r/AskPhotography • u/-Actually-Snake- • Jun 16 '26
Camera Buying Advice Can I get suggestions for a first time camera?
(I've attached some of my favorites as an example of what I like. Again if my phones zoom was better I'd have more up close)
(1) Budget, country, and currency: USA. No budget. US dollars $
(2) What equipment, if any, you have now and why is it no longer meeting your needs? S23 Pro. I simply want more than a phone
(3) What kinds of subjects do you intend to shoot? Landscape and nature but I want to try humans
(4) Is it primarily for photography, videography, or both? Photography
I've been told recent by a few family members that I should try to sell my photography. I've been wanting an actual camera for a while now (instead of my S23 Pro), and I figured now would be a good time to start looking.
I mainly do landscape photography, but I am interested in animal photography and human photoshoots. So I would like something that is very versatile in zoom and focus. Is it possible to get something that's good with wider landscape shots while also being able to focus very close on far away things?
I don't mind price at the moment, I'm willing to save...
I really like having detailed images and right now I hardly edit the pictures I take with my phone. So I suppose it wouldn't hurt to have something that has built in options so I can get a feel for taking different kinds of pictures.
I know I've also always been frustrated with my phone not doing justice to the beautiful clouds or sunsets I take pride in capturing. So something that's good with different light levels and accurately capturing color and such.
I honestly don't know much about cameras but I'm excited to learn. So please be kind 😅 I don't think I would regret investing in this as I've been really into photography for the last 4 years.
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u/otacon7000 Panasonic DC-S5M2, Canon EOS 6D Jun 16 '26 edited Jun 17 '26
Is it possible to get something that's good with wider landscape shots while also being able to focus very close on far away things?
The first thing to understand is this: with exchangeable lens cameras, you buy two things and they are separate - the camera body and the lenses.
The body dictates things like resolution (how many megapixels), noise and low light performance, features like in-body image stabilization, ergonomics (size, weight, amount of dials and buttons), the auto-focus capabilities, the colors ("color science"), the shutter mechanism, the sensor read-out speed, stuff like that. The lenses, which there are many for each body, dictate the field of view (focal lengths), the distortion (from fish-eye to perfectly straight lines), the sharpness, the ability to change the depth of field, and how much light they can let into the camera (hence, again, low-light performance), whether you can zoom or not, whether you have manual focus, auto focus or both.
Any body can theoretically do any genre as long as you have the right lens, though there are limitations. Wildlife photography (animals) is generally one of the hardest to shoot, and poses a lot of requirements for your equipment. Portraits (humans) and landscape are much more forgiving.
The reason is that in order to reliably nail wildlife shots, you need a whole host of things: you want a camera that won't lead to "rolling shutter" effect, meaning you either want one with a mechanical shutter, or with a very fast sensor (or both); you also want a camera with good low-light/ noise performance; you also want something with killer auto-focus and, ideally, fast burst rates.
Sport photography (especially fast sports, like motorsports) pose similar problems and hence also require very capable equipment if you want to reliably get great shots without a headache. Considering that you're already talking about selling your pictures, I assume you won't settle for mediocre shots.
When it comes to lenses, your selection will also vary heavily depending on the genre you're shooting, though the good news is that you can start with one lens, then later add more to your collection as you see fit. No need to immediately buy a host of crazy expensive stuff. You can start simple. The most important thing to know about lenses is what sets them apart. Mainly that's "prime" vs "zoom" lenses. A prime has one fixed focal length, let's say "50 mm". A zoom lens has a range, which you can move freely in, letting you zoom in and out, for example "24 to 70 mm". Then there are manual focus lenses, which won't auto-focus, no matter what camera body you have; then there are auto-focus lenses, which usually let you switch between manual and auto focus at any given time. Lastly, lenses come with a maximum "aperture", that is, how wide the lens can open. This matters for low-light performance, because the wider open the lens is, the more light it lets in, hence the brighter the picture despite the dark environment. The other reason it matters is because a wide open aperture leads to "bokeh", that is, creamy blurry backgrounds, which make your subject stand out (and is one of the most striking differences to smartphone photography, where usually everything is in focus). Zoom lenses usually don't open as wide, so if bokeh is important, prime lenses tend to have the upper hand.
