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Camera Purchase Advice: Buying a digital camera isn’t that easy. We’ll explain what to look out for when buying a camera. Whether you’re a beginner or already advanced, in this article we’ll show you which camera is right for you.

“Which camera should I buy?” This is the most common question we get from readers, friends and acquaintances.

It’s really not an easy decision, after all, the camera market is huge.

Do I need a SLR camera, a mirrorless system camera, a bridge camera or even a compact camera? And what are the differences?

What else do I have to pay attention to when buying a camera? And what about lenses? Do I buy them directly with the camera or rather individually?

Camera Purchase Advice Questions.

In this article, we’ll explain what to look out for when buying a camera – in simple words and with concrete Camera Purchase Advice recommendations for beginners and advanced users and for every budget.

Note: We are constantly updating the article. So you can be sure to always get up-to-date recommendations here.

Our personal recommendation for every budget
We are very often asked about our very personal camera recommendations.

Buying a camera is a very individual decision and that’s why we always reply: “That depends” and then refer to our Camera Purchase Advice.

Above all, of course, it is always a question of price, which is why we recommend you exactly one camera for every budget right at the beginning of our purchase advice.

If we had to choose a camera for ourselves in the respective budgets, we would buy these very cameras.

So if you don’t want to read our complete purchase advice, you can find our purchase recommendations here quickly.

Our Camera Purchase Advice recommendations: We have linked every camera to the amazon product page. We have also had good experiences with the photo retailers Foto Koch and Calumet, which are sometimes even cheaper than Amazon. That’s why we’ve linked all the cameras, if they’re in stock, to all three retailers, so you can easily compare prices.

Read Also :Children’s photo shoot: 10 creative ideas for children’s photos to take yourself

Camera up to 300 Euro: Canon PowerShot SX540

Bridge camera Canon If you only have a very small budget of up to 300 euros, we recommend you to buy a bridge camera.

These are cameras with a larger lens, but they are firmly attached to the camera.

So you don’t have to buy a separate lens, but you still have a large zoom range.

The Canon PowerShot SX540 is the perfect entry-level model for the small purse. The recommended retail price is around 280 euros, but the camera is usually available for less than 250 euros.

Camera up to 600 Euro: Sony Alpha 6000 with kit lens

System camera Sony Alpha 6000
If you have a little more money at your disposal, you’ll get a much better camera.

We recommend a mirrorless system camera with a simple lens at this price.

So you can just buy a better lens later and don’t have to buy a new camera if you want something better.

The Sony Alpha 6000 has been our top recommendation for beginners for a long time.

We have been shooting with the Alpha 6000 for a very long time and can recommend the camera with a clear conscience.

For less than 600 euros you get the camera and the simple kit lens with a focal length of 16 to 50 mm – a combination with a very good price-performance ratio.

Camera up to 800 Euro: Panasonic Lumix DMC-G81 with 12-60 mm lens

System camera LumixFor up to 900 euros there are already a lot of cameras on the market.

Panasonic offers a very good price-performance ratio in this area with its mirrorless Lumix camera with the bulky name DMC-G81.

With the associated 12-60 mm lens, you are well equipped. With the large zoom area, you are already very well equipped here, especially when travelling.

In addition, Panasonic has a wide range of lenses if you want to indulge in something new in the future.

The recommended retail price for the camera incl. lens is 799 euros, in retail it is often 100 euros cheaper.

Camera up to 1,000 euros: Sony Alpha 6000 with 18-135 mm lens

If you have up to 1,200 Euros available, we also recommend the Sony Alpha 6000, but with a better lens than the 600 Euro version.

We recommend the 18-135 mm lens, the zoom lens with the best price-performance ratio for the Alpha 6000.

It offers very good image quality and a much larger zoom range than the kit lens.

In this variant, you have to order the camera without a lens and additionally the lens, as both are not available in one kit together.

Camera over 1,000 euros: Sony Alpha 7ii or Sony Alpha 7iii

Purchase recommendation: Mirrorless system camera Sony Alpha 7 IIIs your budget higher than 1,200 euros? Then you get a really good camera for your money, with which even professionals take their photos.

