Camera Buying Guide: Which Camera Is Right for You?

Our Personal Camera Recommendations

	Sony A6100	Canon R50	Sony A6400 Top Value	Nikon Z50 II	OM System OM-5 II	Canon R8	Sony A7 IV
Strengths	- Reliable autofocus - Easy to use - Lightweight	- Great for beginners - Pleasing skin tones - Flexible flip display	- Fast autofocus - Sturdy body - Intuitive controls	- Ergonomic handling - Clear menu - Natural colors	- Excellent image stabilization - Good weather sealing - Compact lens selection	- Lightweight full-frame camera - Strong in low light - Reliable autofocus	High image quality Comfortable ergonomics Versatile settings
Weight	396 g	375 g	403 g	550 g	418 g	456 g	661 g
Price	approx. 750 EUR	approx. 740 EUR	approx. 900 EUR	approx. 1,100 EUR	approx. 1,500 EUR	approx. 1,600 EUR	approx. 2,100 EUR
Buy	Buy now	Buy now	Buy now	Buy now	Buy now	Buy now	Foto Koch

Best Camera Under $800

Sony A6100: Entry-Level Camera with Strong Autofocus

If you want a straightforward entry-level camera with reliable autofocus, the A6100 is a great pick.

It locks onto faces and eyes really consistently — great for spontaneous family moments or street scenes.

The display tilts upward, making selfies and vlogs quick and easy.

There’s no built-in image stabilizer and the viewfinder is fairly basic, but the camera stays light and travel-friendly. The menus can feel a bit overwhelming at first, but you’ll find your way around quickly.

All in all, you get clean image quality and a lot of autofocus convenience for around $750.

• Reliable face detection
• Very light and travel-friendly
• Tilting display with touch functionality
• No image stabilizer
• Menus a bit nested at first

Sony A6100 at Foto Koch

Sony A6100 at Amazon

Canon R50: Light, Easy & Ideal for Beginners

The R50 makes getting started especially easy.

You flip out the display, tap your subject, and the camera even explains what the modes do right there in the menu.

Colors look natural, and the autofocus hits the mark reliably in everyday situations. It’s small and light, making it a great companion for travel, city walks, and family photos.

There’s no in-body stabilizer and the selection of compact RF-S lenses is still limited — but that rarely matters in everyday use.

If you want to get started without a steep learning curve, the R50 is a really pleasant camera to work with — and all of that for around $740.

• Intuitive controls with in-camera explanations
• Reliable autofocus
• Beautiful out-of-camera colors
• Feels a bit plasticky
• Limited lens selection

Canon R50 at Foto Koch

Canon R50 at Amazon

Best Camera Around $1,000

Sony A6400: Rugged All-Rounder

The A6400 feels like a little workhorse.

Its autofocus sticks to faces, and subject tracking holds even during movement.

The body is rugged, the controls are direct, and the display tilts upward. There’s no built-in stabilizer, so fast shutter speeds or stabilized lenses help.

The battery is on the smaller side, so bringing a spare is a smart move on longer trips. In return, you get a camera that reliably delivers when you’re shooting a lot on the go and need solid focusing accuracy.

It’s been popular for years because it simply does what it’s supposed to. At around $900, it’s also seriously good value.

• Autofocus with excellent subject tracking
• Rugged and compact body
• Tilting display for low-angle shots
• No image stabilizer
• Almost too small for large hands

Sony A6400 at Foto Koch

Sony A6400 at Amazon

Nikon Z50 II: Great APS-C with Excellent Handling

The Z50 II feels immediately familiar: great grip, clear menus, excellent viewfinder.

It’s the well-rounded option if you want a compact APS-C Nikon with modern technology.

The improved processor brings snappier response and tracking that recognizes animals and vehicles. Burst shooting is brisk, and the selfie screen makes casual handheld shots easy.

There’s still no built-in image stabilizer, but the camera stays light and attractively priced at around $1,100.

The new Picture Control button is handy if you enjoy playing with color looks. Overall, a really likable everyday camera.

• Excellent grip and premium feel
• Beautiful colors straight out of the camera
• Flexible tilting display with good touch functionality
• No image stabilizer
• Limited lens selection

Nikon Z50 II at Foto Koch

Nikon Z50 II at Amazon

Best Camera Under $2,000

OM System OM-5 II: Travel Companion with Top Stabilization & Weather Sealing

The OM System OM-5 II is the travel camera for all weather conditions. It’s compact, robustly sealed, and has one of the best stabilizers in its class.

That means you can capture surprisingly steady handheld shots in low light or deep in the forest.

What’s really exciting are the creative tools built right into the camera — things like Live ND, Live Composite, and Starry Sky AF.

