Best Cameras For Beginners in 2023: Buying Guides

When you first start out in photography, you may be appealed by a brand-new, high-end camera, but the reality is that no amount of equipment can improve your photography skills if you don't know what you're doing. Therefore, the easiest approach is to walk outside and start shooting with whatever equipment you have. And, of course, since you are a newbie, a mid-range camera is pretty sufficient. Hence, we have made a list of the proper cameras for beginners with in-depth reviews so you can easily find one for yourself.

This list is meant for customers who wish to purchase a new model, no pun intended. Also, keep in mind that the lens you use will have an impact on the camera's overall performance. Your selected lens significantly affects image quality, ISO, autofocus, and stabilization. Generally speaking, buying a cheap camera body with costly lenses is preferable than buying a cheap camera body and expensive lenses.

1. Canon EOS M50 Mark II

Product’s Specifications

• Sensor size: APS-C

• Resolution: 24.1MP

• Video: 4K at 24p

• Monitor: 3.0-inch articulated touchscreen

• Autofocus: Dual Pixel CMOS AF

• Max continuous shooting speed: 10fps

• Size/ Weight: 2.3 x 4.6 x 3.5 inches/ 1.45 pounds

Product’s Highlights

Although Canon's primary focus is on its full-frame R line, the more approachable APS-C EOS M series continues to be a major lure for individuals with less expertise. Our top pick was the original Canon EOS M50, which was just recently superseded by the Mark II, a very little improvement over the original.

This photography camera offers a straightforward user interface with useful tips and explanations in the settings menu. After becoming more familiar with the setting, you can totally forget about looking at the explanations for each use. Even though there aren't many physical controls, there are just enough to keep it on the right side of ergonomically pleasant.

The Canon's Dual Pixel AF helps focus fast on moving objects. Although the EF-M 15-45mm kit lens that comes with the M50 Mark II is adequate for daily usage, we found that the M-series cameras lagged behind the competition in this area when compared to other brands.

The M50 Mark II can leave you disappointed if the video is your main priority, especially because Canon hasn't made any improvements in this department since the previous model. Although the camera can record in 4K, the extreme crop makes it almost useless.

Pros

• Great image and video resolution

• Small and lightweight

• Vertical video recording 

• Dual Pixel AF 

Cons

• Heavily cropped 4K video

• Support limited lenses

• Sony Alpha a6000 Mirrorless Digital Camera

 

2. Sony Alpha a6000 Mirrorless Digital Camera

Product’s Specifications

• Sensor size: APS-C

• Resolution: 24.3MP

• Video: Full HD 1080p

• Monitor: 3.0-inch articulated touchscreen

• Max continuous shooting speed: 11fps

• Size/ Weight: 4.72 x 1.77 x 2.64 inches/ 344.7g

Product’s Highlights

Sony A6000 continues to be a superb value for photography aficionados despite being more than five years old. Despite its small size, the A6000 is equipped with an excellent 24.3MP APS-C sensor that can take quality pictures at up to 11 frames per second. Although outdated, it employs 179 points in its autofocusing mechanism to follow moving targets and performed well in our evaluation. This combination makes it a wonderful option for those who want to capture images of animals, moving people, and sporting events.

Sony has succeeded in packing an electronic viewfinder into a device that most cameras of this size can only give as an LCD monitor. This makes the A6000 more practical to use for outdoor photography. When snapping pictures of moving things, holding the camera up to your eye also increases steadiness.

The absence of a sufficient selection of lenses was one of the cameras' downsides. But since the A6000's first introduction, a lot has happened. Now, the Sony A6000 may be used with a variety of high-quality lenses.