We have been shooting with the Sony Alpha 7ii for several years and just love this camera.

The image quality is outstanding, the handling is perfect for us and in terms of size and weight the camera is significantly better than sLR cameras from the professional field.

The only drawback is the relatively high price, especially for the additional lenses. But quality also costs and the camera is definitely worth it.

At the end of 2018, Sony launched the Alpha 7iii, a successor model that offers some real improvements, such as .B better autofocus, longer battery life and even better image quality.

However, the new model is even more expensive. The Alpha 7ii is available without a lens for currently about 1,000 euros, the successor model costs slightly less than twice as much.

The Alpha 7ii is really great and you can buy it in good conscience.

If you can get the extra charge of about 900 euros for the successor model, we definitely recommend the Alpha 7iii.

Conclusion

These were our top recommendations for the question “Which camera should I buy?”

As already mentioned, there can never be an ultimate recommendation, which is why we would like to recommend the rest of our purchase advice article.

There we introduce you to other models and also use SLR and compact cameras. We wouldn’t buy them ourselves, but for you such a model might be just the right thing for you.

Before we continue, we want to give you three more important information from our many years of experience in buying a camera:

Experience No. 1: As a beginner, you can’t really do anything wrong with any camera these days. If your budget isn’t high, you can take a cheap camera in good conscience. Of course, expensive cameras offer more, but especially for beginners this is usually not so important. More importantly, you can use your camera correctly. For this we can highly recommend our online photo course.

Experience No. 2: If you already have a camera and want something better, it may make sense to buy a new lens instead. Often the difference between an expensive and a cheap lens is much greater than the difference between an expensive and a cheap camera.

Read Also: 10 tips for photography beginners

Experience No. 3: We have tried a lot of camera equipment in the last years and have now found the perfect equipment for us. If you want to know which camera, lenses and which accessories we use, just have a look at our photo bags.

Buying advice: Which camera suits me?

Before you think about technical details, you should consider which type of camera is appropriate for you. There are four essential types of digital cameras whose advantages and disadvantages we would like to show you briefly:

Slrs
Mirrorless system cameras
Bridge Cameras
Compacts
We are big fans of mirrorless system cameras ourselves and don’t want to use anything else. However, there are also cases where one of the other camera types is a good choice.

Slrs
Digital SLR cameras (DSLRs for short) are the top class of cameras. They provide excellent image quality and offer you countless adjustment options.

The lenses of a DSLR can be changed so that you can assemble your optimal camera depending on your specific area of application.

For a long time we have photographed exclusively with SLR cameras, so we can recommend such a camera in principle.

Advantages of a SLR camera

Large number of available lenses to switch
Versatile, manual adjustment options
Excellent image quality
Optical viewfinder, i.e. you can see through the viewfinder exactly what the later image section will be

Disadvantages of a SLR camera

Size and weight
A DSLR is only useful if you master the essential adjustment options
Is a SLR camera the right choice for you?
If you just want to snap with your camera and don’t want to ever leave automatic mode, you don’t need to buy a SLR camera. Such cameras only make sense when you know how to use the most important functions.

If you don’t want to learn this on your own, please take a look at our online photo course. There we explain the basic functions of the camera with maximum fun and minimal technical vocabulary.

When deciding pro or contra DSLR, you should definitely also consider the weight and size. A SLR camera with lens quickly weighs 1.5 kg and takes away a lot of space in your pocket.

If your travel packing list is as minimalistic as ours, you’ll quickly reach your limits with a DSLR. However, we do not want to advise you against a SLR camera.

But be sure to check out the mirrorless system camera section, which we think is a better choice in most cases.

Which SLR cameras are recommended?

First, the good news: Really bad cameras don’t actually exist on the market, so you can’t really get away with it. We will introduce you to some cameras that we can recommend to you in good conscience.

Whether you choose a Nikon or a Canon, or choose a completely different manufacturer, hardly makes any difference when buying a camera. Good quality is offered by all major manufacturers.

SLR cameras for beginners
Price level: 300-500 euro.

The first camera is often a very special one. Most of the time, you stay true to the manufacturer of the first camera for a long time. Once you get used to using a Nikon, you will only switch to a Canon or Sony later with a heavy heart. We humans are just habitual animals.

