7 Best Cameras For Beginners (and 3 you should avoid)

One of the most difficult parts of getting started with photography is figuring out which camera to buy. Remember, you’re not just buying one camera, you’re buying into an entire camera system of lenses, accessories, and even potential future camera upgrades that will fit those lenses.

So I took that all into consideration when I chose the Nikon Z50 as the best camera for beginners. It has everything a beginner needs to get started with photography and the Nikon Z mount system has some of the best lenses available on the market today.

But there are other options you may want, based on your own preferences and budget, so keep reading to check out my breakdown of all the best beginner cameras.

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Top Pick

1. Nikon Z50

Nikon’s crop sensor option for the Z Mount system is an excellent camera that has a ton of great features like eye autofocus with excellent image quality all in an easy-to-handle body that is perfect for beginners.

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The Nikon Z50 is an excellent crop-sensor camera in the Nikon Z Mount system. In short, this is my top recommendation for beginners because it comes in at a reasonable price point but still has all the features you need to develop good photography skills for shooting just about anything.

For more options, check out my picks for the best Nikon Cameras For Beginners.

The biggest highlight here is that despite being a crop-sensor camera, it has the exact same Nikon Z mount as the full-frame Nikon Z cameras. There are two benefits to this.

First, the Z mount is arguably the best mount on the market today. Its size and design allow Nikon to produce lenses that lead the pack in image quality while also making it easier to build smaller and more compact lenses without sacrificing that image quality.

For some great lens options check out my picks for the best lenses for the Nikon Z50.

Second, it means that even with somewhat of an “entry-level” camera, you can start building your kit of full-frame Z Mount lenses and they will work perfectly on this camera. Then, if you add a Z5 or Z6II to your bag, you won’t need any new lenses.

Even though the Z50 is smaller than the full-frame Z mount cameras, it still has excellent ergonomics. The decently sized grip is welcome and not always found on crop-sensor mirrorless cameras.

There are some negatives, though.

Because this is a crop sensor camera, the low light performance and dynamic range aren’t as good as the more expensive Z5 or Z6II cameras. Of course, this is expected given the price difference, but if you want a camera that works great in low-light situations like parties, natural light portraits after sunset, evening street photography, or others, then you may want to check out the Z5 below.

If you want the same tech but in a very cool retro style and a screen that flips out to the side then you may want to check out the Nikon Zfc. It is basically the exact same camera as the Z50 but with a very different retro body style.

Runner-Up

2. Canon R10

The Canon R10 will give you excellent image quality, and a good feature set. It’s also a great way to get started building up a collection of Canon mirrorless lenses.

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The Canon R10 is also an excellent choice and really more of a second option at the top of this list rather than a runner-up. The main reason I would choose the Z50 over this camera is that I think the Nikon Z system is going to give you higher-quality lenses in the long run and is a better overall system to buy into.

That being said, the specs on the Canon R10 actually beat out the Z50 at a similar price point. The R10 comes in at only $25-40 more than the Z50 for the body only.

The Dual Pixel Auto Focus on the Canon mirrorless cameras is excellent. Like Nikon and Sony, it has eye autofocus which is really helpful in getting sharp eyes when shooting portraits. It is fast and great at following the action. Some reviewers have said it’s better than the Z50 but with the latest firmware, I really can’t tell a difference between the AF on those two cameras.

Like the Z50, I really like the ergonomics on this body. It’s got a nice grip and is built like a smaller DSLR which makes it easier to hold and shoot for longer. This is one area where I think the Canon and Nikon crop-sensor mirrorless cameras beat out the Sony options.

This camera uses Canon’s newer RF mount which means that you can use RF-S crop sensor lenses as well as full-frame RF lenses. Similarly to the Nikon Z system, there are more full-frame RF lenses than crop sensor options, but I absolutely expect Canon to start filling out more crop sensor options.

In the meantime, there are plenty of crop sensor EF mount lenses that you can use with an adapter. I wouldn’t recommend investing too much money in buying new EF lenses at this point but it can be cheaper to pick up one or two to get started on a lower budget compared to a brand-new RF lens.

Skip the kit lenses that are offered with the R10. If you are a beginner just learning photography, you’d be better off buying the body only and the RF 50mm f/1.8 lens. The wider max aperture will open up more creative options using shallow depth of field and let you shoot in lower light.

Budget Pick

3. Sony A6000

The Sony A6000 is an older model in their crop-sensor lineup but it still produces excellent images and a great feature set at a reasonable price.

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Probably the best way to save money when buying a camera is to go with an older model and since Sony has had their mirrorless system longer than Canon and Nikon, so they have the advantage of having an older option like the A6000.

The specs may not be up to par with the two choices above, but you can save a few hundred dollars and still buy into a decent system that is actively developing new lenses that work on crop-sensor cameras like this as well as the more expensive full-frame options.

