The Best Beginner Camera - How To Choose
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 27 มิ.ย. 2024
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How do you choose the best beginner camera or the best camera to buy when there are just so many options out there? Which camera brands are the best and have the best beginner cameras? What do you have to watch out for when selecting your first camera and what are the alternatives? I answer all of that and more so that you can make a more informed purchase decision when starting out photography or videography.
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Beginners Guide Series
Ep 1: 80% Of Photography Basics In Just 10 Minutes - • 80% Of Photography Bas...
Ep 2: 80% Of Videography Basics In Less Than 10 minutes - • 80% Of Videography Bas...
Ep 3: How To Choose The Best Camera - • The Best Beginner Came...
Ep 4: Zoom Lenses VS Prime Lenses - How To Choose - • Zoom Lenses VS Prime L...
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0:00 Intro
1:35 What will you be capturing?
4:20 Budget
10:30 Sensor size
14:26 Video specs
16:21 Build
19:49 Brand
23:14 Wrap up
Compared to 10 years ago, there are now many great camera options available. However, nitpicking spec sheets can be overwhelming and often leads to wasted time and headaches when trying to choose the perfect "first" camera. As someone who has used Nikon, Canon, Sony, and Fuji, I recommend picking a camera that is great or good enough, using it for a while, and then considering other options to find the camera that is near-perfect for you.
Nearly seven years have passed since I picked up my very first camera, yet I still continue the journey of discovering my ideal setup with my budget, and the style of photography or video that I want to focus on.
Great vid, Pat!
Isn't it crazy that it's been almost this long? wao
This is the comment that I was looking for. Thank you. I wanted to get a camera I like the look of for shooting family trips and filming mostly still videos for projects. I got stuck in analysis paralysis, but I honestly think i'm just going to get the Olympus EM-10 mk IV.
so helpfull advice
The best beginner camera is 1) the one you can affords and 2) the one you’ll use.
3) S……….T ……………F…………….U.
And that right there is a short video script 🤣
Thanks ! 😊
This comment right here is the truth!
I've had so many friends buy the newest cameras only to sell it a few months later cause they couldn't stick with photography and would rather use their iPhones to take shots.
Knew the title didn’t apply to me but watched anyway because it’s PAT KAY BABAY
HAHA. Love it.
FAX
This was very helpful, I’ve felt lost in the overwhelming amount of options and this definitely gave me some great information on how to narrow it down! Excited to watch more of your videos and learn once I choose my first camera!
Great mix of clear, camera specs/facts and opinion Pat. As they say the best camera is the one you have. Having gone down the rabbit hole of what to buy recently myself I tried to factor in all of the accessories I felt were needed; such as lenses, tripod, monopod, filters, extra batteries, editing software, training/tutorials, travel, printing, etc.. Until I created a minimum list of gear and accessories setting a budget was kind of meaningless to me. This helped inform my decision making. Great stuff Pat. Thanks, signed, the one-handed southpaw.
Have to say I love how you approach topics. Helping people choose cameras is always stressful! It's hard because there is no such thing as a perfect camera, and pretty much every beginner will just list everything as something they want to shoot. They want a camera that has the best image quality, that gives shallow DOF, that is small, light, flexible, comfortable to grip, with fast autofocus, 4K video with no focus breathing, lots of dynamic range and all for under $800. Basically unrealistic. When helping people choose a camera I help them understand that everything in photography is a compromise, so I give them categories where they have to force rank options. Based on those I will give them 2 or 3 camera choices, and tell them the pros and cons of each. From there we start talking other brand alternatives. One thing to note though is that most the time beginners are very focused on budget (I think because they underestimate just how expensive a hobby it is)... and in my experience their initial budget is usually smaller that it should be. I think a lot of beginners underinvest, don't connect with the gear, and are unhappy with the results. At least with giving options with pros and cons... You can help them make the best decision that they can and get them a camera they love and actually want to carry with them.
Help me lol
Your comments just saved a month of my life
Thank you for your honesty, shared expertise, and professionalism.
Bought a second-hand Sony A7s II this week for my studies abroad in Taiwan, after using my Canon D1200 for the past 6 years. Now I’m looking into lenses and got myself the 40mm G from Sony as a start for Street and Landscape photography. Can’t wait to learn more about the advanced stuff that the camera offers 🎉
A really fun camera that one! You'll enjoy it alot. Such a fantastic sensor. The 40mm G is also a fantastic choice of lens! Great little setup you've got there!
