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The world of photography in 2023 might seem overwhelming at first. With hundreds of cameras on the market, it can be difficult to decide which is the best camera for beginners. Luckily, we’ve put together a guide to help you choose the entry-level camera that’s best for you, regardless of your budget.
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00:00 – An introduction to the best camera for beginners in 2023 00:43 – Your budget 01:33 – Why are camera prices different? 02:07 – Let’s be realistic 03:15 – My recommendation for budget spending 03:36 – Types of cameras 04:15 – Mirrorless vs DSLR 05:43 – Size of your kit 09:32 – Image quality 11:05 – Camera brands 13:50 – Are you going to make movies? 14:39 – Buying secondhand 17:15 – Recap – What should you look for?
It’s important to decide what your budget will be first, as entry-level cameras can range from £100 to £1,000. Inevitably, you will be inundated with different makes, models, features, and probably have dozens of tabs open comparing different features. Close those cards now! We’ll help you get started, so let’s start with your budget.
Around £500-1,000: You can expect to get a good mid-range camera and lens for this price. Where your budget is higher, you can expect to start getting more features in a more compact body.
£1,000+: As you’d expect with a big budget, you’ll get top-of-the-line models here. Although it will boast more features, you may not need it when you are just starting to learn. If you’re on a budget and happy to buy your first camera in this price range, here you go! You will get an excellent camera and it can be a good investment.
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Three examples from Canon’s offer of different budgets. The one on the left (Canon EOS 4000D) is a cheap entry-level camera. The center is the Canon EOS 2500, a mid-range camera. On the far right (Canon 90D) is a top-of-the-line camera.
The biggest difference you’ll find between low-end and high-end cameras is their build. You will find that the entry-level camera will have a plastic construction, while the high-end model will be made of metal, making it much more durable and weather-resistant.
You’re not paying more just for build quality. It is also a computer processor. The faster the processor, the more it can do. Examples are fast continuous burst triggers and professional recording features like 4k slow mo. Just like a computer runs faster with a better processor or a car drives faster with a stronger engine, cameras also address this issue.
Think you might want a more rugged model that can take a hit or two? It might be worth investing in a more expensive camera because that’s what you’re paying for. However, only for learning, the cheapest model will do.
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Don’t be alarmed if your budget doesn’t cover the price of a high-end camera. An inexpensive entry-level camera is perfectly capable of covering what you need while learning and you can always upgrade later.
Remember – a more expensive camera won’t make your photography better if you don’t know how to use a cheaper/budget camera. If you’re looking for a beginner camera, you’ll get the same results with a cheap camera as you will with a high-end camera while you learn.
More money does not mean better photos! If you want proof of this, see our other blog £3800 vs £150 – is it worth it?
Next, you’ll want to consider what kind of entry-level camera you’re looking for. Cameras typically fall into these three categories:
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COMPACT – Compact is a simple point-and-shoot camera, small enough to fit in your pocket. They have a fixed, non-interchangeable lens and usually have automatic settings. This is not recommended if you want to learn the details of photography. While they can be good entry-level cameras, they’ll usually have smaller sensors, which compromises quality in low-light settings (more on that later!)
BRIDGE – a bridge camera is similar to a compact camera because both have fixed, irreplaceable lenses. However, with the bridge comes some more advanced features. One of the most noticeable differences between a bridge and a compact is zoom power, which makes the bridge a less compact entry-level camera. Nice camera for beginners, but limited in image quality and learning prospects. We do not recommend a bridge camera for learning as it is intended for the point-and-shoot person, not someone who wants to take control of the visual effects of photography through manual settings and other lenses.
DSLR/MIRRORLESS – This is what we highly recommend as your entry-level camera of choice. With interchangeable lenses, manual settings and all the better features for beginners, a DSLR or mirrorless is the best place to start learning photography. This camera would give beginners more control, a better sensor and the ability to change lenses.
As long as you have a camera with an interchangeable lens and the ability to operate completely manually, you have a real beginner’s camera with which to learn and take control of the visual effects of photography.
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As you search for the best entry-level camera that 2023 has to offer, you’ve probably seen the term “mirrorless” and wondered what that means?
A mirror camera has a mirror inside that allows light to bounce off and reflect in the viewfinder. This in turn gives you a live view of your subject. In mirrorless cameras, these mirrors have been removed, allowing for a more compact camera body. It was looking for a digital view of the scene, not a live view. Similar to watching a TV projection of what the sensor sees. This electronic viewfinder may mean a delay in the view, but it means that a smaller camera body can be produced.
How much are you willing to carry with you? Remember, the camera itself isn’t the only factor to consider here. Camera body, lenses, tripod, camera bag – all these are largely dictated by the size of the camera. The size of a camera is largely determined by the size of its light sensor.
To break it down, the sensor is the light sensor inside the camera body, and that’s what captures the light and gives you the image. Common sensor sizes are:
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A diagram showing the size differences between Full Frame, Crop and Micro sensors, as well as their sizes
Check out these two cameras below. The Canon on the left is significantly larger than the Olympus on the right, and this is because the Olympus has a micro 4:3 sensor, while the Canon has a full frame sensor.
Then check out this Fujifilm below (center), cropped sensor camera. While they look similar at first, the differences appear once you start using the lenses. A camera with a Micro 4:3 sensor (Olympus in this case) will have lighter and smaller lenses, while a crop sensor camera will require larger lenses, while a full frame camera will need even larger lenses.
Three cameras that show size differences based on sensor sizes; Full frame (left, Canon), cropped (center, Fujifilm) and micro 4:3 (right, Olympus)
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Remember, the larger the sensor, the larger the lenses and camera body. The bigger the camera, the heavier the tripod. The weight and size of your camera kit adds up very quickly!
Now that we’ve discussed the different sensor sizes, it’s time to consider image quality and the purpose of your photos. The bigger the sensor, the better the image quality will be.
Larger sensors perform better at the higher ISOs required for low-light photography. However, there is a trade-off for this – a bulkier camera.
At the end of the day, just figure out what you’re going to use your camera for. Will you be printing large prints? Are you going to retouch or do heavy manipulation on your photo? How much money do you want to spend? And how much do you want to take with you?
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Answer these questions and choose your system based on that. As mentioned before – it’s not what you have, it’s how you use it. A good photographer will be able to take good photos with any camera. For proof of this, click here.
One brand over another won’t make your photography better, and everyone will always be competing to offer the latest feature. Perhaps one offers a Bluetooth connection to your phone to transfer photos? Maybe another connects to Wi-Fi to post directly. Regardless of these characteristics, the aspect of the photograph remains the same.
What we would suggest is to ask your photographer friends. What brand of camera do they have? When starting out on your photography journey, it’s always good to have a photography friend close at hand