But that doesn’t mean you’ll lose out on any image quality. The sensor in this camera is very good despite its age. Pair this camera with some higher-quality lenses and you’ll get great results at a pretty reasonable price.

One of the biggest negatives for the Sony crop sensor cameras is the camera body itself. The ergonomics aren’t the best and the build quality and weather sealing fall behind the Nikon and Canon camera models above.

The smaller grip size of this camera can be a bit annoying for anyone with average to large size hands. A smaller grip means you need to hold it a little tighter to avoid dropping it which means more hand fatigue when you’re using the camera for a longer time.

If you have smaller hands or do most of your shooting on a tripod, though, this is less of a concern.

Generally, speaking, I think you’ll be a little better off long term if you invested in the Nikon or Canon system than Sony, but the differences are pretty minor. All three manufacturers make exceptional cameras and lenses.

Best Full Frame

4. Nikon Z5

Entry-level full rame Z mount option

The Z5 is Nikon’s most affordable full-frame entry point into the Z mount system. While it lacks some of the more advanced features of the Z6II, it is a very capable camera and great for beginners.

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The Z5 is essentially Nikon’s entry-level full-frame camera. This is the perfect step up from the Z50 for beginners that have a little extra budget and want to get into a full-frame camera right away.

When Nikon introduced the Z5, the goal was to give beginners (and even advanced hobbyists) a less expensive full-frame camera to get started with.

At just a few hundred dollars more than the Z50, this is a great value and possibly the most affordable full-frame camera on the market.

Because it is part of the Nikon Z mount system, you can save some money on the camera body (compared to a Z6II or Z7II) when you’re getting started so you can invest more in lenses (which is a great idea).

Check out my picks for the best lenses for the Nikon Z5.

You’re going to get the same 24.3 megapixels as the more expensive Z6II but the sensor is not backside illuminated so it falls short of that camera in terms of low-light performance.

There are going to be some advantages and disadvantages compared to the Z50, though. The Z5 only shoots 4.5 frames per second. So if you want a solid camera for your kids’ sports, then this is not the one for you. You would be better off with either the Z50.

Overall, this camera is a bit of a mix of entry-level and pro features mixed together by Nikon to keep the price down. It’s a great entry point into full-frame but the frames per second and the 1.7x crop factor on video will make you want to upgrade as soon as you can.

Best For Film Simulations

5. Fuji X-T30 Mark II

Fuji cameras are popular for their retro stylings and extensive film simulations. This is a great choice for someone that values creativity in their photography.

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Fujifilm has been around for a while and has successfully pivoted from popular film stocks to retro-styled digital cameras that use that rich history of film stocks as unique picture profiles that contribute to the popularity of these cameras.

But don’t let that connection to the past fool you, this camera has a lot of great technology built in.

Many photographers love the image quality and color rendition they get from the X-Trans sensor. Fuji makes their sensors a little different from other camera systems and these subtle differences are appealing to a lot of people.

I like this for beginners that want to focus on the more creative side of photography and will use the film profiles to feed that creativity.

Like all the cameras on this list, the Fuji X-T30 has a great autofocus system including eye autofocus.

In terms of video, you’ll get a very good 4K file from this camera. It records footage that is oversampled from the 6K sensor which does help give you a great quality image. You can also shoot at 240 frames per second in 1080p HD for some really nice-looking slow-motion footage.

You can add the film simulations to the video footage as well, but I would recommend doing this kind of color grading in post-production rather than baking it into the video file itself.

Overall, I like this camera a lot, but one thing to keep in mind is that Fuji doesn’t have a full-frame lineup, only crop-sensor and medium format. So if you have plans to upgrade to full-frame at some point, then the Fuji system may not be a good fit.

Vlogging Pick

6. Nikon Z30

Least expensive Z Mount option

The Z30 is very similar to the Z50 but the absence of a viewfinder makes it smaller and a little less expensive. This is also a great option if you plan on vlogging as well.

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The Nikon Z30 is a smaller, somewhat stripped-down, version of the Z50 that is designed for vlogging. But that doesn’t mean beginner photographers should ignore it.

This is currently the least expensive entry point into the Z Mount system, so that alone makes it a great option for many beginners.

Check out my picks for the best lenses for the Nikon Z30.

As far as image quality, the Z30 uses the exact same sensor as the Z50, so the RAW files you’ll get from those two cameras will be of identical quality.

The main difference between the Z30 and Z50 is that the Z30 has no viewfinder, only the rear screen. So if you are looking for a camera primarily for shooting stills, then the Z30 is going to be a little more difficult to use than the Z50, but overall their stills performance is the same so if you don’t care about the viewfinder then you can save a few hundred dollars with the Z30.

If you want to shoot some vlogs then I think the Z30 has a bit of an advantage over the Z50 with its side flip-out screen. The flip-down screen of the Z50 was an interesting attempt at innovation, but it really wasn’t practical to use for shooting video yourself (I know this from experience).

