Recently, I have been asked by different individuals what camera I would recommend buying to either get started in photography or as an upgrade from their smartphones. I thought I would consolidate my thoughts here for future reference when this question is posed again. Unlike most of my posts, this one is designed to be readable by someone with little to no photography background. I also included a lot of links to explain common “jargon.”
Why Buy a Camera?
In the last ten years high-end smartphone cameras have gotten so good that budget cameras ceased to offer much more capability than a smartphone. For this reason, camera manufacturers have shifted most of their attention away from the low cost segment since consumers aren’t interested in budget cameras anymore. Given this shift, the primary two reasons to upgrade from a smartphone to a standalone camera are to gain greater image quality and control.
A key driver of image quality is the physical size of the sensor. The size of the sensor directly impacts how susceptible images are to noise. It’s also difficult to produce the “professional” shallow depth of field look with small sensors (though the latest crop of smartphones can simulate that effect to some degree through portrait mode).
When thinking about image quality, it’s important to consider how you will use the photographs and what types of scenes you want to photograph. If you are only going to look at images on a smartphone then many shots will look similar whether they are taken on a smartphone or professional camera. In many cases, the limitations of smartphones aren’t obvious until you blow them up on a larger screen or make large prints. Also, the image quality difference is much more pronounced in scenes that are dark or have other difficult lighting scenarios.
The second important reason to buy a camera is control. Most smartphones have limited or no ability to zoom. So if you want to take anything other than a wide angle shot you are out of luck. Similarly, it can be difficult or impossible to gain access to manual exposure control or fine tune image processing. Finally, dedicated cameras provide many physical “control points” such as buttons, rings, and dials that make it much easier and faster to customize your shot.
There are many types of shots that are not possible or very difficult with a smartphone. Wildlife, sports, action, macro, or astrophotography are just a few. However, smartphones are highly optimized for making it very easy to capture decent to great photographs of people and places in good lightning. Their software is capable of making so many decisions for you. Many standalone cameras won’t do as much work for you even in full auto mode.
In summary, a dedicated camera opens up a new level of image quality and flexibility. It allows you to explore and take command of the image creation process. However, if you are primarily interested in capturing day-to-day life and sharing on social media, a high end smartphone may be enough.
Types of Cameras to Consider
There are three types of cameras I would consider looking into for your first camera.
Large Sensor Compact
Large sensor compact cameras try to blend portability with image quality and control. They feature relatively large sensors and a built-in, non-interchangeable lens. While not as portable as a phone, they are much easier to throw into a purse or bag then other dedicated cameras. I think these are good cameras to get started with because they offer manual control and the sensors are large enough to allow some control over depth of field (i.e. how much of the image is in focus).
To me the primary downside of these cameras is price. New, they can be at least as expensive as an entry level interchangeable lens camera and lens. For this reason, I would consider either getting an older model and/or a used model. One very popular camera in this category, the Sony RX100, has new models available every few years. You can pick up a still-great older copy of this camera for far less than the price of the latest model.
Check out Dpreview’s review of the top cameras in this category to see specific models.
Superzooms
The exact definition of a “superzoom” camera is subject to interpretation. In general, however, the size and style of these cameras is closer to an interchangeable lens camera. They typically have reasonably large hand grips and a viewfinder above the lens. And they can zoom…a lot. These cameras can magnify a scene at least 8 times (known as 8x) from it’s widest focal length.
This type of camera is great for travel. You can capture wide scenes and small details with the built-in-lens. There’s no need to carry around extra lenses. Most (all?) superzooms offer manual control.
However, most cameras in this class can only achieve this flexibility through some compromise of image quality. It’s impractical to make zoom lenses this long for large sensors so most cameras in this class have sensors that may not be much larger than those found in smartphones. It’s also very difficult to manufacture lenses that maintain high image quality throughout a huge zoom range. With that said, I think that most people will be satisfied with the image quality in normal lighting conditions.
Like the large sensor compact category, superzooms can also be expensive.
Check out Dpreview’s review of the top cameras in this category to see specific models.
Interchangeable Lens Cameras (ILCs)
Interchangeable Lens Cameras (ILCs) are probably what most people envision when they think of standalone cameras. ILCs come in all shapes and sizes. As their name implies, these cameras allow you to mount different lenses. The camera itself, without a lens, is known as a “body.” There is a huge variety in types and prices for ILCs. However, all ILCs have large sensors.
Until recently ILC was synonymous with digital single lens reflex (DSLR) cameras. DSLRs have the same basic design as their non-digital single lens reflex (SLR) counterparts. DSLRs use a series of mirrors to project the image through the lens into an optical viewfinder. When you hit the shutter button on a DSLR, the primary mirror flips up and the shutter opens simultaneously to expose the image sensor.
Over the last decade, a new form of ILC has emerged known as “mirrorless cameras.” Mirrorless cameras often look like DSLRs. However, they have no mirror assembly. If they have a viewfinder it is an electronic viewfinder (EVF) which is a small LCD.
At this point it’s clear that mirrorless cameras are the future. Mirrorless cameras have many advantages over DSLRs. There are still a few things DSLRs can sometimes do better but I believe that within a few years there will be almost no reason to prefer a DSLR anymore.
It’s important to know that most (all?) camera manufacturers have different lens mounts for their DSLR line than their mirrorless line. Using an adapter, DSLR lenses can be mounted on mirrorless cameras. However, mirrorless lenses cannot be mounted on DSLRs. To make things more confusing, some camera manufacturers have 2 or more incompatible mirrorless lens mounts.
A 50mm lens is a good portrait lens on entry-level-ILC-sized sensors.
For people starting off, I would generally recommend an entry level mirrorless camera as opposed to a DSLR. However, there are certainly many great entry level DSLRs out there too. Just know that when you buy an ILC you are also investing in a system of products. DSLR-mount lenses will probably stop being produced during the next 10 years so investing heavily in DSLR glass may not pay off. In terms of image quality, both types of cameras will produce great results.
If you have a fixed budget, I would generally recommend investing more in lenses than bodies. You will probably get better results with a low-end body and high-end lens than a high-end-body and low-end lens. In addition to image quality, lenses to a large extent expand or limit your ability to do creative shots. Most camera bodies have an optional “kit lens.” These are relatively inexpensive general purpose lenses. For most people starting off I would recommend buying the kit lens. But I would also recommend buying a 50mm prime lens. The 50mm lens will allow you to be much more creative and more readily learn about photography. Most manufacturers offer relatively inexpensive 50mm lenses with great image quality.
Dpreview has good recommendations for cameras under $500 and under $1000. As of this writing it includes a mix of DSLR and mirrorless bodies.
You can probably buy a new entry level ILC kit for less than the price of a new superzoom or large sensor compact. However, keep in mind that the kit lens may not be as flexible as the built-in lenses in the other camera types. An ILC is more of a long term investment where you can build up your equipment over time.
Features to Look For
Here are some features and questions I would consider when researching and evaluating cameras:
Autofocus. How well does the autofocus work? Does it automatically detect and focus on faces and/or eyes? How easy is it to select autofocus points? If you want to shoot fast moving action, does it focus quickly enough to accomplish your goals?
LCD. Is it a touchscreen? Does it flip out or up so that you can see the screen from any angle? Does it flip around so that you can do a selfie? Is it big enough (>2.5 inches is good, probably any modern camera will be this size)?
Viewfinder. Does it have one? Is it optical or electronic?
Ergonomics. How is the grip; is it big enough to hold comfortably in your hands? Are there enough buttons that you don’t have to enter the menu system to make simple changes?
When researching cameras I think it can be tempting for some people to become overly focused on image quality. There are many professional camera reviewers who scientifically quantify camera performance. However, I think the potentially more valuable service that these reviewers provide is taking sample images. Before you choose a camera based on performance numbers alone, I encourage you to look at the sample images and decide if you can actually observe the image quality difference or whether the specific advantages are actually needed to accomplish your goals. Ultimately, you want to purchase a camera that you will enjoy using while not feeling limited by it’s image quality.
Many people recommend going to a store and handling a camera before buying it. This allows you to get a better sense of the size, weight, and ergonomics. I think this is a good idea but not essential.
Buying Your First Camera
When buying your first camera, I would consider buying an older model or used camera. This is especially true if you aren’t sure that you will use the camera a lot or get into the hobby for the long term. Entry level camera series seem to be updated every 1-2 years so an older model may not be that technologically different. In addition, you can get great deals on used cameras and/or camera kits on eBay.
Conclusion
I hope this guide was a helpful resource for getting into photography. I presented a lot of information and options. If you have more questions feel free to comment below or ask me directly if you know me personally.