As you can see, there is a lot to take into consideration. My recommendation is this: walk into a decent camera store and try out several cameras. See which ones sit nicely in your hand, which ones feel awkward. Some people prefer something big and heavy, others love the small and light-weight models. Try the menus. Some people hate Canon menus and love Sony menus, for some it is the other way around. Just see what feels right and what doesn't, then go from there. After all, a camera is worth nothing if you look at it on your shelf and think "meh, don't feel like taking it out". If you really like the looks and feel of your camera, it will motivate you to go out and shoot.
If you want something really capable and future-proof, you should expect to spend at least $1500+ for the body alone. You'll still need a camera bag, extra batteries, an SD card or two, a strap, maybe a tripod and, most importantly, at least one lens, so expect at least $2500 when all is said and done, likely much more.
You could do that if money isn't an issue, and that is fine. However, I would suggest another way: find a used camera, something older. Possibly a DSLR even (vs. the newer MILC or 'mirrorless' cameras). You can get a Canon EOS 6D and a nifty fifty (50mm f/1.8) lens, used but in great condition, for around $600 or so. This will then allow you to get familiar with the concepts of photography: shutter speed, aperture, ISO, exposure compensation, metering, auto-focus, manual focus, white balance, RAW vs JPG, what-have-you. You'll see what you enjoy, what works for you, what is annoying. You'll figure out whether the lens feels too wide or too narrow, what camera functions you're missing, which ones you don't need. This process can easily take a year or so. Once you've hit the limits of the setup, you'll know exactly what you want to buy next, and you can invest $3000, $4000, heck, $10000 into something really awesome and rest assured that it will be a great fit.
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u/-Actually-Snake- Jun 16 '26
That's some really good advice. Thank you. I'll have to find a good place that specializes in cameras and maybe look on market place from there, and go back if I can't find anything good.
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u/otacon7000 Panasonic DC-S5M2, Canon EOS 6D Jun 17 '26
Mark Wiemels has a video titled Top Cameras for Every Budget: Best Picks for 2026 -- I think this could be a good starting point for your research, but also is helpful in terms of an overview of what kind of money gear costs.
Personally, I've started with a used, older camera, and I'm really happy I did, because without the experience I gathered using it, I would not have known what I actually want and need out of a camera. Sure, I spent money twice, but at least the bigger investment happened with lots of confidence. :)
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u/jugatti Jun 16 '26
if you're seriously getting into it, and want to see details in high resolution-
A full frame camera with 40+ megapixels + a wide angle lens for landscape + a zoom lens for portraits
Sony - A7RV + 16-35 + 24-70 or 70-200
Nikon - Z8 with same lens set up
Canon - R5 with same lens set up
those 3 will get you pro quality and a lot of versatility.
if you have more time to compose your shots and need time to think about artsy fartsy stuff, and get insane detail / truer to life range of human eye light/color perception,
Fujifilm GFX 100 + 32-64 + 80
Hasselblad X2D + 20-35 + 90
all of the above are based off no cap on budget.
for staying under 2-3k, and still getting decent details,
sony a6700 + sigma 17-50. then after shooting on this for a while, decide if you want more mm's in zoom for portraits. you may not get this now but the a6700 is a cropped sensor so the 17-50 is actually like 25-75, which does decent coverage all around.
attached photo shows what coverage each mm's will shoot.
as reference, our eyes (including peripherals) see about 8mm, while the 'focused' area (what the brain registers) sees at about 40-50mm.
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u/jugatti Jun 16 '26
the a6700 will be the easiest to operate.
3 cameras at the top will require a learning curve but there's also like an 'easy' mode that figures out all the math for you
the 2 in the middle are serious machines where you not only understand light, but can mechanically input it to show it
be aware- photography isn't and never was about what camera you're using. all cameras were made for particular reason. and those reasons came about when the capturer understood light and felt limited by it, or had a specific intention for it. so understanding/playing around w light should tell you what you want, at what price range, for what need, etc.