@@patkay I was quite unsure about the lens, because I actually wanted the 35mm, but it’s way to expensive for me to justify buying it, yet. Now, 40mm sits right between 35 and the nifty fifty, definitely not the regular lens, but let’s see what it can do 😬
Hey I'm from Taiwan too! Been into street photography lately. Which city are you in?
Lens system is very important. Of course now I guess if you want to get adapters you can mix and match. I like to use Canon EF mount lenses. My 2 main cameras are the Canon SL2 and the Canon M6 mark II. I have a speed booster for the M6 II. I think these cameras are good for beginners and they don't lose much over time.
It's such a breath of fresh air to know you shoot with a 1 inch sensor too. I've been using my 1inch for 7 years! I love it so much coz it's so compact. It shoots great daylight photos and amazing night shots(tripod is a must).
Thank you for making and sharing this video for free! Buying secondhand is starting to sound like a good idea, now that I've watched your video.
I wanted to buy a dedicated camera/tool for photos and videos for an everyday memory log, but the prices (even for fixed lenses cameras) just break the bank.
I’ve been getting into photography in the last year after my sister gave me my first camera because she doesn’t use it. After almost a year, I’ve found things I want to improve but I just want to get a new lenses to allow myself to take wider shots along with maybe a cleaner look in camera
It's progressive.
1. Fixed lens point and shoot with manual, aperture priority, and shutter priority modes. When you outgrow that:
2. Interchangeable lens camera, smallish sensor, with three prime lenses: 28mm, 50mm, and 85mm. If you outgrow that:
3. Full frame and or zoom lenses. At this point you will know what you need.
i know this video is a bit old, but i'm just getting into photography now and acting on my lifetime dream of making this a living, and your videos have made that SO easy. thank you for these videos!!!
what camera did you end up getting?
What an absolutely wonderful video. Thank you.
I was so overwhelmed. This video was a godsend.
this video was so helpful, thank youuu 🫶🏻🫶🏻
Thanks for the comprehensive video. Very helpful
this was so so helpful as I was starting to get overwhelmed with choice!! thank you!
Thank u for sharing your knowledge!!
Amazing video! Thank you so much!
This was so helpful! Thank you!
The way I got into photography was by gaming like GTA 5 with their camera mode where I can get clips and edits those clips into subsections, change the exposure, saturation, vibrance, etc. I did that for like 2-3 years until I moved to doing photography on my iPhone, taking on the spot street photography as a hobby. After that I heard about the part 107 drone license and got that and recently got my mini 3 pro and 🤌🤌🤌, camera is golden even though it’s a used drone. Like you said, people get into photography in many ways, for me, my entry was through gaming
Great video and advice Pat! I jumped in about 2yrs ago with the 6400 and tossing up to see if i should save for the 6700 or save even more and go FF.
Will you do a video on lenses for 2023?
3:46 Been struggling with choosing a camera to start with. The fact that you started with the motivation behind the purchase, earned my immediate trust in the remaining content.
You walked subscribers through the selection and buying process like a true mentor. My anxiety, racing thoughts, disappeared with each chapter of the videos.
You gave so much food for thought, and exceptional instruction that was encouraging, whilst providing a gentle reality check.
Thank you so much for your insight, guidance, and patience🙏🏾💜.
thank you SO much for the video!
Amazing video , super detailed and explained clearly
After years of photography and also watching lots of lots of videos about photography I have to say this is the best video I have ever see. Everything is absolutely correct and clever.
Thank you and much respect!
My pleasure! I'm glad you got something out of it. Thanks for watching!
Thanks so much for the clear and simple explanations! I’m starting out in this videography/photography field as a hobby but buying a camera plus lenses is very intimidating 😅 thanks so much
Thinking of upgrading to full frame...coming from Canon...I'm thinking of getting the A7RII to be used mostly for stills (landacape, astro, macro)...the battery life is the only thing holding me back...is it still worth it to get for 2023? Originally eyeing A7III or RIII...but still out of my budfet
Great vid for us newbies! From a fellow Aussie, thanks Pat :)
This has to be one of the best videos I’ve seen for getting introduced to cameras
I am a beginner photographer. However I have past this stage, so I will throw in my thoughts. It is all about skills (as mentioned). So start by researching some education. If you find something or someone that attracts you, you might just ask them what they recommend for their course; problem solved. If you spend less on the equipment, you can spend more on education, and that is the way to go. In regards to the camera itself, you will find that no matter what you buy, or how much you spend or how good the camera is, you will always be interested in the other brands. Many people have many camera systems, so when it comes to you first camera, you don't have to worry too much. When deciding on a camera, you have the choice of photo only or photo and video in one unit. If you want to take video, then you will want the latest and greatest releases; which have the latest technology. Just pick whatever fits your budget. Make sure you know what lens you need, check that the brand you are looking at has it. Add the price of the body, the lens, the memory cards, the battery. Understand you will need a fast computer and additional storage, the software program to process the video plus of course education for how to use the software . If you only want to take photos, you need to decide on what you want to photograph. That is, is the subject close or distant, is the subject fast or stationary. Fast moving subjects require a camera that can take many photos per second but also, the camera needs the ability to have each of those photos in focus. Sneaky manufacturers advertise many photos per second but the focus accuracy might mean only some of those photos are in focus. Modern developments have led to big jumps in this area, so again you will want the latest releases. Check that brand has the lens you want and check the price. Mirrorless lenses are more more expensive and longer lenses are much more expensive again. If you want to take photos only of near stationary objects or people, then that is the lowest tech requirement. I went with an old professional second hand dslr. I have a Nikon D700 which is from 2008, and it is beautiful.