You can get an entry-level DSLR without a lens for about 300 euros, incl. kit lens you can get from 400 to 500 euros. These cameras are recommended, among others:

Canon EOS 2000D

reflex camera-canon-eos100d. The Canon EOS 2000D is an entry-level model from the Canon family and a real value-for-money wonder.

The camera is incredibly light and compact for a DSLR and perfect for you when size and weight play a role in your purchase decision. With kit lens, you can get the EOS 2000D for as long as 300 euros.

Nikon D3500

reflex camera-nikon-d3300The Nikon D3500 is the perfect entry-level mirror reflex camera from Nikon. The camera with a kit lens costs you less than 500 euros.

We have learned to take pictures ourselves with a Nikon mirror reflex camera and can definitely recommend the cameras to get started.

Nikon D5600

The Nikon D5600 is only for less than 600 euros. For this price you get a really good image quality, a folding display and a nimble autofocus.

For us, the Nikon D5600 is thus the entry-level mirror reflex camera with the best price-performance ratio currently available on the market.

SLR cameras for advanced users

Price level: from 900 Euro

At some point, the time comes when you want to switch from your entry-level camera to a better model.

So if it’s supposed to be an advanced model, of course you have to reach a little deeper into your pocket. You should plan for a better SLR camera for around 1,000 euros. Of course, we have three recommendations for you here as well.

Canon EOS 77D

reflex camera-canon-eos80d. The Canon EOS 77D is still relatively new on the market. The camera impresses with a very good image quality and an extremely fast autofocus.

The housing is already available for less than 800 euros. A big advantage of this camera is the relatively low weight for a SLR camera.

If you want to take the next step with a more professional camera and Canon is the system of your choice, then this camera is definitely worth considering.

Nikon D850

Nikon D850 DSLR. The Nikon D850 is one of the best things to get on the Market for SLR Cameras at the moment.

The full-format DSLR impresses with its outstanding image quality, but also has its price at just under 2,500 euros.

Mirrorless system cameras

Mirrorless system cameras have gained more and more fans in recent years and we are definitely one of them.

The mirrorless cameras combine the advantages of SLR cameras, such as manual adjustment options and interchangeable lenses, with a significantly smaller size and less weight.

Due to the elimination of the game gel, these cameras are much more compact. However, this means that you have to do without the optical viewfinder. However, most system cameras have replaced it with an electronic viewfinder.

Photographing with an electronic viewfinder is a bit different than with an optical viewfinder, but after a short period of acclimatization you get used to it very quickly.

Even after ten years with SLR cameras, we have recently switched to mirrorless system cameras and have not regretted the move so far.

Advantages of a mirrorless system camera

Manual adjustment options
Excellent image quality
Interchangeable lenses
Smaller size and weight compared to DSLRs

Disadvantages of a mirrorless system camera

Higher battery consumption due to the electronic viewfinder
Reduced choice of lenses compared to DSLRs, but this is getting better and better
Is a mirrorless system camera the right choice for you?
If you’re interested in dealing with the manual features of a camera and want more than holiday snaps, then a mirrorless system camera is a good choice.

If the high weight and size of a DSLR bother you, but you still want to use the luxury of different lenses, then a mirrorless camera is the ideal alternative.

In terms of image quality and operation, the mirrorless cameras are in absolutely no way inferior to a SLR camera and many experts agree that the future belongs to these cameras.

Which mirrorless system camera is recommended?

With the mirrorless system cameras, the place deer Nikon and Canon have completely slept through the development.

Leading the way in this area are other manufacturers such as Sony, Fujifilm, Panasonic and Olympus. In our camera purchase consultation we show you again three models for beginners and advanced, which we can recommend to you.

Mirrorless system cameras for beginners

Price level: 500-800 Euro

The price of mirrorless system cameras for beginners is slightly higher than comparable SLR cameras. From 500 Euros you get a system camera including lens.

Sony Alpha 6000 and its successors
System camera Sony Alpha 6000
Sony is the star among manufacturers in the field of mirrorless system cameras and regularly sets standards in this segment.

