As photography enthusiasts ourselves, we also know what the most important considerations are when deciding which format is right for you, including budget limitations and lens availability. One other factor to bear in mind when perusing this guide is that Black Friday is fast approaching, which means we'll start to see some offers on many of the cameras on this page very soon.
We're expecting the Black Friday camera deals to quickly ramp up throughout November, it's a great time to be researching the best cameras for you. Luckily, our guide is here to help you do just that The top mobile options now ship with multiple lenses to suit all sorts of shooting scenarios. This means you get a lot of versatility from a device that can still slip easily into your pocket.
Smartphones also make it incredibly easy to edit and share images, thanks to their comprehensive connectivity options and app support.
So smartphone cameras are more capable than ever. But there are still a few compromises to consider. And while a few flagship smartphones do now offer optical zoom the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra features 10x zoom on one of its lenses , the range of more affordable smartphones is pretty limited compared to the kind of flexibility offered by travel compacts and dedicated telephoto lenses for DSLR and mirrorless models.
Pros: It's the camera you always have to hand, the results can match those from a regular point-and-shoot compact camera, you can share instantly to Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, you can get apps with amazing effects and additional tools and they can be easy to use. Cons: In many cases you get a fixed focal length lens though flagship models now often feature more than one lens , smartphones aren't so easy to hold; limited control over shooting settings.
As the name suggests, everything about the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra is impressive, including the camera setup. Despite its stunning, streamlined design, the S21 Ultra features a quartet of rear lenses.
The results are as impressive as the specs: stills are sharp with good dynamic range. Built tough enough to withstand drops, dust and dunkings, the best action cams are rugged but simple to use. Most come with mounts that allow you to attach them to all sorts of things, from handlebars and helmets to car dashboards and even your pets.
Whatever you choose to use it for, a good action cam should help you capture footage in conditions that would destroy normal cameras. Most action cams can shoot good-quality 4K video through a fixed focal length wide-angle lens. Many are completely waterproof, but some still ship with a separate waterproof housing for going deeper beneath the waves. The best action cams are small and light enough to not get in the way, straightforward to operate and sturdily built.
GoPro cameras can also capture high-resolution video, with class-leading image stabilization to keep fast-paced footage smooth and steady. Plus they feature a range of presets and modes for cinematic creativity, as well as excellent connectivity options for easy editing and uploading. Some are bullet-shaped for a better helmet fit, while others are modular, meaning you can switch to different sensor or accessory setups as the situation requires. Extreme sports enthusiasts naturally gravitate towards action cams for capturing their adventurous pursuits, but they have plenty of other uses.
Action cameras are often favored by vloggers, for example, because of their portability, flexibility and ease of use. They can also be used to shoot in-car footage like a dash cam, or attached to just about anything. The best bit? Pros: Cheap, tough and simple, surprisingly good 4K movie quality in most cases, you can mount them on practically anything.
Cons: Fixed wide-angle lenses mean there's no zoom capability, while there's little control over exposure. Still photos are snapshot quality only. GoPro has long been the brand to beat in the action cam arena and the Hero 10 Black only cements its position. Featuring the same small sensor, screens and shell as the GoPro Hero 9 Black before it, the Hero 10 Black offers a more refined experienced than its predecessor. It features a snappy touchscreen interface and menu system, accompanied by that handy front screen for framing.
Beneath its rugged exterior, a GP2 processor ensures polished performance: it can shoot 5K at frame rates of up to 60p, as well as slick 4K slow-mo at fps. Stabilization is stellar as well, with HyperSmooth 4.
Live-streaming of p video is still subject to some limitations YouTubers need at least 1, subscribers , but the ability to stream with HyperSmooth 4. Add a hydrophobic lens cover to its established endurance skills and the GoPro Hero 10 Black becomes the clear winner if you need top-notch video in tricky conditions — even if budget rivals offer better value. Looking to get closer to the action while you travel? With the rise of smartphone photography, cheap point-and-shoot cameras have declined in popularity.
