Which camera should i buy

Camera Buying Guide Last updated: November 10, Zoom In on the Best Camera We test, evaluate, and compare the latest cameras to save you time and money. Try Out Cameras in a Store Before you buy, we suggest trying out a camera model in a camera shop or an electronics store so that you get a sense of how the camera feels in your hand. Camera Ratings by Consumer Reports. Camera Categories Rated by CR If a camera gives you fine control over exposure settings, we group it with advanced models.

Optical Zoom Lens Even the cheapest cameras have at least a 3x optical zoom lens, which is longer than what you get on many smartphones. Photo: Terry Sullivan. What Else to Shop For There are various accessories, from essential to esoteric, that you can buy for your camera. Illustration: Chris Philpot. Camera Ratings. Camera Brands.

Canon offers an extensive line of models in every category, from basic point-and-shoots to pro-level SLRs. Options include superzoom, advanced point-and-shoot, and mirrorless models.

Canon also offers a broader selection of lenses for its SLRs and mirrorless models than most other brands offer. Fujifilm primarily offers advanced point-and-shoot cameras, as well as mirrorless models. Our ratings include advanced point-and-shoot and mirrorless models. Nikon offers a variety of higher-end point-and-shoot models, including superzooms and advanced point-and-shoots, under the Coolpix name.

The company has an SLR for a variety of users and budgets, and a wide range of lenses. Its high-end SLRs include large full-frame sensors, which provide better quality in low light. Nikon has also expanded its line of mirrorless Z Series cameras, which sport large sensors and accept interchangeable lenses. The venerable company no longer offers SLRs. We ourselves are huge fans of mirrorless system cameras and would not want to use anything else. Sometimes, however, a different type of camera might be a good choice as well.

They provide excellent image quality and offer you countless settings. The lenses of a DSLR are interchangeable, so that you can assemble your ideal camera according to your specific needs. For a long time we only took pictures with DSLRs, so we can generally recommend this type of camera. These cameras only really make sense if you know how to use the most important functions.

You should definitely factor in the size and weight when deciding pro or contra DSLR. A DSLR camera plus lens can easily weigh around 1. But be sure to also check out the section on mirrorless system cameras, because we think they are the better choice in most cases. All the major manufacturers provide good quality cameras. The first camera is often a very special one.

People generally remain loyal to the manufacturer of their first camera for a long time. After all, humans are creatures of habit. You can get an entry-level DSLR without a lens for about euros, or for to euros including a kit lens.

We can recommend the following cameras:. The camera is extremely light and compact for a DSLR and perfect for anyone who is taking weight and size into consideration.

With the kit lens, this camera is available for unter euros. The camera with a kit lens will cost you less than euros. We learned to take pictures with a Nikon DSLR camera ourselves and can definitely recommend these cameras for beginners.

To Nikon D on Amazon. You can get the Nikon D for under Euro. For this price you get a really good image quality, a flip up display and a fast autofocus. For us, the Nikon D is the entry-level SLR with the best price-performance ratio currently available on the market. You should expect to spend about 1, euros on a more advanced DSLR camera. Of course we have another three recommendations for you.

We used spent a lot of time taking pictures with the Nikon D, a predecessor to the D, and can recommend the series very much.

The body is available for about 1, euros. The camera has a very good image quality and is the best Nikon camera you available right now unless you really want to splurge on a professional-grade camera.

To the Nikon D on Amazon. The camera excels with its excellent image quality and extremely fast autofocus. The body is available for just under euros.

A big advantage is the relatively small weight for a DSLR camera. If you want to take the next step with a more professional camera and Canon is your favorite system, then this camera is definitely worth considering. The full-format DSLR impresses with its outstanding image quality, but at just under 2, euros it also has its price.

Mirrorless system cameras have become increasingly popular over the past few years, and with good reason. Mirrorless cameras combine the advantages of DSLR cameras, such as manual settings and interchangeable lenses, with significantly reduced size and weight. The absence of a mirror makes these cameras much more compact. Most system cameras have replaced it with an electronic viewfinder so you still have something to look through. In terms of image quality and operation, the mirrorless cameras are in no way inferior to DSLRs, and many experts agree that the future belongs to these cameras.