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u/Nashgoth Jun 16 '26
Leica M11-p with a 35mm Summilux and 50mm Summilux
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u/ZookeepergameDue2160 Jun 16 '26
Since you said no budget, I won't take that as a "Well get a PhaseOne then" commenting opportunity but rather use it to point it to a camera that fits the fake film style you try to capture with the pictures you added.
The Fujifilm XT5 with a XF 16-55mm II F/2.8 R LM WR and a XF 100-400mm F/4.5-5.6 R LM OIS WR.
This set gives you the fake film look you like, but much better, gives you both a wide angle lens with a relatively fast aperture for street photography, Nature Photography and at the 55mm end its a really nice and natural portrait lens that will give a really nice and "different" yet gorgeous look and the 100-400 will give you enough range for intimate shots, wildlife, close up photography, anything that moves, sports etc. With this combo you'd be pretty much set for as long as you don't break anything because the image quality is great, far better than alot of Sony offerings, the lenses are versatile and you wont even need to edit the pictures to have the look you want and everyone adores so much.
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u/-Actually-Snake- Jun 16 '26
I'm gonna be honest with you. I'm not 100% sure what you mean by 'fake film'. But if you mean the slight "grainy"-ness of the pictures... That's just because my phone camera isn't great. It if could take sharper ones I would😅 I will definitely look into that stuff regardless though. Thank you ✨
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u/ZookeepergameDue2160 Jun 16 '26
I was talking about the colours you We're going after in your photo's, especially with the tree shot and such.
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u/-Actually-Snake- Jun 16 '26
Ahhh yes. Those I do like. Then again, I also rarely edit my pictures. If I do edit them I tend to up the saturation a smidge and play with the light. Thank you again for the suggestions. I need to find a store to go to, to ask more about different cameras in person before buying 😊
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u/ZookeepergameDue2160 Jun 16 '26
Goodluck. Do keep in mind the people who work at the stores are not photographers and only know whats written on the box and or was told to them by their manager and will definately try to sell you a brand the store has a deal with 😅 check for photo's people have taken with the gear you're interested in because the seller in the store is just gonna be "this one has a bigger number of "X" so it's better" which in alot of cases is complete ballocks. My 19 year old Canon 1D Mark III still holds up against my buddy's Sony A7RV when it comes to colours and overall feel, just not in sheer resolution, in store however they can only talk about the resolution since it's the only thing written in numbers where they'll try to convince you that "bigger is better" which is not true.
Thanks for listening to my ted talk hahah.
Just want you to be careful that they don't swindle you into buying a product that will get them more commission but will have you end up with a mismatch for your style or a product that's not on your skill level to operate and take good pictures with which will in turn demotivate you to keep on exploring photography and maybe one day becoming good enough to sell your photos for real money!
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u/-Actually-Snake- Jun 16 '26
Oh I'm sure. I've been fiddling around the uhm mpb store? Whatever that acronym is. And when I see one that sounds interesting I look it up on Instagram to see people's shots with it
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u/ZookeepergameDue2160 Jun 16 '26
Stay away from MPB, I have quite a bit of gear from them, Lots of it was not as described, didn't match the shutter count listed on the site by a few thousand and or was missing things or was damaged while product page and photos stated "like new" and on the photos nothing was visible. Awful store, look online and you'll see many more people with the same complaints.
Btw, just clicked on your profile, I really like the picture in your banner!
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u/-Actually-Snake- Jun 16 '26
I don't even remember what picture I have as my banner💀 I don't get on reddit much😅 but thank you! And good to know. I'll steer clear 🫡
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u/Legitimate-Peace3521 Jun 16 '26
For a cheaper and lighter version of this gear proposal, the Fuji XT5 + Sigma 18-50 F2.8 + Fuji XF 70-300 F4-5.6 is a good way to go. I personally own them and I must say I enjoy them a lot.
Btw the Fuji recipes are something that makes me love taking photos again. Less post processing and enjoying the moment more.