But one area where smartphones still fall behind is optical zoom: even the best flagships are limited to x zoom, while most rely on electronic trickery to digitally crop in on faraway subjects. Long-zoom travel compacts seize this as they main advantage, offering a much, much longer optical zoom range — typically up to 30x. The flip side is that you get long-zoom versatility without needing to stick a bulky telephoto lens barrel in your backpack. More megapixels allow you to crop your images more heavily while editing.
Photos with more megapixels have more detail, but are consequently larger in file size, meaning they can take longer to edit, send, store, and handle in general. Most cameras have the option to choose lower resolutions if desired, which can be handy when transferring to smart devices to share online. Pixel size is more important, and this is governed by the size of the image sensor. Camera brands try to compete by introducing fancy new features, but my advice is to make your decision based on the core elements mentioned in this article.
Taking the photo is only half the battle — you need to learn to edit too. A common mistake made by beginners is buying everything in the bargain bin at the local camera store, but in reality, very few accessories are actually required at first.
A tripod can be a worthwhile investment if you require a steady shot. Remember — the more accessories you have, the heavier your camera bag… and the less likely you are to take your camera with you!
Purchasing cameras online is simple and convenient. Following a recent poll in the Shotkit Facebook Group, I learned that people buy cameras from a wide variety of local high street shops and online retailers. Just remember this — every camera is different, but your skill as a photographer is far more important than the camera body. Buy a camera, learn how to use it, and experiment until you reach its limitations.
Then, and only then, think about upgrading. Disclaimer: All recommendations are impartial and based on user experience, with no bias to the products or the brand. The products in this post may contain affiliate links. Enter your email to be sent today's Welcome Gift: 19 Photography Tools. Last Updated: October 12, Table of Contents. Size that suits your habits This is an important one.
The latest model within your budget With camera technology moving so fast, I always recommend investing in the latest cameras.
Twitter Facebook 3 Pinterest Mark Condon. Mark Condon is a British wedding photographer based in Australia and the founder of Shotkit. Enter your Email Please enter a valid email address.
Thanks for subscribing! Please check your email for further instructions. Leica Q2 Best Overall Compact. Note, though, that while superzooms look like beefy DSLRs, they still have the limited photo quality of a compact camera due to their small sensors. A few higher-end models, like the Sony RX10 series, have larger one-inch sensors. Ruggedized and waterproof point-and-shoots are a niche subcategory built to handle a day at the beach or survive a drop in the pool.
This category offers superior image quality, more creative options, and faster performance than point-and-shoots, without all the bulk of a DSLR — sort of. Mirrorless cameras tend to be pricier than compact cameras, but the entry-level models are often cheaper than premium point-and-shoots.
There are different formats of mirrorless camera employed by different brands. As with point-and-shoots, a larger sensor will usually have an image quality advantage, although APS-C sensors are already many times bigger than what you have in your phone. The Sony A7R IV currently holds the record for highest-resolution full-frame camera at 61 megapixels. Read more about the best mirrorless cameras. DSLRs cover the same price range as mirrorless cameras and run the same gamut from consumer to professional.
Even as electronic viewfinders have improved significantly and have many benefits, some photographers still prefer the optical viewfinder of a DSLR. This is also what gives DSLRs their vastly superior battery life, as an optical viewfinder draws very little power. A midrange DSLR can easily get over a thousand exposures on a single battery. The biggest downside of a DSLR is the bulk.
Compared to mirrorless cameras, DSLRs are bigger and heavier. They are also worse for video, not necessarily for anything to do with video quality, but simply because the optical viewfinder is useless in video mode which requires live view. However, this is like saying that a pickup truck is the same as a sports car because they both have four wheels. The physical size of the sensor matters more to image quality than the number of pixels on it.
While there are also subjective quality factors like depth of field control that come from larger sensors, the objective reason for the improved quality is that a bigger sensor gathers more light. This leads to less noise in low light situations and better color and contrast overall. These days, most cameras are sufficiently fast for any casual uses. Interchangeable lens cameras, whether mirrorless or DSLR, typically offer better performance than compact cameras.