The most famous and popular model is the Sony Alpha 6000.

Although the Alpha 6000 has been around for several years, it is still an excellent choice. We have used this camera ourselves a lot and still recommend it. With kit lens, the Alpha 6000 costs just under 550 euros.

In the meantime, Sony has launched several successor models of the Alpha 6000: the Alpha 6100, 6300, 6400, 6500 and 6600. All models offer some improvements, but are also more expensive. For us, the Alpha 6000 is still a good entry-level camera.

If you want to spend a little more, we would advise you on the Alpha 6400, which we think is currently the best value for money from the successor models.

In the meantime, there are also a considerable number of lenses for the Alpha 6000.

Panasonic Lumix DMC-G80

Purchase recommendation: Mirrorless system camera
In addition to Sony, Panasonic is also known for its very good mirrorless system cameras. The DMC-G80, which is available in the kit with the 12-60 mm lens, offers great value for money.

The lens offers a wide zoom range and is suitable for almost all situations. In the kit with the lens you get the camera for about 800 euros.

Panasonic also has a large number of lenses if you want to retrofit in the future.

Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark III

Olympus System Camera Olympus also makes very good mirrorless cameras and does not have to hide behind Sony and Panasonic.

A super entry-level model is the Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark III. The E-M10 offers some very practical features such as touchscreen and swivel display.

In the kit with the 14-42 mm lens, the camera is currently available for around 650 euros. There are also many lenses for Olympus, as the same connection is used as Panasonic.

Mirrorless system cameras for advanced

Price level: 1,000-2,500 euros

Even for advanced photographers, with higher demands on technology, there are suitable system cameras without mirrors. The following three models leave nothing to be desired.

We have been using such a camera for years and have never regretted the change over from the SLR. Quite the opposite.

Sony Alpha 7iii or Alpha 7ii

Purchase recommendation: Mirrorless system camera Sony Alpha 7 II. The Sony Alpha 7ii we have been using for several years and are absolutely thrilled. The camera is equipped with a full-frame sensor, takes crisp photos and, even at very high ISO, there is hardly any image noise.

The autofocus is excellent and we can’t say anything negative about the good piece. OK, a disadvantage are the relatively expensive lenses, but you will also be rewarded with crisp, wonderful images.

Since the end of 2018, the Alpha 7iii has been a successor. The price is unfortunately about twice as high, but the new model also offers some significant improvements.

The already very good image quality has been improved again, the autofocus is faster and more precise and the battery life is much better.

Whether this is worth you 1,000 euros more is of course the question. If we bought a new camera, we would take the investment and choose the Alpha 7iii.

Fujifilm X-T3

FujifilmFujifilm system camera has also been offering excellent mirrorless cameras for years. The company is primarily aimed at professional photographers and therefore mainly serves the high-priced segment. This includes the X-T3.

We would rather use the Sony camera at the price, which offers a full-format sensor. Nevertheless, you don’t get anything wrong with this choice, because Fujifilm simply stands for the highest quality.

Canon EOS R and Nikon Z6

Canon system camera EOS-R Langetime Nikon and Canon have completely ignored the market for mirrorless cameras. The whole photo world has watched in amazement as Sony & Co. have chased away more and more customers and market shares from the two former place deer.

In 2018, both have now woken up from their slumber and have each launched a mirrorless camera in the premium segment.

Both the Nikon Z6 and the Canon EOS R are priced at around 2,000 euros, without a lens, mind you. Therefore, we would not recommend both cameras for newcomers.

However, if you already have some Nikon or Canon lenses and want to switch to a mirrorless model, both models are a good alternative. Adapters allow you to use your old lenses without much restrictions.

Bridge cameras

Bridge cameras bridge the gap between SLR cameras and small compact cameras. They combine features of both camera types and therefore also have their name.

Unlike the first two camera types, bridge cameras do not have a changeable lens. Nevertheless, these cameras have a very large optical zoom range.

Often the zoom range is even larger than the lenses usually used on a SLR camera or a mirrorless system camera.

For bridge cameras, the zoom range is usually not specified in millimeters as the focal length of a lens. Instead, we are talking about a 30-fold or 50-fold zoom.

