Good Cameras For Beginners – A Photographer’s List

If you’re starting the process of learning photography, or you have a big trip or milestone coming up, it may be time to purchase a new (or new to you) camera. Yay! But also, where should you even start? Let’s walk through some options for good cameras for beginners. What should you look for when purchasing a beginner camera.

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TL/DR: Good Cameras For Beginners List

• What are good cameras for beginners?
  • Crop-sensor (APS-C) mirrorless cameras are good cameras for beginners due to their better affordability and compact size, which makes users more likely to bring them along for outings.
• As a photographer, my top beginner camera pick:
  • The Sony Alpha a6400 (or it’s more affordable little brother the Sony Alpha a6100).
• Should beginner photographers purchase a camera bundled with a lens?
  • For better image quality, avoid bundles that pair a cheap “kit” lens with the camera body. Instead purchase an upgraded lens like the Sigma 18-50mm F2.8 or Sigma 30mm F1.4. (These will be roughly equivalent to a 27mm-75mm and 45mm respectively on a full frame camera). Both of these are for solid everyday use.
  • If interested in portraits with more background blur, try the Sony E-mount 50mm. (It will be equivalent to a 75mm lens on a full frame camera).
• Any tips for aspiring photographers on a budget who are looking for good beginner cameras?
  • Consider purchasing a used body or used lens. There are reputable re-sellers like KEH or B&H

Mirrorless vs DSLR – Which are best beginner cameras?

If you started the process of searching for good digital cameras for beginners, you’ve likely already been considering the choice between mirrorless cameras and DSLR.

Wondering what the difference is? DSLR cameras use a mirror in the camera body to reflect light into an optical viewfinder. Mirrorless cameras…well…don’t have a mirror. (Hence the name.) Instead, light passes through the lens and directly hits the sensor. When looking through the viewfinder of a mirrorless camera you’re actually looking at a little screen. It’s known as an electric viewfinder or “EVF”, that is displaying information from the sensor.

What difference does this make? Not having the mirror makes mirrorless cameras slimmer and lighter. They also tend to shoot faster and have more precise autofocus. This includes the ability to select focus on any part of the sensor.

DSLR cameras, on the other hand, have better battery life. They also allow a direct optical view of the frame with no lags (because it isn’t a screen). For a deep dive, check out this in depth post by Jordan Steele.

Another important factor to consider when selecting good cameras for beginners, is the fact that many companies are phasing out development of DSLR cameras. Mirrorless seems to be the future of photography development.

Confession: I’ve actually never owned a DLSR camera, believe it or not! I was an early adopter of mirrorless technology. My first “nice” camera as an adult was a little crop sensor Samsung camera. This little tidbit about me may also influence the fact that I’ll mostly list mirrorless cameras in my recommendations for good cameras for beginners. In my defense, I have recently swung in the complete opposite direction and own two film old SLRs that enjoy I shooting. So there!

Crop Sensor vs Full Frame – Which are good cameras for beginners?

When first getting started and learning photography, you likely don’t need the power of a full frame camera.

When friends come to me asking for camera recommendations, I always suggest looking into crop sensor mirrorless cameras. I find that they are powerful enough, for a beginner. The fact that they are compact and portable is another huge point in their favor. When learning photography, frequent practice is a huge factor for growth. Bringing along a crop sensor mirrorless camera is so easy. It takes up hardly any room in your bag. It’s size means that you will be more likely to actually use it on local and far away adventures, or even everyday neighborhood strolls. I recommend crop sensor mirrorless cameras for beginners.

Remember, you can always upgrade your camera body to full frame later if you start to venture into professional photography or find yourself specializing in a genre that puts you in lots of low light situations.

Why You Should Consider More Than Just The Body

When trying to decide between good cameras for beginners to make a purchase, I would encourage you to consider more than just what camera body to buy. Take some time to think about and budget for a quality lens.

The lenses you purchase can have just as much, if not more, of an impact on the quality of your images as the camera body. There’s a saying in the photography world, “Marry the lens. Date the body.”

Camera bodies will wear out with time and use. Just like you put miles on a car, each time you click the shutter, you are aging your camera body. Your lenses, on the other hand, with good care can last for decades.

I bring this up because it’s a factor consider when deciding how to allocate your budget. Most camera bodies will be paired with a lens for purchase. These are called “kit” lenses. Often these lenses that come with good cameras for beginners are mediocre in build quality and limited in capability. To achieve the quality of images you are likely envisioning, you’re going to need a better lens. If you’ve set a budget for your new camera, it may be worth opting for a more affordable camera body in order to have margin to afford an upgraded lens.

Story Time: My Own Experience with Beginners Camera

New vs Used

Don’t forget that you don’t necessarily have to buy a new camera and lens. There are lots of good used options out there if you’re trying to fit into a tight budget. Many people buy cameras and then never learn how to use them. (This breaks my heart!) Others upgrade to more powerful cameras as their skills advance and then sell their old models. I’ve done this myself!