For many of these, you won’t need a tripod or an app. The camera does a lot of the heavy lifting. If maximum background blur is your priority, a full-frame camera is the better pick.

For active outdoor use, the OM-5 II is a true feel-good tool — and it comes in at around $1,500.

• Powerful in-body image stabilizer
• Weather-sealed, travel-ready body
• Lots of creative features
• Less background blur than full-frame or APS-C
• Menu takes some getting used to

OM System OM-5 II at Foto Koch

OM System OM-5 II at Amazon

Canon R8: Affordable Entry into Full-Frame

The R8 brings you the full-frame look in a very lightweight body.

Colors and dynamic range look fantastic, and the autofocus is borrowed from the significantly pricier Canon R6 II — tracking subjects with exceptional reliability.

It especially shines in available light situations.

There’s no built-in stabilizer and the viewfinder is solid, if not luxurious.

On the other hand, the camera is pleasantly compact and fits easily into an everyday bag. If you want a no-fuss full-frame camera for travel, portraits, and city shooting, the R8 gets a lot right for around $1,600.

• Full-frame sensor in a very small and light body
• Strong autofocus
• Excellent for portraits
• No in-body image stabilizer
• Better to pick up a second battery

Canon R8 at Foto Koch

Canon R8 at Amazon

Sony A7 IV: Outstanding Value for the Money

The A7 IV is the safe bet if you want a camera that does almost everything. We use it ourselves with great pleasure whenever our smartphone just isn’t enough.

It delivers seriously high image quality with a modern sensor that offers plenty of headroom.

The autofocus is fast and reliable, and the fully customizable controls grow with your ambitions.

It’s not the smallest camera out there, but it sits really comfortably in your hand and feels premium. For travel, people photography, reportage, and mixed use, the A7 IV is a calm and capable workhorse.

At around $2,100, you get the camera together with a kit lens.

• Superb image quality
• Reliable and fast autofocus
• Comfortable ergonomics
• The heaviest camera on this list

Sony A7 IV at Foto Koch

Sony A7 IV at Amazon

Buying Criteria for Your New Camera

Below we’ll walk you through the key things to consider when choosing a camera — and then some models by budget that we’d buy ourselves if we were starting out in photography from scratch:

Budget

It’s understandable that you’d rather spend less at the beginning, but very cheap entry-level cameras can quickly become frustrating. They’re often limited in how they handle and don’t make shooting much fun.

If you want to enjoy it for longer, a slightly better camera is worth it. Higher-quality models feel better in your hand, give you more control, and will stay with you longer.

It’s better to invest thoughtfully once than to buy twice. That goes for cameras too.

Specs

The good news first: Truly bad cameras are almost a thing of the past. Even affordable models today deliver great photos, whether you go with a DSLR or a mirrorless camera.

That means you don’t need to pore over spec sheets or get lost in numbers. Megapixels, burst rates, and autofocus points are all at a high level across the board.

What matters is how well you can work with the camera. Focus on composition, light, and creativity instead. That’ll take your photography further than any spec sheet ever will.

Sensor Size

The sensor is the heart of your camera and has the biggest impact on image quality.

There are three common sensor sizes: full-frame, APS-C, and Micro Four Thirds (MFT). A larger sensor captures more light and produces detailed photos with beautiful bokeh.

The trade-off is that full-frame cameras are larger and more expensive. APS-C and MFT are more compact, lighter, and usually more affordable.

They’re ideal for travel or everyday use. In the end, the best camera is the one you actually want to carry with you.

Tip: Check out our article on the crop factor and learn how it relates to the different sensor sizes.

Lenses

Your camera only reaches its full potential with the right lenses. When buying, make sure your camera system offers a wide selection of affordable and high-quality lenses.

Sony and Fujifilm in particular have a strong lineup here, and Micro Four Thirds users also benefit from a huge range of options.

You don’t need to own everything right away. A good standard zoom or a fast prime lens is often all you need to get started.

Over time, you’ll learn which focal lengths really work for you and can build out your kit intentionally.

Brand

Every camera manufacturer has its own strengths.

Sony covers almost every price range and leads in autofocus and lens selection.

Fujifilm wins fans with gorgeous colors, classic design, and the largest selection of APS-C lenses.

Panasonic and OM System (formerly Olympus) use the MFT system, which lets you share lenses across brands.

Canon and Nikon were slower to embrace mirrorless cameras, but they now offer some truly strong models.

What matters less is the name on the camera and more that you feel comfortable with the system.

Handling and Usability

How a camera feels in your hands is often more important than any technical spec.

A good camera sits comfortably in your hand, has a clear menu system, and responds intuitively to your input.

If you can, try out your dream camera in a store first. You’ll immediately notice whether the size, weight, and button layout work for you.