So you have a comparison: A 50x zoom on a bridge camera corresponds to a lens with a focal length of 1200 mm. That’s a decent house number.

Unfortunately, many bridge cameras have problems with image quality in the large zoom areas. Without a tripod, such a zoom doesn’t do much anyway.

Advantages of a bridge camera

Smaller size and weight than a DSLR (there are exceptions here, of course)
Large optical zoom range
Good compromise between easy operation and manual adjustment options

Disadvantages of a bridge camera

No interchangeable lenses
Reductions in image quality compared to DSLRs and mirrorless system cameras in certain application scenarios (e.B. low light, low depth of field)
Is a Brigde camera the right choice for me?
A bridge camera is especially a good option if you have a very small budget.

If a small compact camera isn’t enough for you and you don’t have ambitions to experiment with different lenses, then a bridge camera is also a good option. It can also be an advantage not to have to change lenses all the time.

For a bridge camera in the higher price range, we honestly see few arguments, since the price of a good bridge camera is hardly lower than that of a mirrorless system camera. In our opinion, too many compromises must be made in this.

Which bridge cameras are recommended?
Even if bridge cameras are not as popular among photographers as cameras with interchangeable lenses, the market is still not very clear. Almost all well-known camera manufacturers offer bridge cameras in all price and performance classes. Here are our buying tips.

Bridge cameras for beginners

Price level: 250-400 Euro

A simple bridge camera can be obtained for less than 200 euros. So you don’t have to reach very deep into your pocket with a bridge camera to get started with photography.

If you have a small budget, but still want to focus more intensively on photography, then a cheap bridge camera for getting started is a good choice.

Canon PowerShot SX540 HS

Bridge camera CanonThe PowerShot SX530 HS is a highly recommended entry-level model from Canon. The bridge camera offers 50x optical zoom and an image stabilizer, so your shots are better protected from blurring.

The Canon PowerShot SX530 HS costs around 250 euros and offers an excellent price-performance ratio.

Nikon Coolpix B500

Nikon Coolpix B500Also Nikon offers with the B500 a cheap bridge camera for beginners. The Nikon Coolpix offers 40x optical zoom and is available in different colors.

However, the camera does not support manual aperture and shutter speed setting. So if you want to learn to photograph “right”, you should choose a different model.

If the different automatic modes are enough for you, this camera is a good choice. It is priced between 250 and 300 euros.

Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ72

Bridge camera LumixPanasonic offers an excellent entry-level bridge camera with the well-sounding name Lumix DMC-FZ72. At around 400 euros, the camera is slightly more expensive than the other entry-level models, but offers a real plus in image quality and functions, including 60x optical zoom.

If your budget is slightly higher, we can highly recommend this camera.

Bridge cameras for advanced users

Price level: 600-1500 Euro

For a long time Brige cameras were only for beginners, but now there are also some really good models for ambitious photographers.

Sony DSC-RX10 and DSC-RX10M3

Bridge camera Sony. With the RX10 series, Sony offers probably the best you can find in the market for bridge cameras at the moment. The image quality is very good. No wonder, because the Sony DSC-RX10 dispenses with a super zoom typical for bridge cameras.

For this purpose, lenses from Zeiss are installed on these cameras. There are four models in total. The cheapest of them is the Sony DSC-RX10 for about 700 euros, the most expensive is the DSC-RX10M4 for just under 1,700 euros.

In our opinion, the best price-performance ratio is offered by the low-cost camera for 600 euros and the DSC-RX10M3 for about 1,000 euros, which is also our personal favorite in this segment.

Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ1000EG

Bridge camera Panasonic.The Lumix DMC-FZ1000EG from Panasonic is also a bridge camera of the upper class. Priced at less than 600 euros, it is equipped with a Leica lens with a focal length of 25 to 400 mm and a luminous intensity of f/2.8 to f/4.0.

The Lumix DMC-FZ1000EG is also strong in the field of video recording and offers recordings of 4k and Full HD videos.

Compacts
With a small compact camera, many have taken their first steps in photography.

The great advantage of a compact camera is of course the low weight and the minimum size.