Very good video was thinking about taking a few pictures to document life and videos as well. Thank you for your help! Very informative video
thanks man great tips
It’s very helpful, thank you
thank you so much for the video, it is great!
Thank you for the share of your competence.
You really are good at explaining!! Thank you 🙏
Appreciate your dedication to the skill set
Absolutely! Thanks for watching
Wonderfully informative video - thank you!
Great video!
Solid video. I am a phone shooter and dislike that I can't get a good shot of the moon, or the Milky Way at night or a good closeup of a bird or rabbit. I am in the market to upgrade. Thank you for the tips.
Thank you for the recommendation!
Thank you for watching!
Very well explained 👍
Hi :) I've been using my boss' Sony a7 III when able for portrait photography and love it. Now I'm looking to buy my own camera but have no clue what to get since I started with a Canon T3i, moved to point and shoots and am now back to wanting a more professional camera -- like he a7. I don't have the money for the camera and lens he has haha, but I just want something that a) has a flat profile option unlike my T3i b) I can crop images and not lose too much quality and c) I guess I'm also looking for an excellent wide angle lens that could work with it. If you have any recommendations, I'd greatly appreciate it!
I know what you mean in terms of second hand being a good start for beginners, however the benefit of buying something new does mean that you know pretty much everything that has happened to the device or machine. There is a learning curve, yes, but at least you're more likely to understand the context of why something might be happening when things go wrong i.e. knowing if it was accidentally dropped or scuffed and so on. And there are outlets that still sell essentially brand new models that are actually at least a few years old, and they will often be cheaper than the latest and greatest. It's up to personal preference, but pros aren't above human error either and that can lead to wear and tear on devices no matter how new they are, so I wouldn't be too deterred from buying a fresh device as long as it's reasonably within a realistic budget for your situation. It really does ultimately come down to budget and your comfort level.
I got a cannon rebel t100, is this a good camera to begin on? And what equipment should I focus on buying next?
What a high quality video! You need more subscribers
Great Video! I need help please.
I am getting back into photography. I owned a Canon M50 w/ the 15-45 kit lens, but sold this camera last year.
My aspirations architecture/urbexing, street photography, family photos, small business marketing photos.
I have been looking into another M50, but have also looked at the R50 and RP. I’ve never shot on a full frame before, only on aps-c.
What camera do you recommend for me?
I also use Lightroom, color grade and potentially want to do prints. I had a canon pro 100 printer that I also sold last year too.
Should I go full frame or stay aps-c?
What camera do you recommend for me?
Thank you 🙏
This video shares so much information to a beginner like me, love it.
Could someone tell me what is that mid range Sony shown in this video? Thanks!
Hey Pat, New subscriber here.
Love your videos.
I'm new to Photography/Videography and want to know your take in the Sony ZV -E10?
I'm going to be really focused on videography and hopefully be shooting realestate with it.
Is this a good choice or is there better options?
Very helpful video thanks
This video is most definitely geared towards someone like me. I have a gopro hero 4 silver that i bought back in 2016 to do video for my wedding. But now that i have 2 kids and I'm going to Portugal in 2024, i would like to have a good camera to capture those moments and memories with my family. Photos and video. I also play guitar and would like to record myself with a decent camera.
Everything is so overwhelming, i don't know anything about lenses. But i was looking at the Sony zv e10, but I'm worried about taking pictures in sunlight due to the lack of eye piece. So i was also looking into the canon r50.
Just don't know what would be the best bang for my buck to last me the next 10-15 years. Again tho, i want a camera that is going to produce video as good as photos
Hii! I’m just new to the photography scene. I was wondering, what camera is the fixed lens camera in this video?