They will focus faster, track subjects better, and take more pictures per second although some compact cameras, like the Sony RX series, outclass DSLRs on that last one. This is an understated element of cameras. If at all possible, try before you buy. The camera you buy should offer quick accessibility to the most commonly used functions, and menus should be simply structured, logical, and easy to learn. This isn't the cheapest DSLR you can buy by any means, but very often it's worth paying a little extra money to get a much better range of features — and this is the perfect example.
Canon also packs in 4K video wrapped up in the smallest DSLR body you're likely to see — though if it's video you're after, one of the SL3's mirrorless rivals will probably do a better job. Retaining the 4K video and attractive styling that made the Mark III so attractive to consumers, the Mark IV is a great choice for anyone looking for an entry-level camera that can do pretty much everything. This is one of our favorite pint-sized cameras ever: it's small enough to carry around anywhere, and much more powerful than it looks.
If your interest lies half and half with video and photography, then a dedicated vlogging camera like the new Sony ZV-E10 is perfect. It cuts back a little on the photography side, lacking an electronic viewfinder, but it comes back with video features, including 4K video and a fully-vari-angle screen. It also packs a large and well-performing internal microphone with clip-on muffler , Sony's excellent autofocus, and an appealing price tag.
It's a shame that there is no in-body image stabilization, and the menus can't be touch-controlled a rather glaring omission for a vlogging camera, perhaps , but for beginners to video, this is unlikely to be a big drawback. What's more important is that because it uses the Sony E mount, it has access to a large number of Sony and independent brand lenses.
Interested in the idea of vlogging? It has a smaller Micro Four Thirds sensor but it does have an electronic viewfinder which the Sony doesn't, so it's a pretty even match.
In fact, both photographers and vloggers will enjoy the simplicity of the Lumix G It makes it easy to capture high-quality video and stills with its approachable button layout. Even people uninterested in the technicalities of capturing great-looking videos will be able to get results with this camera. Read more: Panasonic Lumix G review. The Nikon Z fc is, without a doubt, the coolest-looking camera on this list.
It's a retro-styled mirrorless machine with dial-based controls, and it's a joy to handle, to use, and to be seen using. Internally, it's basically the same deal as the Nikon Z50, with the same APS-C sensor and processor and many of the same specs. A few extra features like a built-in flash have been shaved off, and it is more expensive than the Z50, so if you don't care about aesthetics then Nikon's other DX-format camera is the smarter choice.
But if you're the sort of person who can't resist the siren song of the best retro cameras , the Nikon Z fc will be right up your alley. It's not the cheapest camera for beginners, but you get a lot of features for your money, and its looks alone could inspire you to take up photography seriously. Despite its small size, it has a good grip and good external controls, and the retracting mm kit lens is remarkable not just for its pancake lens dimensions but for its overall performance.
Nikon may have come to the APS-C mirrorless market comparatively late, but it's arrived with a camera that has so many good points it's hard to know where to start. Best of all, the Z50 is terrific value, especially when bought as a twin-lens kit.
However, long after its launch it still only has two native DX format lenses, so that's a disappointment — it means you're stuck with using older DSLR lenses via the adaptor for now, or bigger and more expensive full frame Nikkor Z lenses which are limited for wide-angle photography because of the smaller sensor's 'crop factor.
On the surface this is a modest upgrade over the original Canon EOS M50 , but the additions make it worth picking up over its predecessor. These include improved autofocus along with eye detection in stills and video , along with big boons for video shooters in the form of clean HDMI out, vertical video recording and the ability to livestream direct to YouTube. Alas, while it's an excellent p camera, it's a poor option for 4K — which loses Dual Pixel AF left lumbered with contrast detect and suffers a 1.
However, it packs a lot of other tech into its compact body, including a great Sony is still making them, so it's not going to disappear any time soon.
Moreover, it significantly undercuts the newer A, A and A models on price. Resolution from the It lacks the ability to record 4K movies and it doesn't have the high-tech AF of Sony's latest Aseries cameras.
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