Photo How To

Let's face it: Many of us are constantly chasing the latest innovations in cameras, lenses, and even important accessories. This quick discussion from Adorama TV explores whether you really need a costly pro camera or if a less-expensive mid-range model is more than suffieient for your type of photography.

If the camera you currently own functions properly, with all the features you require, conventional wisdom suggests that you may be better off spending your hard-earned cash on better glass, rather than a new high-end camera.

Today's video was prompted by a query submitted to the Ask David Bergman website, an interesting meeting place where photo enthusiasts can pose questions to the NY-based pro whose replies are based upon 30 years of experience shooting sports, celebrity portraits,  live performances and more.

The question from Jeff G. is this: "I was looking through the Canon R Series lineup and to my surprise the specs of the R3 and R6 Mark II are very similar except for the price. If the specs are close, why would anyone buy the more expensive R3?"  Equally surprising is Bergman's response.

According to Bergman, it's easy to get caught up in the specs listed on paper, and many of them look much the same. However, "there are real-world differences than can be significant. And this is especially true if you're comparing high-end models to mid-range ones." In short, it's not just about megapixels and frames-per-second (fps) because there are other factors that can play a crucial role—one reason why it's important to carefully differentiate between what you want and what you need.

Bergman's intent is to help you make an informed purchasing decision rather than always "going for the gold"—even if you're loaded with cash. And there's much  more to consider than you may think. To that end he makes a distinction between specs and real-world performance.

Topics of note include build-quality and durability, the difference between autofocus systems frame rate and battery life. Bergman also discusses sensor and processor performance, resolution and other high-end options.

He concludes the video with a thoughtful comparison of the two cameras mentioned in the question above. One way to look at it is that you usually get what you pay for. You can view more pertinent photo questions and answers by paying a visit to the Ask David Bergman website. And feel free to pose queries of your own.