Only you know your own risk tolerance! There are a few things to consider when opting to purchase used, but good cameras for beginners:

• Be choosey about who or where you purchase from. There are reputable online dealers of used photography gear. Sites like KEH Camera and B&H thoroughly inspect and rate the used cameras and lenses they sell. When purchasing on EBay, I look for sellers with top reviews and a lot of sales. Purchasing from Facebook Marketplace feels like a bit of a gamble. I personally would only purchase from someone I know or with whom I share a lot of connections.
• Read the description thoroughly to make sure you understand any damage or missing or malfunctioning parts.
• If purchasing a camera body, look for the shutter count. This is the equivalent to the milage on a car. Remember, the camera body will only last for so long before it starts to wear out and need repairs. (Used lenses, on the other hand, often have a lot of life left in them.) I would recommend looking for a shutter count of 50,000 or less. Note: You usually can’t find the shutter count anywhere on the camera. One simple option is to take an image with the camera and then upload the unedited file on camerashuttercount.com. This site will read the file and tell you an accurate shutter count for the camera body.
• You can check the sensor condition of the camera body by closing down the aperture to it’s smallest setting and taking a picture of a white wall. This will help you detect and scratches or imperfections.
• Check out this thorough guide to purchasing used cameras.

Film Cameras for Beginners

Recommended, Good Cameras for Beginners

All of us photographers have our preferred brands of cameras. When it was time to upgrade from my little Samsung crop sensor camera, I switched over to Sony’s full frame line of cameras. They were the leaders in mirrorless technology at the time. I haven’t looked back since!

I currently shoot my professional, client work with a Sony a7iv.

So yes, when a friend asks me for camera recommendations, I point them towards Sony. But that doesn’t mean there aren’t other wonderful beginner cameras out there. Here are several models to consider:

Sony

• My top pick is the Sony Alpha a6400. (Buy used through KEH.) It has fantastic auto-focus, tracking moving subjects with amazing precision. It offers user-friendly automatic modes along with more advanced manual settings for the learning photographer.
• If you are on a tighter budget, consider the Sony Alpha a6100. (Buy used through KEH.) It’s build quality is not quite as good as the a6400 and it’s EVF has lower resolution, but it still creates wonderful image quality on more of a budget. (Read a full comparison of these two models here.)
• If you have the wiggle room in your budget, buy an upgraded lens such as Sigma 18-50mm F2.8 or Sigma 30mm F1.4. Because the Sony Alpha 6000 series are crop sensor camera, these focal lengths will be equivalent to a 27mm-75mm and 45mm on a full frame camera. Both of these lenses would serve you well for everyday use or travel.
• If you’re more interested in portraits and dream of pretty background blur, consider the Sony E-mount 50mm. (Buy used at KEH.) It will be equivalent to a 75mm lens on a full frame camera, which means you will have to stand further from your subject when taking a photo. Keep that in mind if think you’ll often find yourself taking photos in tight spaces inside.

Canon

• The Canon Rebel line used to be solid, go-to cameras for beginners. However, as I’ve mentioned many manufacturers are phasing out development of DSLR style cameras. One can still purchase a new Canon Rebel T7 (you can buy used at KEH). If you’re interested in learning photography on a new DSLR, this camera will be one of your best options. Pair it with the Canon EF-S 24mm f/2.8 (equivalent to ~38mm on full frame cameras) or Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 (equivalent to 80mm on full frame cameras).
• The Canon EOS R50 (buy used) may serve you best if you’re looking for an affordable entry level mirrorless Canon camera. It’s often described as “simple” to use and more set up for users who plan to stick to automatic modes (rather than choosing exposure settings manually). Some photographers complain that a committed student of photography may outgrow this camera quickly in favor of a camera that allows more control. This camera is very light weight and good for travel.
• If you’re looking for something a little more advanced, that allows more control over settings, consider the compact, crop sensor Canon EOS R10. (Buy used.) This model offers faster shooting speeds (important if you plan to shoot sports or wildlife). It also has more physical controls which mades changing settings more accessible and intuitive for photographers who want to take control when choosing camera settings. (Check out a full comparison of these two modes here.)
• Just like with Sony, consider spending the money to upgrade from an included kit lens to a lens that will produce better image quality. Consider purchasing the CanonRF 50mm (Note: it will look more like a 75mm focal length on a crop sensor camera) or Canon RF 35mm. (Note: It will look more like a ~50 mm on a crop sensor camera.)

Nikon

• Like other camera manufacturers, Nikon has reportedly stopped development on DSLR cameras. However, there are still some models you can purchase new like the Nikon D3500. (Buy used.) Pair it with the Nikkor 35mm f/1.8G (which will be roughly equivalent to a 50mm on a full frame camera) for better image quality than an included kit lens.
• If you’re interested in going the mirrorless route, the Nikon Z50II is a solid, good camera for beginners option. (Buy used at KEH.) It offers accurate and fast auto-focus, especially when tracking moving object. It also handles low light better than many entry-level crop sensor cameras. (Check out a full review here.)
• Pair the Z50II with the Nikkor 24mm f/1.7 DX (equivalent to a 35mm on a full frame camera) or the Nikkor 40mm f2.0 (equivalent to a 60mm on a full frame camera).

Don’t Forget To Actually Learn How To Use It!

There’s a crucial final step to the process of getting a good beginner camera. It’s learning how to actually use your camera!

You can make a wonderful choice and buy a camera and lens that suits your needs. However, if you leave everything in “auto” and never learn how you camera works, you will never use that camera to it’s full potential.

Don’t let all of the confusing camera settings derail you in your journey with photography! With a little help you can easily learn to work your camera and take better photos.

Conclusion

I hope you’ve found this article helpful in working through factors for choosing good cameras for beginners! I’m so excited that you have decided to invest in photography. It can be such a wonderful hobby and who knows where else it might take you!

Let me know what camera you ended up going with in the comment box below!

Other Posts You May Find Helpful:

My Flash Photography Gear List

Learn about “Exposure”

How To Create Background Blur In Your Photos

Get My Exposure Triangle Cheat Sheet

How To Take Better Pictures

What To Do About Grainy Pictures