I considering to get ZVE10 with SEL1655G and FE24F2.8, is it a good bundle?
great video. thanks
Very good content. Thank you.
My opinion is that a micro four thirds LUMIX camera such as the GX80/85 depending on where you live. They are mirrorless, a nice compact form factor, lenses are very cheap and small. In body image stabilisation is great and the exposure is guided on the screen. It helps as a beginner by showing you a range of where the shutter count and aperture should be. The Lumix app is great for remote viewing and shutter button, as well as sharing jpegs straight out of the camera. Awesome compact camera which is super cheap on marketplace. Got mine for $450 aud so $200 usd
LUMIX is so underrated, especially for Budget and beginner photographers. It has high end features at a very low price(especially used). Only downside is the bad autofocus but beginners probably should learn manual focus pulling anyways.
For spending sub $1000 for a camera, lumix is probably the best for specs and features
Yeah like I mentioned, all brands have good and bad things about them. In this instance, I would prefer great autofocus in a Sony body than great IBIS in a LUMIX body, for example. Different strokes for different folks! Thanks for your suggestion! I'm sure it'll help someone here!
@@patkay no way I didn’t ever expect you to reply! You’re one of the reasons I decided to take up photography and your beginner series has helped me so much. I’m just starting out so awesome autofocus isn’t super important as my budget was really small. I had my eyes on a Sony a6400 but couldn’t afford it so Lumix was a great alternative
@@aarongalicia3760 ❤️I’m trying hahaha. I love my Lumix. Such a good form factor and cheap as for beginners
@@patkay The interesting thing is that AF tech has improved so much - my 2008 Pentax K100D DSLR has awful slow noisy bare-bones autofocus, and my Lumix G95 blows it out of the water in so many ways. Some of the current lenses focus essentially instantly and punch-in lets me actually manually focus. And yet I'm positive that a Sony would blow my G95 out of the water for subject tracking and such.
I'm planning to film a 2-3 hour long walk-and-talk video at an indoor dog show event in a large exhibition hall (no natural lights). I want to do this continuously without worrying about overheating, constantly changing batteries (USB-C PD would be great), or ending up with poor video quality. Additionally, I'd prefer not to lug around a super heavy camera the whole time. Could you recommend a good camera for this purpose? It would be great if it had a bit of optical zoom as well in some situations. What would you suggest?
Which camera is the first one on the desk?
I like the R10 from Canon is it good one?
Thank you for the video! I’m interested mainly in nature and portrait photography with great color and sharpness as the important features. I was thinking a Canon R50, do you think it’s a good option?
have you done video on lenses? if yes can i have the link ? btw this video is super useful great work
I am looking for a camera because I am wanting to shoot landscape,portrait and travel photogrpahy. I have came do either the Canon RP or R10? Which one?
Pat - this was super helpful! I made a note that you had some specific settings in then VZ-1F that you like (i.e. cinematic). Could you share them with me please? I purchased a used VZ-1F...thanks!
Going straight for the a7iv as i pretty much know most of the nooks and crannies of photography having mastered it on my phone, it is a flagship phone so i need a significantly better device to be able to justify carrying a separate device for taking pictures
I feel like I’ve found the best photography channel just going on your ‘moving to Japan’ short video. I’m thinking of getting a Sony ZV E10 in white. Sony is the best but I don’t know if I should really get a white body 🤷♀️
Great video! What Camera did you used to record this video?
Thanks for the content
Thanks for watching!
Excellent explanation ! Thank you so much ! Jack Lam from Hong Kong
In my opinion a good suggestion for a beginner who is looking for a camera and is interested in interchangeable lenses system is to inform himself well not only on the camera body but also on the lenses available for that camera body and brand, the price they have and also if there is the possibility of third-party lenses eventually. In my opinion it's very important to find out about the range of lenses available for that brand/camera.
Exactly. Especially given the fact that 'some' types lenses aren't compatible with some cameras. For example, without an adaptor most if not all lenses made for full-frame cameras aren't compatible with APS-C. That's just fact.
Exactly 👍
i searched a bit about the compact camera you showed you use, i saw some other channels saying that with how smartphones are advancing, the point and shoot cameras wont be as needed. i wonder what you think about that, is it worth today to get that exact compact camera?
I’m a big advocate of buying “last gen” flagship cameras over newly released entry level gear.
Bought an a7riii and I honestly don’t think it’s possible for me to grow out of it for photography only. There are a lot of great lenses for sony e mount already but the body and it’s capabilities are all I need.