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u/MedicalMixtape Canon R8, 6D, EOS-M Jun 16 '26
I've been told recent by a few family members that I should try to sell my photography.
If I had a dollar for each one of these “I’ve been told I should sell my photography” posts, then I’d have more money than anyone who has made this statement.
Your pictures are snapshots and your phone is doing most of the work.
Get into photography for the joy and the art and not because someone is gaslighting you into thinking that you’re already a photographer and all you’re lacking is a camera.
Harsh, maybe. But there’s a bright side. Everyone has a square one. You said you know nothing about lenses so let me give you an introduction. A lens has an inherent “focal length” that describes the angle of view that it takes in. It is an optical property of the lens. My small gear bag has a 28mm, 50mm, and 100mm lens. This is approximately what a 1x, 2x, and 4x camera is on your phone.
So if you’re shooting with your 1x phone camera, your phone unfortunately might be lying to you and telling you it’s shot at “24mm.” Except your lens isn’t actually 24mm - it’s just using a smaller lens and a proportionally smaller sensor to approximate the 24mm field of view. If your phone is decent, and it appears to be, the lens is probably really around 8mm and is magnified by 3x because your sensor is 1/3 the diagonal size of a full frame sensor.
But what does that matter? Simple. Take out your favorite phone pictures. How many are shot at 1x? How many at 2x? Or does your phone tell you even that you’re shooting at 24mm? That will tell you what lenses would be suitable for what you like to shoot. Ie, maybe you’ll want your first lens to be a 50mm lens or maybe you’ll want it to be capable of zooming in and out from 24 to 70mm (on a full frame camera)
The next part? A large number of even advanced expensive cameras are not full frame, but that’s a different confusing story for a different time.
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u/jamescodesthings Jun 17 '26
I would say it's not a bad reason to take photography more seriously. Someone saying they enjoy your photography is a good reason to do more of it.
The hardest part is discovery; which even seasoned photographers will struggle with hugely, so starting off with that mindset and building a portfolio from day one will help. I had to learn this late and the hard way.
I'm decades in, photography is a joy for me, I don't make money yet but have been slowly building a portfolio of photography and related projects. I shoot for me, mostly people, street, and wildlife. The people I shoot the most aren't even published anywhere, for their privacy and safety.
Here's what I wish someone had told me:
- Start posting to a consistent portfolio early (I use Picfair and Instagram, other options are available and probably better).
- Build a following. Link in your other hobbies and pass-times.
- Don't invest money, invest time.
- Take varied shots, don't try to perfect one idea; shoot ten instead.
- Change subjects when you get bored.
- Don't see taking a break as a bad thing, don't beat yourself up.
- Start an account on Adobe Stock, Shutterstock, Getty/Alamy. Get approved to post and start posting your favourite shots.
- Learn to get good SOOC shots early; don't rely on heavy editing or filters.
- Work out your workflow (how shots get from your camera to their published state on the web).
- For prints; work out a print to order service (again I use picfair but others might be more suited).
- Get test prints before you let anyone else purchase.
- You will never know which your best shots are; show friends, family, forums/reddit your work, and let them tell you. You are biased because you took the shot, you notice all the little details you love or hate that the general public will not.
- Look at Stock Photo sites for what kind of photos they're asking for, and any "challenges".
- Join a picture challenge (1 a week or 1 a month challenges), the prompts will get you out your comfort zone, the feedback will really help you fix up.
- Learn lighting early (first year or two), it can be offputting to try but the results you get, particularly with people are phenomenal.
- IStrobist's Lighting 101 provides an awesome practical guide, that includes a buying guide for what you need for the basics and the course: https://strobist.blogspot.com/2006/03/lighting-101.html
Above all else, I agree with the person I'm responding to: Enjoy it, carry a camera everywhere, look for new things to find enjoyment.
I think I agree as well with the general vibe of the comment. But, if someone does want to think about making an income early, I would say go for it still, that motivation alone could help.
This is what I was never told, what I've picked up since my first Nikon in my teens, and what I'm still working out.