The top camera manufacturers, Nikon and Canon, have completely missed the boat on the development of mirrorless system cameras. Neither of the two manufacturers offer any decent cameras in this segment, which is pretty surprising. Other manufacturers such as Sony, Fujifilm, Panasonic, and Olympus are the market leaders here. In our camera buying guide we now want to present you with three models for beginners and advanced users that we can wholeheartedly recommend.

Mirrorless system cameras for beginners are generally slightly cheaper than comparable DSLR cameras. You can already get a simple system camera with a kit lens starting at euros.

Sony is currently the star among the manufacturers of mirrorless system cameras and sets standards in this segment. We have used this camera a lot ourselves and still like to recommend it.

With the kit lens the Alpha costs about euros. To the Sony Alpha on Amazon. By now, Sony has launched several successor models to the Alpha the Alpha , , , and All models offer some improvements, but are also more expensive. For us, the Alpha is still a good entry-level camera. If you want to spend a little more, we would recommend the Alpha , which in our opinion currently offers the best value for money among the successor models. Nowadays there are also a substantial number of lenses available for the Alpha For an overview, check out this post:.

Sony Alpha lenses. Besides Sony, Panasonic is also known for its very good mirrorless system cameras. Also referred to as digital SLR single-lens reflex cameras, DSLRs tend to be bulky but they're very flexible, allowing you to change lenses to suit and control every aspect of your photography.

Professionalism is what you want from your photos. See our DSLR camera reviews if you're looking for first-class image quality. If you're interested in finding more out about how they compare with mirrorless cameras, read our guide on the differences between the two.

Test score. A good-quality camera will make a real difference to your photos. But should you buy a compact, DSLR, compact system or bridge camera?

JM Jake Massey. In this article What type of digital camera should you buy? Compact camera features Waterproof camera features Bridge camera features Mirrorless camera features DSLR camera features What makes a good digital camera?

How much do you need to spend on a camera? What type of digital camera should you buy? ISO is a component of exposure control that indicates how much light your camera needs to record a well-exposed image. At ISO 6, the camera needs only a small amount of light to record an image.

The downside is that at higher ISO settings the camera produces higher levels of image noise. Focal length describes the angle of view of a lens: how much of the scene it can take in. It is expressed in millimeters. The higher the number, the narrower the field of view.

A 20mm lens is considered a wide focal length as it captures approximately an degree angle of view. A mm lens, by comparison, offers a narrower, degree angle of view, though with much greater magnification.

Mirrorless cameras differ from DSLRs in that they omit the system of mirrors and hinges required for an optical viewfinder, instead transmitting the image directly from the sensor to the screen.

Because of this they can be much smaller and lighter while offering faster shooting rates. Entry-level mirrorless cameras drop the viewfinder altogether, requiring you to compose using the rear screen exclusively, but higher-end models come with electronic viewfinders so you can shoot with the camera held to your eye just like a DSLR.

Sensors are the digital equivalent of film. They record the light coming through the lens to make an image. They come in different physical sizes. All else being equal, a larger sensor can more efficiently record light than a smaller sensor, resulting in cleaner, more detailed images.

A larger sensor can also give you blurrier backgrounds when shooting at wide apertures. Superzooms are a breed of camera that pack an incredibly broad focal length range into a built-in zoom lens. Current models let you shoot wide-angle images at around 24 mm and super telephoto shots at mm, all without changing a lens. Although they are styled to resemble DSLRs, their small sensors yield image quality similar to a compact point-and-shoot camera.

Shutter speed is a component of exposure control that refers to the amount of time the shutter remains open. It is most often expressed in fractions of a second. Slower shutter speeds let more light reach the sensor, enabling you to get well-exposed images in low light.

Faster shutter speeds allow less light to reach the sensor, but freeze the action of fast-moving subjects. If you use a short shutter speed, you may need a higher ISO or wider aperture to get a proper exposure. Travel zooms are the pint-size siblings of superzooms. Their zoom ranges are limited to about half of what superzooms offer, but they are much smaller in size, easily fitting into a jacket pocket.