It’s that time of year again when the BPW offers you our top picks for the best cameras for beginners. You’ll see three familiar faces from last year’s list, as well as a new one to consider. All are solid choices for that budding photographer in your life (or for you! #treatyoself).
Canon M50
This terrific mirrorless camera is back from last year’s list and for good reason. 24 megapixels, 4k video, 143 auto-focus points, face-section, and easy to use; there’s not much more you’ll want or need!
Also, Canon really knows what they’re doing when it comes to ergonomics, so the M50 fits nicely into the hand and is easy to understand. Yes, there’s a mark ii (version 2) which just came out, but the truth is: it’s not worth the extra $$.
Save your money for more gear and grab this one before they discontinue it.
Suited For:
Beginner/Intermediate, travel, street photo, and video enthusiast.
Notable Features:
Lots of customizable buttons mean easy access to your manual settings
The back LCD screen is both touchscreen AND articulating (i.e. swivels and flips), making it great for photo and video
Speaking of video, this camera has super high res 4K video, which, along with the moveable screen, makes it an excellent choice for all you vloggers and YouTube stars out there.
Available certified and refurbished directly through Canon—highly recommended by the BPW!
Price:
Around $650 with kit lens
Best Upgrade: Canon RP - Canon is investing in mirrorless cameras with many more on the horizon. The Canon RP was Canon’s first attempt at an entry-level full-frame mirrorless camera. Packed with great features: 26 megapixels, 4k video, face + eye detection, and a great lens. This camera is available at the incredible price of $1000.
Best Budget Alternative: Canon 77D - If you’re watching your spending, pick-up the Canon 77D. This now discontinued DSLR packs a punch and is a steal at this price. Great autofocus, loads of autofocus points, and great button layout, this camera can do it all. Expensive when it came out, the refurbished models (same canon-backed warranty as new cameras) are going quickly.
Nikon D5600
Slightly larger than the other cameras on the list, this is a great choice for action and sports photographers and boasts wifi, fast autofocus, and strong video recording capabilities. With 39-AF points, an optical viewfinder, and a swivel touch screen, this camera is well suited for both beginners and intermediate photographers.
Suited For:
Beginner/intermediate, photos of kids & sports
Notable Features:
Larger LCD screen swivels and flips open so you can see what you’re photographing from almost any angle.
The only camera on this list with GPS capabilities, making geotagging quick and easy.
Nikon also has certified refurbished models available—again, highly recommended by the BPW.
Price:
Around $700 with 18-55 kit lens
Best Upgrade: Nikon Z 50 - Similar to Canon, Nikon is progressing into a robust mirrorless line-up. The Nikon Z 50 is a crop sensor mirrorless camera, best suited for low-light photographers and vloggers. With 4K video, face + eye detection, this little camera packs a punch.
Best Budget Alternative: Nikon D3500 - If you’re watching your spending, pick-up the D5600’s little sibling, the D3500. Slightly smaller, and with fewer autofocus points, this travel-friendly camera still has excellent image quality and a robust lens line-up, that will let you be creative on a budget.
Sony Alpha a6000
A classic that still packs a punch. This mirrorless is so light and small that you can practically carry it around in your pocket, even with its 16-50mm kit lens, while still being excellent for both photo and video. On our list for 3 years running, this camera just keeps kicking!
Suited For:
Beginner/intermediate/advanced, travelers, photos of kids & sports
Notable Features:
Built-in face detection is helpful for fast focusing, plus notably fast autofocus.
Speed is the name of the game here, with a continuous shooting speed of 11 frames per second, which is useful in quick photography situations like sports or wildlife.
We don’t find the Sony menus to be as user-friendly as the other two, but once you learn to navigate them, you’ll be A-OK.
Price:
Around $500 with the kit lens
Best Upgrade: Sony Alpha a6100 - Sony finally updated the a6000! With a whole slew of new versions (a6100, a6400, a6600) this updated version is the best version for a similar price. With an updated swivel touch-screen, updated autofocus, and some weather sealing, this camera improves on the (short) wish list for the a6000 users.