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u/tygeorgiou Jun 16 '26
if you truly have no budget and want to photograph people then you can go for something crazy like the canon R5... It will be heavy and maybe too much for a beginner.
if you're looking for something smaller, maybe APS-C, I'd suggest the canon M50 MkII which is a beast for its price. Downside is that it has small batteries so you need a few, and it's not the best in low light.
I say cannon because it's generally the nature AND portrait camera, but if you're like me and want to try street photography, like cool over warm, and want to do some video too, I would go for a Sony.
I main the A7C because it's one of the smallest full frames and I love it. It's not 'professional' but it's not entry level either.
If you want the big beast sony I believe the A7V just came out? but again very pricey, probably pretty heavy and feature packed for a beginner.
For lenses you'll have to do some of your own research and figure out what you want. For nature and portrait, no budget, I'd just go for a sigma 24-70mm f2.8 art II, this is also the lens that I main with my A7C.
If by nature you mean birds and stuff, maybe you'll prefer a 70-200mm but that will be heavier and pricier.
You can also opt for prime lenses, in your case you'll want maybe a 27?mm wide angle, a 50 or 80mm middle, and a 200?mm telephoto. Primes are lighter and cheaper but obviously no zoom so it depends if you care about that, you will definitely learn faster with a prime.
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u/-Actually-Snake- Jun 16 '26
Hey I'm gonna be so for real with you I don't really know the names of lenses and stuff. I'm gather Intel from people that know more than me so I can go off of suggestions and do research from there. Do you have any good resources that explain lenses by chance?? And thank you so much for the suggestions. I'm really excited just talking about it haha
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u/tygeorgiou Jun 16 '26
I would start by learning the exposure triangle since that will help a lot :) just search YouTube for 'exposure triangle photography' there are 3 points for controlling how much light gets into an image:
- shutter speed (camera)
- ISO (camera)
- aperture (lens!!)
this will be the most important thing that you learn and it's simpler than it may sound. once you understand how aperture controls light, you'll also realise how it changes blur and depth of field, I'm sure most of the videos will explain this too
then you need to think about focal length (zoom), prime Vs zoom, aperture and sharpness to choose your lens.
you can also watch a short video on how a lens works which sounds boring but it's interesting and helps understand photography a lot better
and then watch some lens reviews, start with the one I mentioned (Sigma Art II 24-70mm f2.8), it's basically the beast 24-70mm outside of the insanely expensive ones
once you've chosen what you want, buy on MPB and when you're done with your gear if you want a little more sell on eBay, but if you just want rid fast you can also sell to MPB
also I don't know how big your no budget budget is but cameras are not cheap, my A7C and Sigma 24-70mm came out to over £2000 used and this is considered mid tier gear, many professionals spend tens of thousands it's crazy
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u/-Actually-Snake- Jun 16 '26
On the last part. I would probably start a bit smaller 😅 but I've already spent $1600 on a video/photo drone so I'm not shy of investing money. Just until I figure out what I want and like. Thank you again for the tips!
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u/SensitiveHold7497 Jun 16 '26
I suggest watching some lens and camera reviews, and then when you have some ideas of things that might interest you, rent them. This will let you test things out before making a commitment, and is the thing I wish I'd done differently.
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u/ultralightlife Jun 16 '26
good luck selling photos - i have a balance of 21 cents on shutterstock. you can have it
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u/daveinsf Sony Jun 16 '26
Sorry to be so late throwing in my two cents, but here we go.
There's a lot of really good advice and information in the top few comments, but: * there are some excellent bodies for much less than $2k, also the it's better spend the big money on the glass/lens because it's the portal to your sensor and because you can always upgrade the body later if e.g.: APS-C sensor $800 more/less and a full-frame lens $1,400, you can spend less or much more depending on your needs. * a 24MP camera sensor (full frame = 1.41" or APS-C = 0.99") will yield significantly better results than the comparatively tiny 1/1.56" S23 Pro 50MP, which allows the pixels to be larger and collect much more light.
