Beloit has always been a very exciting place to photograph. Being in the Midwest, you are given your choice of 4 complete seasons - each one offering dynamic possibilities for photography. As a student, I was always in awe of Chuck Savage's work and friendly personality - you don't always find they go hand in hand. It has been so much fun taking photos for Beloit - and every event gets me excited to look for a new piece of equipment to get for next year's homecoming or reunion! You can get overwhelmed, and I have to remember what many pros have told me, all the best equipment won't make a good photographer! However, sometimes you do need to upgrade, so I have come up with a list of places I find helpful...
ABT.com, wolfcamera.com, target.com
Before you start to research, you may want to get a feel for what SIZE of a camera you are comfortable with. The internet can give you all the specs of the insides, but nothing beats the feel of the camera. Sometimes people with bigger hands don't like the little buttons, sometimes 5 pounds sounds light until you pick up a 5 pound camera and realize that a 10 hour hike with that weight around your neck will NOT be comfortable. I would suggest going to Wolf Camera if you have photographic questions, their sales staff seems to be very knowledgable and interested, not just there for the sale.
dpreview.com
If I can't decide on which lens or camera might fit your needs, I ALWAYS refer to the in-depth reviews from dpreviews.com. You can compare different cameras in a side-by-side comparison grid, or read the very in-depth reviews and view sample galleries.
amazon.com
Amazon is always a good place to check what the real going prices are, as well as real-world customer reviews. Unlike dpreview, Amazon reviews are to be taken with a grain of salt as they might very well be a rep from the manufacturer giving 5 stars, or a competitor giving 1 star. I can usually get a more hands-on feel for the camera with Amazon, however, because people will write reviews about very detailed problems or strong factors for cameras, lenses, batteries, etc. I would advise against purchasing a camera with no reviews yet.
porters.com
Porters is a friendly, smaller company that usually can offer you great prices, and you can actually talk with someone, unlike the HUGE companies. They may not have everything available, but they may have some fun obscure specials, and they also offer printable tips on how to be a better photographer.
bhphotovideo.com
If you are looking for high end, or expensive Pro equipment, I would suggest B+H out of New York. This place is usually only for the pros, but you can get almost anything available there. They have EVERYTHING!
Email DavidB to chat about cameras, photography or design!