If you find yourself thinking about what is the best digital camera for beginner photographers, it’s the right time to admit that you are about to step onto an exciting and creative path. Picking up your first camera is a complex decision and there are lots of things to consider before you click “check out”. Would you prefer some cheap camera from the next-door mall, would it be a compact camera from the same company your blender goes or you’d give preference to some DSLR from a hi-end specialized brand, it’s up to you to decide what your personal best camera for photography is. Yet we are here to raise some important questions and share some tips.
It goes without saying, that it’s the best time of the year to purchase a camera, as Black Friday is just around the corner. This gives you an advantage as you can get better value for lover price. So what is the best best camera for amateur photographer ? Taking into account that everybody has different preferences and styles, the better you understand available options, the more chances you have to pick up the right model. Luckily, nowadays it’s rather hard to end up with the unworthy camera, still, awareness and individual attitude in this decision would most likely result in high satisfaction even years after when you look through your toolkit.
TOP 5 Cameras for Beginners
First of all, let’s pay attention to four things they have in common: all following cameras are DSLRs, they are APS-C sensor type, record video at 1080p (Full HD) resolution and they all are entry-level.
Canon EOS Rebel SL2 / EOS 200D + EF-S 18-55mm f/4-5.6 IS STM
Megapixels: 24.2MP
Screen: 3in vari-angle touchscreen, 1,040,000 dots
This camera combines the articulating touchscreen and Full HD video recording. Is has easy user Guide on board so it`s simple to start using it properly. Add NFC and Wi-Fi, burst shooting at a rate of 5fps and Canon’s Dual Pixel CMOS AF autofocus system supported by DIGIC 7 image processing technology that results in extra quality Full HD video. And one more thing, it is compatible with about 30+ years of lenses from Canon and other brands. Needless to outline it for those, who prioritizes video shooting – it’s a killer combo!
H3 2. Nikon D3500 + AF-P DX 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G VR
Megapixels: 24.2MP
Screen: 3in, 921,000 dots
This model also has a great Guide. This time it`s interactive an explains each and every setting option for a better result. It should be mentioned that in addition to outstanding guide it’s very intuitive in usage as controls are simple and easy to understand, which makes it super good for beginners. Though autofocus is noticeably slower than in the previous one, image quality is still at the same high level.
H3 3. Canon EOS Rebel T7 / EOS 2000D + EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS II
Megapixels: 24.1MP
Screen: 3in, 920,000 dots
This best-for-price camera is especially good. It`s ‘intelligent’ real-time scene analytical software in combination with numerous preset scene modes makes it super beginner-friendly even in comparison with other Canon bodies, which are pretty iconic when we are talking about user experience. The Guide plus ‘Creative Auto’ mode helps to shortly jump from the basic to more advanced levels in creative shooting.
H3 4. Canon EOS Rebel T100 / EOS 4000D + EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 III
Megapixels: 18MP
Screen: 2.7in fixed, 230,000 dots
Another great-for-beginners body from Canon reveals the same idea of ‘Creative Auto’ from the previous DSLR and offers advanced shooting mode plus an easy guide, but for a lower price. It has more limits due to lower matrix and screen resolution so portrait photo retouching is necessary. Though it is a fairly basic camera, it’s worth trying to get the idea why it has sometimes called the best camera for beginner photographers in our top.
H3 5. Nikon D5600 + AF-P 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G DX VR
Megapixels: 24.2MP
Screen: 3.2in vari-angle touchscreen, 1,037,000 dots
It is the best Nikon camera for beginner photographers, inexcusably generous in modes and compatible lenses. The biggest touch screen is much more useful and easy to work with. Though autofocus system loses to Canon EOS 200D for video, the 39-point AF is way better than of any from above listed cameras for stills. This camera offers amazing performance.
H2 What Matters?
Try to prioritize the following three questions before moving to further research and purchase.
H3 1. What are you going to use your camera for?
If you are interested in casual shooting you might prefer lightweight and small cameras and end up picking one of the best mirrorless camera for beginners. Their compact sizes make them perfect as an everyday companion. In this case, cameras like Panasonic TZ70 or Panasonic GX80 would be right for you. They also have one advantage as they can be called the best cheap camera for photography. For sure, there are more cameras around, for instance, cameras with bigger lenses. They are a bit more complex but the result, once you get used to it, would surely impress you. Some up to date representatives of this class are DSLRs like Pentax K-70 and Nikon D5600. We would talk more about the last camera as it is known as the best DSLR camera for hobbyist for a reason.
In case selfies are one of your most favorite photos, you should take a look at cameras with LCD screens. Just keep in mind that DSLRs are equipped with various screen flip mechanisms and not each one will turn to be handy for you.
H3 2. What lens and accessories will you need?
It’s quite common for professional photo camera manufacturers to offer a system which consists of various lenses compatible with different camera bodies, accessories and other supporting items. Kits like this can be used for wider range of photo styles and sceneries. So such cameras would provide you with suitable tools even in the distant future when you reach much higher skills level. We’d recommend you to learn more on accessories like backpacks. They are designed to keep these fragile and costly gear safe. Learn more about best camera backpack and how to choose it?
H3 3. Will you need video shooting?
In case you are fond of vlogging, pay attention to this part. It’s crucial to note that the camera for these purposes must be equipped with specialized systems and tools. Here you should pay attention to three key points. First is the focusing system to provide you with a great performance during video recording. Good examples are technologies developed by Sony and Canon like Fast Hybrid AF and Dual Pixel CMOS AF correspondingly. They were implemented in Sony A5100 and Canon EOS 200D. Second, tiny but not less important is the audio input. Built-in microphones are only good for time-to-time use; in general, they record too much side noises, which would hardly be appreciated by those, who aim for a quality result. In contrast to them, external microphones undeniably take audiorecording to a much higher level, which is great when you want both image and sound go smooth. Here Canon EOS 200D and Nikon D5600 (once again) are deservedly mentioned.
You must have already recalled LCD screen we’ve talked about above. Yes, they are absolute must-have for vlogging and go as number three for key points. Just remember to try the flip system of the camera you’ve liked to make sure you’ve picked up one of the best camera for beginner photographers so it can meet your expectations.