Everyone has to start somewhere. The difference today is about where you want to start. Whether it’s vlogging, still photography, or feature film making, beginner cameras have really branched out into specialized tools in recent years.
Through-the-lens technology’ River Sheppard makes it easy to understand all those specialized tools by distilling the list into four budget cameras that can fit into four different niches in the photo/video world.
For the vloggers in the crowd, he recommends Sony ZV-1F . vlog camcorder, a camera with the unique tag of a 20mm equivalent f/2.0 lens which Sheppard says is ideal for vloggers because being an ultra-wide but not super-wide camera it allows for enough background scene while not causing much distortion. It’s not quite the use I would have thought of for this lens (I always end up using a 20mm lens for astrophotography), but it’s certainly an interesting camera and concept. . Sheppard also discusses the camera’s imaging capabilities and sound quality in the video above. He also mentioned the interchangeable lens version of the camera, ZV-E10although the other big difference between the cameras is sensor size: one inch for the 1F and APS-C for the E10.
What I think is a controversial choice for a photography beginner is Canon EOS Rebel T7. Although not cutting interest rates like EOS Rebel T100 That fellow Fstoppers writer Ivor Rackham (correctly) talks about, Rebels below have always been cameras that my students and my fellow beginner photographers developed very quickly. I’ve always subtly pushed people towards i-series Rebels, such as T8i, for a little more cash, offers big upgrades like 4K video and Canon’s excellent Dual-Pixel CMOS AF system, not to mention creature comforts like an articulating touchscreen. That said, at least in terms of still image quality, the T7 should be there; it will just make you work a little harder for it.
Unexpected video selection from Sheppard, at least for me, is Nikon Z30. It’s a small, viewfinderless camera with an APS-C sensor that has a lot of the advantages of a mirrorless camera. While Nikon isn’t usually the first name that comes to mind when it comes to video, the Z30 seems to have made great strides in this area, with sophisticated autofocus and video options.
Check out the full video above for details on why these cameras are good for beginners, and if you have any of your own beginner cameras that you think should be on the list, Please leave your thoughts in the comments section below.