Meanwhile, compact cameras have disappeared a bit from the general perception and have been largely supplanted by smartphone cameras.

For us, however, a compact camera is still a sensible investment if you opt for a high-quality model. Cheap compact cameras, on the other hand, are actually superfluous, as smartphones can now take just as much of a photograph.

We use a premium compact camera ourselves, if we don’t want to take our big cameras with us.

To choose the right compact camera, we have also written a detailed article, which you can find here:

Best compact camera: Comparison of current compact cameras and recommendations

Advantages of a compact camera

Light weight
Small size
Disadvantages of a compact camera

No interchangeable lenses and therefore less flexibility
For low-cost models, limitations in image quality
Is a compact camera the right choice for me?
For us, there is no longer any reason to buy a cheap compact camera, which is why we do not recommend specific purchases in this area.

If perfect image quality doesn’t matter much to you and you don’t want to make manual settings on your camera, then we recommend you to simply take pictures with your smartphone.

You always have that with you and a good smartphone often takes even better pictures than a cheap compact camera.

The situation is different for premium compact cameras, whose prices are in the high three-digit or even four-digit range. Here the image quality is also correct. Such a camera is something for you if you want to reduce the size and weight of your equipment to a minimum.

Cheap compact cameras

Price level: approx. 350 Euro

Basically, we would not recommend you to buy a cheap compact camera. In most cases, you’ll do better with a smartphone instead.

If you don’t have a smartphone or still want to buy a cheap compact camera, we would still be happy to recommend a model.

Sony DSC-RX100

Sony RX100The Sony DSC-RX100 series is one of the best available in the field of compact cameras. There are now seven different models. The Sony DSC-RX100 was the first of them and is still a good choice to get started.

It costs around 350 euros and offers solid image quality, good light intensity and a focal length of 28 to 100 mm. If we were to buy a cheap compact, it would be this one.

Recommended premium compact cameras
Price level: from 750 Euro

On the other hand, we highly recommend purchasing a premium compact camera. We have added a compact camera to ourselves and are very happy with it.

Fujifilm X100V

Fujifilm X100FWe chose the Fujifilm X100V, which we believe is the best compact camera on the market.

The camera has a 35 mm fixed focal length with an aperture of f/2.0. The image quality is absolutely outstanding and can easily keep up with high-quality system cameras.

The operation is very minimalistic and after a short acclimatization is really fun. The Fujifilm X100V is certainly not a compact camera for everyone. However, we can recommend them for all those who are looking for something special and above all have fun with fixed focal lengths.

Panasonic LUMIX DC-LX100II

Panasonic Lumix compact camera Panasonic also offers a range of compact cameras. In our opinion, the Lumix DC-LX100II offers the best price-performance ratio of all compact cameras and is our recommended purchase for anyone looking for the perfect all-round camera under 1,000 euros.

The camera is equipped with an extremely bright (f/1.7-2.8) lens with a focal length of 24 to 75 mm and with its compact design is the ideal companion for all occasions. In terms of price, it is around 750 euros

Sony DSC-RX100 V and VII

Sony compact camera
In the field of high-quality compact cameras, the Sony DSC-RX100 series is one of the best you can get in this area.

There are now seven different models.

If you want to record videos, we recommend the Sony DSC-RX100 VII. The latest camera in the series offers a lot of great features specifically for video recording and is the best compact camera in this area. In terms of price, it is just under 1,100 euros.

If you want to use the camera primarily for photography, we recommend the Sony DSC-RX100 V. It costs about 800 euros and in our opinion offers a better price-performance ratio than the successor model Sony DSC-RX100 VI.

With a focal length of 24 to 70 mm and a luminous intensity of f/1.8 to 2.8, you are very well equipped with the camera. With a weight of less than 300 grams, it is also one of the lightweights among premium compact cameras.

What do I have to pay attention to when buying a camera?

I hope you don’t smoke your head yet after reading all our camera recommendations. Of course, in our camera purchase advice we can only present a fraction of the cameras available on the market.

If you also want to get a picture for yourself, we want to introduce you to the most important purchasing criteria that you should consider when choosing. Since a camera usually accompanies you for several years, the decision is not so easy.

