Best camera for beginners?

[BerdNerd]

Recently, I have been considering getting a camera to photograph with, since I feel like my photography skills have improved drastically over the years, and I personally believe I am ready for an upgrade. Every image I have uploaded on ZooChat so far was taken with an iPhone, and while I am very satisfied and quite surprised with how well most of them turned out, I feel like I could take more professional photographs with a real camera. I'm looking for something that is somewhat on the cheaper side (nothing over $1,000), as well as something that is relatively easy to understand and utilize. Any suggestions?

 

[Lafone]

It's worth having a look on some photography specific sites. While there are lots of brands and cameras to choose from, it might be worth having a look at all in one / bridge or super zoom cameras to start with. They have pretty good zoom capacity and let you experiment with some manual settings but avoid the big investment that going straight to mirrorless or even getting an older DSLR might do, the biggest cost with most cameras is the lenses / glass that go with them.

All the main manufacturers have great offers now, picking a brand tends to be about keeping the lenses as you move cameras more than brand loyalty or one being so far ahead of the others.

Recommend having a look at the guide here

The best bridge camera in 2023: ultra-zoom cameras for far off subjects

I know a few people who started out with a bridge (and lots of people use them and don't switch to anything else) - starting with something like that means you can see if you want to get into it before you break the bank!

If you do want to start with a body and lenses set up then you can search on popular camera sites for things in the right price range. DSLR's still offer great value in this space though there is a more modern 'mirrorless' trend. I found the smaller sensor APSC format the most cost effective when I was getting back into the hobby.

 

[Moebelle]

For $500, I got a used Nikon D5600 and I don't plan on upgrading for many years to come. It takes high quality video too.

 

[Kibathewolf]

It's always a bit challenging to give advice on which camera to get, as it really depends on your specific needs and preferences. Since you've primarily used an iPhone, a mirrorless camera might be the closest in terms of functionality and ease of use, but a DSLR is also a solid option, especially for those starting out with dedicated cameras.

Personally, I'd recommend the Nikon D5100 if you’re likely to use auto mode most of the time. The D5100 has one of the best auto modes I’ve used on a DSLR. You can find a D5100 body for around $158 on Amazon (US), leaving about $800 for lenses if you want to stay under $1,000.

For lenses, I’d suggest the Nikon AF-S DX NIKKOR 55-300mm f/4.5-5.6G ED VR. I’ve used this lens as my main zoom for 12 years, and it performs well. It typically costs between $150 - $300, depending on whether you buy it new or used.

With the D5100 and the 55-300mm lens, you're looking at roughly $450 total. If you want to add another lens and spend closer to $1,000, consider the Nikon 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G VR II. It’s a solid kit lens that normally comes with the D3300. I own both the VR and VR II versions of the 18-55mm, and they’re great for general use. With these two lenses, you should be well-equipped for a variety of situations.

I took Those 3 Photos with my D5100 and Nikon AF-S DX NIKKOR 55-300mm f/4.5-5.6G ED VR in 2013 at orøstrand petting zoo

Black-masked Lovebird

• Kibathewolf
• 20 May 2013
• 1
• bird perched colorful birds exotic birds lovebird nature photography nikkor 55-300mm nikon d5100 orøstrand wildlife photography

a Close up Shot of a Black-masked Lovebird

Cuvier's Dwarf Caiman

• Kibathewolf
• 20 May 2013
• 1
• apex predator crocodile exotic animals nature photography nikkor 55-300mm nikon d5100 orøstrand reptile close-up wildlife photography

a Close up Shot of the Cuvier's Dwarf Caiman

A Squirrel

• Kibathewolf
• 20 May 2013
• 1
• blue background close-up photography curious animals nature photography nikkor 55-300mm nikon d5100 orøstrand squirrel wildlife photography

I took this with my 300 mm linse

 

[Eddie Seb]

The Nikon D600 is also a great camera for its price. It's a more professional-level camera from 2012, so it has a great body and ergonomics, a full-frame sensor, 24MP (which will be useful for cropping), and decent autofocus. The image quality is excellent, and it handles higher ISOs quite well. It does 5fps at full resolution if you decide you want to use bursts for shooting action. The battery can last for days, but if you decide to shoot video (it does 1080 HD, which should be ok, but I wouldn't use it often) it will last hours. It has the same specs as basically every entry-level DSLR camera these days, except it costs much less and has pro-level ergonomics.

The AF-P NIKKOR 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6E ED VR works perfectly fine with the D600. It has 4.5 stops of image stabilization, which basically means that the lens reduces the vibration of the image. That should allow you to get sharper pictures, and use slower shutter speeds to get cleaner images. It's a sharp lens with good bokeh, quick/silent autofocus, and superb sharpness. It's very small and light (670g), but it still offers a reach of 300mm, which should be more than enough for shooting smaller animals in zoos (it also has a minimum focus distance of 1.2m, which could prove useful in case the animals are incredibly close-up), and you can zoom out to 70mm, which can offer you more control over the composition and allow you to shoot larger animals. A link to a review: Nikon 70-300mm VR FX AF-P Review

The D600 can be bought for $300 used, and the Nikkor 70-300mm for $600 new. On Amazon, it sells for $900 or so, but I found that Adorama sells them for $600 (I generally don't recommend buying lenses/cameras on Amazon).

Buying an interchangeable lens camera is, in my opinion, the better option. They (generally) offer the best image quality, and if you want to, you can later invest in newer, better lenses that offer even more reach and image quality, or a camera that allows you to shoot high-quality videos of animals. Keep in mind, that you'll need to buy other less obvious things, too: SD cards, card readers, SSD drives to store all your images, batteries for your camera, and cleaning equipment (to keep your gear clean). A good tip on reducing the cost in that area is: until you're really into it, just shoot in JPEG. That way, you won't need any image editing software, and you'll use up less storage space (which means you won't need pro-level SD cards or expensive external drives). These kinds of equipment you can buy on Amazon for cheap (a 32GB SD card ought to be enough for zoo photography).