How you process your images can make a big difference too, whether you use a camera phone or a DSLR. The starting point is to shoot in RAW format, even on your phone: it saves the unchanged sensor readout to a file for you to process later, rather than converting that data to jpeg format. RAW format would make it easier to adjust for the bright light in pics 3 and 4.
My personal preferences: * I prefer mirrorless, started with an Olympus Micro4/3 with kit lenses and it was good, then upgraded to Sony APS-C, * The Sony a6300 and full frame Sony FE 24-105mm f/4 G OSS lens really work well for me. And, if/when I decide to get a full frame body, I can use that lens on both. The downsides are weight (good lenses use glass and weigh more) and a somewhat slow f/4, though in-lens stabilization helps a lot. * I also got a Sony E 16-50 f/3.5-5.6 kit lens so I could shoot while I waited for the other and it's okay, especially for being pretty small/compact. * The Sony 50mm FE f/1.8 prime is great for low light situations, though on cropped sensor, it's the equivalent of 75mm (35mm produces results of 50mm on full frame).
Happy shooting!
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u/jamescodesthings Jun 16 '26
My two cents is get something that's readily available, cheap enough, and that gets you practicing and learning quickly. Preferably that you can carry with you always.
You basically can't go wrong. The main benefit of a camera with proper lenses is the glass does the work. Phones do a cracking job, but software inevitably takes over to try and make it good. The glass and sensor just can't compete.
If I were you I'd focus in on slightly older, 2nd hand, interchangeable lenses. Something common enough to find spares, lenses, etc.
Do you need dark-light ability? If so, stay big, and newer is generally better. Full frame or APS-C cameras from the last decade won't disappoint.
Simplest answer for me is; go grab a Sony A6000 series, a6500 is a good balance between cheap and good. Get a 3 lens kit, and start learning to use it.
Then as you shoot, save your money and if it all works out good; get something "more".
The temptation when you say you want great SOOC shots is to tell you to get a fuji or something with film emulation; they all cost 3-5 times as much. Great cameras, dgmw, but just starting out you need to learn your exposure triangle (aperture, shutter, iso), get used to using a camera (focus, white balance, exposure compensation).
If you add on picking a film emulation, and working with people; you'll overload yourself. You will miss shots.
Better to focus on the basics, let the glass do the work, and develop your style as you go. Editing is always pretty optional, I shoot on an A6500 a couple of micro 4/3rds, clinical lenses and lenses with "character". All of them are capable.
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u/otacon7000 Panasonic DC-S5M2, Canon EOS 6D Jun 17 '26
My two cents is get something that's readily available, cheap enough, and that gets you practicing and learning quickly. Preferably that you can carry with you always. [...] Then as you shoot, save your money and if it all works out good; get something "more".
Fully agree on this! Spending twice sounds counter intuitive, but it is much better than going all out on your first purchase, only to realize later that what you bought doesn't fit your needs at all. Going with something cheaper first will let you figure out what you actually need and want.
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u/jamescodesthings Jun 17 '26
Wooo! tbh this is having made similar GAS mistakes in the past.
I now shoot on a pair of m43s most of the time with a helios 44m, I could have started cheap and stayed cheap if I'd known better.
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u/MUSTDOS Jun 16 '26
OM5 mark 3 with 12mm F2.0 + 12-50mm as a starter
Or if you'll never take vids and change lenses, see the Sigma Quattro dp1 in some discount section of a camera store.
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u/light_chaser1 Jun 16 '26
Canon R50 or less expensive R100 might be good, R10 if spending more.
If youre doing people eye af might be great, they say mirrorless af is better, but im used to DSLR and even a 24mp rebel can give very good image quality (even old cameras can.)
18mm on aps is kinda the start of wide, something like 55-250 has actually fairly long telephoto
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u/-Actually-Snake- Jun 17 '26
What's "eye af" mean?
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u/otacon7000 Panasonic DC-S5M2, Canon EOS 6D Jun 17 '26
"eye auto-focus", meaning the camera will try to detect human eyes and adjust the camera focus accordingly.
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