But if you know what’s really important, it’s a bit easier.

Are megapixels important?

For a long time, megapixels were the non plus ultra when buying a camera. The more, the better. This is actually complete nonsense.

You need high megapixel numbers when you take photos that will later hang on large billboards or be sold in galleries.

For the average hobby photographer, 6 megapixels are usually enough, which all cameras presented here easily exceed.

An average HD screen shows images with a resolution of 1920×1080 pixels, which is about 2.5 megapixels.

You can also easily print a 6 megapixel photo up to a size of A4 and will not notice any quality disadvantages.

What you should always have in mind when chasing as many megapixels as possible is the size of the image files: the more megapixels, the more storage space your photos consume.

Good image quality with low light

In good light conditions, almost all cameras take good photos. The differences often only become apparent in extreme situations, for example in the dark. When buying a camera, it is therefore important to ensure that even with a high ISO value of 1,600 or 3,200, still usable images are created that do not have or only have a very low image noise.

The lens also plays a major role here. If you have a bright lens, you can still take good photos even in low light conditions. You can see how good your lens is at the maximum aperture, which is indicated .B f/3.5. The smaller the number behind the f, the brighter your lens is.

F/3.5 is a very common luminous intensity. Starting with f/2.8 and below, you have a really very bright lens.

Selection of lenses

An important point in the purchase decision is the selection of available lenses for the camera. If you choose a Nikon or Canon SLR camera, you’ll have a huge amount of lenses to buy later. The manufacturers themselves offer numerous lenses, and there is also a wide range of third-party manufacturers.

However, if you’re considering buying a less popular model, you should be smart about lens selection beforehand. This doesn’t have to be an exclusion criterion, you should just consider it beforehand.

Sensor size

When you buy your first camera, you don’t have to deal with this topic. The cameras for beginners and advanced users usually have smaller sensors. For the Otto Normal photographer, this is not a problem at all and does not bring any disadvantages in the image quality.

But if you might buy your third or fourth camera, have a lot of experience and feel like entering new spheres, you can think about a camera with a full-frame sensor.

Full-format sensors offer even better image quality, which is especially important for very large prints. The strengths of a full-format sensor are especially evident in low light, as you will simply get better photos.

However, full-format cameras are very expensive, as well as larger and heavier. The decision should therefore be well thought out.

Zoom or focal length

The focal length of your lens determines how close you can map distant subjects or what image section you can capture on your photo.

The decision is especially important when buying a lens. There are lenses with a very large zoom range, such as the Tamron 16-300 mm, that are available for Nikon, Canon and Sony. So you are prepared for all situations. We have also just tested this lens in detail.

However, there are also lenses with a fixed focal length. Even if this sounds like a limitation at first, such a lens makes perfect sense.

Advantages of a fixed focal length

Handling the camera
It is also important that you can handle the camera well. If you have the opportunity to take different cameras in a photo shop, do that.

When buying online, you should pay particular attention to the reviews here. There are usually indications whether a camera is well in the hand and whether the controls are arranged sensibly.

Should I buy the camera and lens together?

Many SLR and system cameras offer so-called kits where the camera is already delivered with a lens. In doing so, you usually save a bit compared to the individual purchase.

Basically, this is not bad and if you want to get to the photography first, you can use such a kit in good conscience. But if you already know that you really want to take pictures a lot and have higher demands, we wouldn’t necessarily advise you to use a kit lens.

In this case, it’s best to buy the camera body on your own and take a little more money for a better lens. If you’re faced with a choice of whether to spend more money on the camera itself or the lens, we’d always recommend investing more in the lens.

But for getting started you are really well advised with a kit.

Which camera is best for you?

We hope you liked our Camera Purchase Advice. Of course, a camera recommendation is always a bit subjective. That’s why we’re interested in which camera you like to use and why. Leave us a comment, we are very excited!

Note: We receive numerous e-mails every day with questions about which camera is best for personal use. Please understand that we are not able to answer them in detail. As a one-woman-1-man company, we simply cannot cope with this in time. If you have any questions, please leave us a comment under the article and we will try to help you as soon as possible. