Perhaps the question I am asked more than any other is some variation on “What kind of camera should I buy?” The question below, found on one of the message boards I participate in, is one such question.

I am an amateur photographer based in the US. I need to make a decision between the Nikon D7000 vs Nikon D90. Please help. Also please suggest what lens should I buy.

What follows is a response from one of the other active members of the same forum.

If video isn’t important in your SLR, buy the absolute nicest lens you can buy, leaving just enough to buy a body. If you have enough, then get the best body you can on your budget. Within one company’s lineup, you are pretty safe to assume if it’s more expensive it’s either better, has more features, or usually both. Not always the case, but generally true.

Which lens, is a big question. Assuming anything but the top of the line full frame SLR cameras, I think a good lens focal length for the average person is in the range of 15-85mm zoom, or a 35mm prime. The faster the better, and IS [image stabilization] is a big plus.

If more cheap is the name of the game, everything changes…

I agree with a large part the answer given, but only up to a point. Definitely choose glass over body. It matters a lot more.

The first point I disagree on is making a blind recommendation on lens. What do you want to do with your camera? What do you most like to take pictures of? If that’s birds in the wild, then a wide angle zoom will do you no good. You’ll need a long telephoto. If it’s just about anything in low light, fast maximum aperture is important. If it’s scenic landscapes in wild places like the American west then even 15mm may not be wide enough for you. It depends a great deal on what sort of pictures you take and what you need the lens to do.

The second point I disagree on is format. Everyone talks about “full frame” as though it were the holy grail of photography. It isn’t. ALL cameras are full frame. Every single one of them. They simply have different frame sizes. One side effect of that is magnification. Smaller sensors (APS-C, 4:3, etc) effectively magnify the image over what you’d get from the same focal length on a so-called full frame camera. This can actually be a benefit for certain applications, sports and wildlife being chief among them.

In nearly 30 years of taking pictures, I have never met a photographer whose skill was so exceptional that he was being held back by the equipment he was using. Never. Not even once. No matter what you pick, the gear you hold in your hands will always be capable of delivering more than you will ever be capable of getting out of it. This is even more true now when cameras are so capable. At the DSLR level, there is no such thing as a bad camera. In fact, unless there’s a reason to — for instance, if you already have an investment in good glass or other accessories — don’t just limit yourself to Canon and Nikon. (That’s my third point of contention.) There are plenty of other manufacturers who make wonderful cameras that take beautiful pictures. One of those may serve your needs better or give you more bang for your buck.

Food for thought.

If you’re in the market for a camera, we offer a free buying guide that will help you in deciding what to get. We also have an extensive ebook on the subject of choosing and using lenses.