Published on August 22nd, 2018 | by Sunit Nandi

3 Camera Buying Tips for Instagrammers

You’re probably aware of the incredible numbers of Instagram: 58 million photos uploaded on a daily basis, 1.7 billion likes given per day, more than 1 billion monthly active users! In such a crowded space, how can you possibly get yourself noticed? Well, the fact is that there are as many ways to stand out as there are Instagram filters available to users, but today we’re going to focus on just one: the camera.

While you can take great images with your iPhone camera, it isn’t powerful enough to capture the stunning images you see on leading Instagram accounts. If you are serious about improving your Instagram feed and want to take your visuals to the next level, you need to purchase a professional camera. When you get one with interchangeable lenses, it’ll also enable you to change shutter speed, lighting exposure and several other settings to perfect your images.

However, choosing the right camera for Instagram photography can be a hassle if you don’t know what to look for. Plus, most cameras are priced at several hundred dollars. Hence, it helps to know what features you need when you go to buy or rent a camera. Keeping that in mind, here’s a look at the considerations people usually take into account when making a purchase.

1. Aperture

Aperture informs how wide the camera lens’ opening is, thereby determining how much light is accommodated by the camera. The f-stop scale describes it. What’s an F-Stop? Basically, it is an aspect of the three components that form the exposure triangle in the photography universe. The “f” refers to the focal length, and the number that follows is the focal length’s fraction which reveals the size of an aperture. The best cameras have an aperture of f/2.8, allowing ample light to pass through.

2. ISO

This controls how sensitive the sensor of the camera is to lighting. Increased sensitivity means the buyer can shoot in low-light conditions without relying on flash. The ideal cameras for Instagram imagery will be the ones that provide ISO 1500 or above. However, we should mention that high ISOs can result in grainier photos and colored speckles (more noise). Fortunately, cameras have gotten better at managing noise levels, meaning buyers can get usable images even with high ISO cameras. As a best practice, take a look on the internet to see if you can find some photos captured with different ISOs. If they’re granny at low settings, you may want to get a different model.

3. Weight

Essentially, cameras in the same category have similar weights. If you’re explicitly getting one for Instagram imagery, consider one that you can carry with you everywhere. It could mean a slight trade-off in image quality, but at least you’ll be in command. Nikon D3300 is one example of a versatile, lightweight camera. If the camera is so heavy that you need to carry it in a backpack, it’ll only limit your creativity when it comes to taking fascinating images on Instagram (imagine jumping high with a backpack).

Whether you’re an experienced Instagrammer looking to upgrade your equipment or someone who just wants to capture better images to share on the platform, there is a camera out there for your needs.

Tags: buying, camera, DSLR, instagram, instagrammers, tips

About the Author

Sunit Nandi I'm the leader of Techno FAQ. Also an engineering college student with immense interest in science and technology. Other interests include literature, coin collecting, gardening and photography. Always wish to live life like there's no tomorrow.