That being said, the video quality itself in the Z30 is identical to the Z50.

Vlogging Runner-Up

7. Sony ZV-E10

The Sony A6000 is an older model in their crop-sensor lineup but it still produces excellent images and a great feature set at a reasonable price.

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I added this one to the list mainly because Sony does a great job with video and if you do a lot of vlogging then this is a good alternative to the Z30.

This camera is pretty similar to the Z30 above. It is a little smaller and lighter than the Z30 so if weight is a concern and you have no brand preference, then this may be a good option for you.

The 24.2-megapixel sensor has 4 more megapixels than the Z30. So while this doesn’t make a huge difference, it you want to use this to make larger prints it the extra megapixels may be helpful.

In terms of handling, while there is no viewfinder, I do like the ergonomics and handling of this body better than the A6000. It has a larger grip that makes handheld shooting a bit easier.

Cameras For Beginners To Avoid

Here are some popular cameras that, although they may be good cameras in general, are options that I wouldn’t recommend as good options currently for beginners.

Canon M50 Mk II

One of the most popular cameras I see on lists recommending beginner-level cameras is the Canon M50. A few years ago when it came out, it might have been on this list as well.

But currently, I wouldn’t advise investing in this camera because of the mount. The M50 uses the EF-M mount, which is a mirrorless version same physical mount as the old EF mount. It’s basically an EF mount with some more connectors built in.

The problem…Canon now has the RF mount for its mirrorless cameras. So I wouldn’t expect much research and development to go into new lenses for the EF-M mount. Canon has not officially discontinued EF-M lenses, but I don’t think that is far off as they develop new RF lenses.

So if you’re a beginner looking for your first camera, then buying the M50 means you’ll eventually have to switch over to an RF camera and change out your lenses if you want to continue shooting Canon.

Sony A6400

The Sony A6400 is another lens that seems to be popular to recommend for beginners. While it is a good camera, it is not one that I would recommend unless you have a good reason to buy into the Sony system.

Nikon D3500

I’ve seen a lot of other sites recommending the D3500 for beginners. I think this is a bad idea. In fact, you probably noticed that I haven’t included any Nikon DSLRs on this list at all.

Nikon has recently stopped making new DSLRs or the F-mount lenses that go with them. So if you purchase a D3500, you’ll be buying into a system that has effectively been discontinued.

In fact, I would avoid DSLRs altogether. Not because they are bad cameras, but because none of the major camera brands will be supporting them with new lenses in the long term as they have all created new mounts for their mirrorless systems.

Why You Should Trust Me

As an active professional photographer and owner of Photography Goals, I get the opportunity to use many different cameras. I teach photography to many beginners and these are the cameras that I recommend to my students.

Top Factors For Beginners Choosing A Camera

As a beginner, there are certain things you should be looking for when choosing a camera. You want something that is easy to learn on and will grow with you as your skills improve.

Here are some of the factors I considered when making this list.

Ease Of Use

For beginners, ease of use is a significant factor. If you are just learning photography then you want as few barriers to that skill development as possible.

This is why I never recommend that beginners get the best, most expensive, flagship camera bodies for any manufacturer. Having a million buttons and functions can confuse beginners and prevent them from focusing on the fundamentals of photography that make the most difference in their images.

Versatility

If you are a beginner that wants to learn photography and develop your skills then you don’t want to be limited in what you can do with a camera. That is why I recommend that beginners get a camera with interchangeable lenses.

The best part of an interchangeable lens camera is that you can try a variety of different types of photography simply by buying or renting a new lens.

This is why the point-and-shoot option isn’t my top budget pick, even though it is less expensive than the actual pick.

Of course, it is entirely possible to learn photography with a point-and-shoot camera like the one above, but it does limit you.

Expandability

Expandability is all about how you can grow with the camera system that you choose as a beginner. Some systems lend themselves to easy expandability where you can grow your camera kit piece by piece and everything is going to work well together.

If you choose a good system from the beginning, you never have to go through the hassle and expense of trading in all your gear for a new set.

You also have to consider the number of lenses available for a system. While I don’t think that DSLR cameras are bad or inherently inferior, the reality is that the major camera brands are putting all their resources into developing new technology and lenses for their mirrorless systems.

So there’s really no reason why a beginner should get started with a DSLR at this point if they are looking to make a long-term investment and learn photography.

Price To Quality Ratio

Cameras are expensive. There’s really no way around that and whatever your budget is, you should keep within it. You can always upgrade later on.

But I also recognize that if you are going to invest in a camera, you want to make sure you are getting your money’s worth.

Also, remember that beginners do not need to spend as much money as possible on a camera body. If you have a budget, I would rather see you spend it on adding a 50mm f/1.8 lens to your kit rather than buying a more expensive body.