Pros

• Small and lightweight

• Offer Manual controls

• 11fps burst mode shooting

Cons

• No touchscreen

• No long battery life

• Shooting only 1080p video

3. PANASONIC LUMIX ZS200

Product’s Specifications

• Sensor: 1-inch type

• Resolution: 20.1MP

• Video: 4K

• Lens: 25-360mm, f/3.3-6.4

• Monitor: 3.0-inch touchscreen

• Max continuous shooting speed: 10fps

• Size/ Weight: 4.38 x 1.78 x 2.61 inches/ 69.7g

Product’s Highlights

The Lumix ZS200 is a perfect choice if you'd want to begin photography using a tiny camera rather than a bigger mirrorless or DSLR counterpart. In tests, it produced sharp, detailed images that have a natural appearance and look brilliant and vivid. It can also compete extremely favorably with cameras that have bigger sensors.

The ZS200 may look like a Pns camera, but it features a 1-inch sensor, a large variety of manual settings, and a versatile lens (with a focal length of 24-360mm) for complete creative freedom. You can rapidly change settings thanks to controlling dials designed around the camera.

Pros

• Large 1.0-inch sensor

• Compact and lightweight

• 15x zoom range lens

Cons

• Small viewfinder

• Fixed screen

4. Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark IV 

Product’s Specifications

• Sensor size: Micro Four Thirds

• Resolution: 20.3MP

• Video: 4K at 30p

• Monitor: 3-inch tilting touchscreen

• Autofocus: 121-point Contrast Detection AF

• Max continuous shooting rate: 15fps

• Size/ Weight: 4.8 x 1.9 x 3.3 inches/ 379.8g

Product’s Highlights

The OM-D E-M10 Mark IV deserves to be on your wishlist if you're seeking a basic, small, mirrorless camera that regularly produces beautiful photographs. It has an ergonomic handle, user-friendly button arrangement, and convenient flip-down touchscreen, which are all designed particularly for smartphone switchers.

Although it misses some of the more sophisticated capabilities of its more expensive competitors, such as a mic and USB-C connections, it excels as a stills camera. In fact, we discovered that it's the category's most photo-focused camera, producing superb images in our testing.

Pros

• Competent sensor

• Compact body

• Outstanding image stabilization

Cons

• No microphone 

• No USB-C port

5. Fujifilm X-T30 Mark II

Product’s Specifications

• Sensor size: APS-C

• Resolution: 26.1MP

• Monitor: 3.0-inch articulated touchscreen

• Autofocus: Intelligent Hybrid AF

• Max continuous shooting rate: 30fps

• Video: 4K at 30p

• Size/ Weight: 1.84 x 4.66 x 3.26 inches/ 3.5 pounds

Product’s Highlights

Fujifilm's X-T30 is a compelling midrange choice for those just starting out in photography, but its second version adds a few improvements. The X-T30 II uses the same structure and vintage shell as its original, which is fine because you won't immediately notice any changes. It has a beautiful design that is easy for novices to grasp. The touchscreen has somewhat improved sharpness but is still tilt only.

This one comes with a new algorithm that helps detect moving objects more precisely. The X-T30 II fared well in capturing detailed images even in low light, thanks to improvements of the focus points' sensitivity.

Pros

• Great design and handling

• Uncropped 4K videos

Cons

• No build-in image stabilization

1. What to consider when purchasing a camera for a newbie?

• Superior image quality 

• Nice shape that fits your hand grips

• Support most of the available lenses that fit your demands today and in the future.

• The most recent model you can afford

2. Is a camera with more MP better?

The idea that a camera's megapixel count determines how good it is is no longer valid. Having higher megapixels just means you can trim and resize photos without revealing detail grains. Other factors, like the lens, sensor, etc., mostly determine the total picture quality.

3. What is the best camera for beginners?

As a starter, maybe you just need a simple camera with basic functions and setting to experiment with some stuff like ISO, lighting, and framing. There are also cameras for video, cameras for photography, and once working well for both, just figure out your purposes before making up your mind.

Beginners might find it overwhelming when it comes to the question of what the best cameras for newbies are. So, we suggest that you should start with one that is easy to use and suits your budget first. You can definitely upgrade your camera later on when having more experience.

The list above is top products we believe that can work well with all first time camera users, you can rest assured to pick any from them.