Which Brand Is the Best?
A lot of people decide on a brand before purchasing a new
camera or a lens, believing that one brand is better than the rest. This might be true
when comparing major brands with less known companies. However, all major manufactures
produce equally good cameras and lenses as well as other accessories. Canon, Contax,
Leica, Minolta, Nikon, and Pentax are the major manufacturers of cameras, with Olympus
continuing its fine line of manual focus cameras and lenses. Sigma, Tamron, and Tokina are
the top three independent lens manufacturers. When it comes to choosing a camera, first you should look for the features that you think will help you with your photography and then look for a brand or model that includes those features. As I have said before, camera brands or models have no effect whatsoever on the final photograph. Good pictures can be made with any model. Camera makers own line of lenses are usually more expensive than independent lens makers, but this doesn't necessary mean they are better. The top three independent lens manufacturers produce equally good lenses. When you are buying a lens, check both your camera manufacturer's and independent lens makers line of lenses, and look for maximum aperture of the lens you want to purchase as well as close focusing distance, sharpness, and how well the lens is built, and price.
If you are just starting photography and haven't built-up your system, carefully check the line of available lenses and accessories by different brands. It is best to go with a brand that offers a large selection of lenses and accessories. A wide range of lenses including wide angle to super telephoto in various speeds should be available, as well as different flash units, teleconverters, and macro lenses. This is not to say that you need to buy all of these equipment, but sometime in the feature you might need a 400mm f-2.8 or a fast 24mm f-2 lens. It is better to go with a system that offers the lenses you think you will need. If you already have built a system, don't trade your equipment and change brands because your camera manufacturer doesn't offer a lens or a flash you want. Check independent manufacturers to see if they offer the equipment you are looking for. It is also very tempting to want to buy a new camera that just came out by a different brand. Every brand has at least one model that I would love to have, not to mention another lens or two, but I have learned to control my temptations and saved myself from going bankrupt. Buying a new camera or lens won't guarantee better pictures.
Don't be fooled by people who complain about a certain brand of camera or lens. These people most likely don't know how to use their equipment properly, and it is much easier to blame the equipment than themselves. True that all manufacturers have had a camera or a lens with problems, but this doesn't mean all their products are bad. Learn to use your own equipment and buy a new camera or lens if you truly believe it will improve your photography. I recently saw a documentary on snow leopards. This old man had been photographing snow leopards all his life using an old camera I never even heard of with only a 50mm lens. He had knowledge of his subjects and had gained their trust. The leopards would let him get very close, allowing him to take tight shots. I would not dare shoot these leopards with anything less than a 600mm lens, and that is from the inside of my car.