Images

Extreme Cameras

If you can afford the best - or at least dream of owning it - then these need to be on your list. They will help you produce some stunning results if you have the talent.

High-resolution portraits / landscapes - the Mamiya ZD creates 22 Megapixel images using lenses from the Mamiya 645 medium format film cameras. But you need to plan for an outlay of £10,000 even if you already have some suitable Mamiya kit. See the samples and check the quality!
	No limits landscapes - the latest Phase One P45 digital back provides 39 Megapixel images and can be mounted on a small selection of quality camera bodies - such as the Hasselblad H2. With a price tag of £23,000 for just the back, the cost of a full outfit is out of reach for anyone without £35,000 spare.
Incredible Panoramas - the Seitz scanning 6x17 camera creates wide-format digital images that are 7,500 x 21,250 - a total of 160 Megapixels. The Roundshot D3 version creates a high definition 360° view in a 7,500 x 62,830 format - making a total image resolution of 470 Megapixels. Allow £20,000 for the basic system components needed for outdoor shooting.