Small business owner: how to choose the right camera

Have you been browsing online for system cameras and closed your browser, deciding that you'll be fine with your phone camera for a while? So many small business owners know that the key to better marketing images would be a system camera, but getting one seems like an insurmountable task. 

There really are cameras to choose from. And it's the breadth of choice that makes finding the right one so difficult. If you don't know much about cameras, it's easy to get lost in the range and technical descriptions of online shops. How on earth would it be possible to choose the right equipment for you and your own shooting needs if you don't even understand the abbreviations in the product descriptions?

We have worked with small business owners for a long time and know exactly how hopelessly difficult that choice can feel. We also know that entrepreneurs are best served by an easy-to-use camera that's chosen specifically for your photography needs. 

Read below for four questions to help you get off to a good start when choosing a camera - and at the end of the article, there are also some specific tips on the different camera brands that will suit many small business owners. 

4 questions about choosing a camera

1. What is your budget?

Think about the maximum amount you want to invest in the camera and lens together. You don't necessarily need thousands of euros for these purchases, but you can get by with hundreds - your budget could be €300, €500 or €1000, for example. 

2. Do you carry your camera with you?

Where will you take most of your photos? If you want to carry your camera with you, it should be light and compact. If, on the other hand, you'll be taking most of your photos at work, the size or weight of the camera won't matter so much.

3. What kind of objects do you photograph?

What kind of pictures do you primarily need a camera for? Are you a hairdresser who wants better pictures of your clients or perhaps an interior designer who shoots interiors? Do you like to shoot small details or landscapes? Different subjects require different camera+lens combinations, so your main subjects will determine your choice.

4. Do you want a camera from a specific manufacturer?

Some of us are attracted to a particular brand of camera, and that's fine - for others, it doesn't matter. But camera brand is one way of narrowing down the options. If you know the brand, below are our recommendations for four different brands. These are all models that will suit many small business owners because of their price and features. 

? Olympus PEN E-PL10: Olympus is the brand we most often recommend to small business owners. Olympus PEN E-PL -series cameras offer excellent value for money, and for as little as €600 you can get a camera body and lens that will get you off to a good start.

? Canon M 50 mark II: Canon's model for the entrepreneur is the compact size M50 Mark II - this is the most affordable Canon camera with bluetooth/wifi, which allows you to quickly transfer photos to your phone.

? Sony A6400: Sony A6400 is an affordable, compact camera with all the essential features you need (including transferring pictures to your phone via wifi). Sony is known for being able to raise the ISO to high levels before graininess starts to show up in the images.

? Fujifilm X-S10: Fujifilm X-S10 is slightly more expensive than the other camera models mentioned above, but it's a good general model for a beginner to shooting with a system camera. Many professional photographers rely on Fuji because it reproduces tones really well.

If you're a small business owner and need tips on how to take better photos for social media and use them to attract more customers - join our email list!