Also if you are just a hobbyist photographer, I’d be willing to say that full frame isn’t necessary. But it’s nice to have
What's your opinion about sony a6400 for a beginners?
I need this video when I bought my first camera in three years ago so much
Well, if you ever have a friend who is getting their first camera, you know where to send them!
I’m looking into getting into car photography on a serious level would your recommend cannon 700d for first camera?
Help! What would you recommend for a beginner who wants to shoot content for social media, like vlogging etc.. for both video and photos? I’m lost
I just got back into photography after a 35 year break and went with a used Pentax K-3 mark 1. I realize it’s 10 years old but I got it, a couple of lenses and a bunch of other accessories for $325 US
Good video. Thank you
Can you tell me which is better zv 10 vs 6400 please for video - for shortilms or taking videos of my kid at home
Love your video sooo much
Thanks for watching :)
What camera did you use for this very presentation, the resolution is very good and I like it, I'm a youtuber and I have been doing my recording using a cell phone, I want to swish to using a camera, what would you recommend. tks.
I'm considering another attempt at learning photography/videography, and I've been doing some camera research over the past couple of weeks. In the past I have had a couple of Canon Rebels, as well as an Olympus OM-D E-M10 (sold them all). I have a few cameras in mind, including the Fuji X-S20, the Sony A6700, as well as some second-hand cameras such as the Fuji X-T4, and maybe even the Sony A7iii. I don't have a specific type of content in mind, other than simply documenting my life through vlogging, taking photos around my neighborhood, and taking photos when traveling. The thing about buying a camera is that you are also buying into the lens ecosystem. Right now, I'm thinking of a camera and a single lens that will do the most for me, so that I don't invest too much in a system that I might soon opt to move on from. Sorry, that's long-winded and probably nobody cares, but I thought I'd chime in. Thanks for the video!
I’m really happy with my a73, paired with the 24-105 you get a pretty good range, only f4 though
@@BaiL781 Did you buy the A73 when it first came out, or did you pick it up later? I'm definitely not opposed to buying used, but one thing I'm seeing is that camera bodies seem to hold their value. A73s are going for about $1200 USD on MPB right now.
@@danieli.9252 I got it around September 2020 and it holds up great
Buy a Fuji, their cameras have great jpeg on device processing. So much that some people just shoot jpeg now instead RAW
Thank you very much
Love taking pictures with my phone (s23 fe) the photos come out crisp ans clean . I want to expandd this and going to get a sony bridge camera to practice with . If after a year i atill want to do more i think ill go after an a6000 series . Great video
Thank you I was lost!
Hi, I’m looking for a lower to mid range camera preferably in the second hand market for street & architectural photography
I’m going for the A7IV after watching a lot of videos on it (especially yours☺️)!
It's a great camera!
Buy a A7RV used for same price than A7IV brand new
I have a canon m50 mark I, should I update it? I want to begin vlogging and want something smaller handheld.
I plan to get the used Lumix GX9 or GX85 (around 400~500$) as my first camera to learn something new this year. I want a compact size to go around easily, primarily for photography, and a bit of videography if needed, Is that a good choice?
Any favorite camera shop in Japan, Pat? Thinking of getting a Sony camera here!
Pat I'm looking to get into photography and have made the decision not to go the DSLR, mirrorless route. For ease of use and traveling and for the fact I don't want multiple lenses, I'm opting for a quality bridge camera with a zoom range of 24 to 400/600 and a one inch sensor. It will be used for travel, safari (animals and birds) and general family outings/ parties. What should I be considering as options in your opinion? Possibly even a quality point and shoot with a decent lens length? Much appreciated.
Sony RX10 Mark IV
@@user-yd5nl9nk4w thanks Pat, after giving the Sony a lot of thought I ended up choosing the Lumix 1000 2. Going to see how it goes
incredible video
also i have canon 250D which offers 50fps for video how can I make better videos in terms of settings ?
Where would you recommend looking for a second hand camera in Australia or Melbourne more specifically?
facebook marketplace? heard from my Indonesian friends who study in Aussie that the marketplace is the best way to hunt second-hand items
Is the sony a6000 the best for its price?
Does anyone have any recommendations for a camera that has interchangeable from sony or canon that can shoot 4k 30fps+ for a film student?
Hmm, the area of the sensor does not affect how much light is going into the image, it's just different crops getting exposed just as much. The ability to gather light more efficient is due to the pixel size, not sensor size.
Sensor size does not affect the exposure, just depth of field and in some cases noise in high ISO
How about minolta,what do u think about them?
what do you think about canon 250d ?