Larger cameras give you more grip, while smaller models are lighter and better for on the go.

In the end, what counts is that you enjoy using it — because the more you shoot, the better your photos will get.

What Types of Cameras Are There?

There are many different types of cameras, but as a beginner you can focus on these four main categories:

Smartphone as a Camera

Let’s start with the device you probably already have in your pocket — your smartphone!

Modern smartphone cameras now offer very good image quality. They’re perfect for snapshots, selfies, and everyday use.

Even we catch ourselves leaving our mirrorless camera in the bag on shorter trips and reaching for the smartphone instead.

The big downside is that you have very limited access to manual settings.

If you just want to capture nice memories, your smartphone might be all you need! Check out our article with 22 tips for better phone photos.

We especially love the iPhone. A great alternative for Android users are Google’s smartphones, like the Pixel 10 Pro.

iPhone on Amazon

Google Pixel 10 Pro

Compact Cameras

Compact cameras have changed quite a bit over the years. In the early 2000s, they were the small, inexpensive cameras we used for snapshots and the like.

Today, compact cameras are often premium devices that deliver really great image quality and tend to fall into the higher price range.

Many current compact cameras come equipped with a prime lens. We’re big fans of this approach and use the Fujifilm X100 V ourselves, for example.

But especially if you want to dive into photography and stay flexible, being able to swap lenses — and with them, focal lengths — is really important.

Today’s compact cameras are therefore a great addition to an existing camera setup.

DSLR Cameras

The traditional DSLR (single-lens reflex camera) still has a large following. They continue to offer great image quality and an extensive lens selection.

That said, DSLRs are on the decline. Most manufacturers, including the two major players Nikon and Canon, haven’t released new DSLRs in years.

New DSLRs are becoming increasingly rare in stores. Instead, you’d need to turn to used cameras and lenses.

That has its advantages too — you can save a meaningful amount of money without sacrificing solid performance.

For beginners in particular, DSLRs can be an affordable option. Just keep in mind that DSLRs aren’t future-proof.

Mirrorless Cameras

Mirrorless cameras are the new DSLRs — just without the mirror. We switched to Sony mirrorless cameras years ago and have never looked back.

Mirrorless cameras offer real advantages over DSLRs, especially when it comes to autofocus and video features.

Nearly every manufacturer now has a broad lineup of mirrorless cameras, from compact models to large professional ones.

Our take on the DSLR vs. mirrorless debate is clear. If you’re new to photography and want to hit the ground running, get yourself a mirrorless camera.

Vlog Cameras

Vlog cameras are a still relatively new trend in the camera world. With the rise of social media, the term has become increasingly popular, and by now virtually every manufacturer offers dedicated vlog cameras.

What makes them special? They’re primarily designed for video and offer features specifically developed for content creators and self-presentation.

Flip-out and rotating displays, good video quality, and easy operation are just some of the highlights that make these cameras so popular. And don’t worry — with a vlog camera, you’re not limited to filming yourself! They’re just as well suited for landscape photography, travel, or creative film projects.

Whether you’re a beginner or a seasoned shooter: if you want to focus on video and want a camera specifically built for that, a vlog camera is a fantastic choice.

Buying a Camera Used

A new camera costs a lot of money. If you’re working with a tight budget, buying used might be a smart option.

Generally speaking, it’s not a bad idea — as long as you keep a few things in mind:

• Physical condition: Look for deep scratches or scuffs on corners and edges. These often indicate a drop, which could have damaged sensitive electronics or mechanisms inside. On lenses, the front and rear elements must be completely scratch-free.

• Shutter count: Like the mileage on a car, this number tells you how heavily the camera has been used. Most entry-level cameras are rated for around 150,000 actuations. A count in the low five-digit range (under 20,000) is considered very good. You can check the value online by uploading a recent photo taken with the camera to tools like “Shuttercounter.”

• Technical check in person: Turn the camera on and test all the buttons and the monitor. Take a test shot of a white wall or the blue sky: if you see dark spots when you zoom in, the sensor is dirty (which can often be cleaned professionally). Also listen for any unusual grinding or rattling sounds when you fire the shutter.

• Completeness of accessories: Check whether original accessories like batteries, a charger, and especially small items like the hot shoe cover are included. Buying these separately afterward is often disproportionately expensive.

• Dealer vs. private seller: Buying from a private seller (e.g., through classifieds) is often the cheapest option, but it always comes with some risk. If you want to play it safe, you can also buy used cameras from specialized dealers. We’ve had good experiences ourselves with the MPB platform. All items are inspected and come with a 12-month warranty — though naturally it’s a bit pricier than buying from a private seller.

Frequently Asked Questions About Buying a Camera

Still have questions? No problem — let’s answer them!