1. Figured Out What I Was Going To Be Photographing

I bought my first camera based upon price, well price and brand recognition. It was a Canon T3i and I believe I paid $500+ for it. I absolutely hated it! The hate initiated because I sucked, but I quickly blamed it on what my camera couldn't do vs what other cameras could do. Immediately after seeing bad results, I went towards a full-frame, I then went for faster glass. Before you know it, I had a Canon 6D with an 85mm f/1.4 lens. My setup was sick, I was getting insane bokeh, but I also presented myself as a street photographer and the bulky combination of this full frame camera and 85mm focal length just didn't make sense.

I eventually swapped everything for a smaller mirrorless base setup but had I been self-aware of what I wanted to shoot I would have been able to make that decision much sooner. Now here's the thing, not everyone is going to come out of the gate swinging, meaning you all won't know which genre of photography is suited for you, but it's safe to say you will have a general idea.

For example, if you don't see yourself using video AT ALL, well then maybe cool it on all the 4K options. If 4K recording abilities come with your camera, AWESOME! But, I wouldn't be checking that box when it came to requirements for your main body.

Related: Here's Every Camera I Owned

2. Lenses Are More Important Than Camera Bodies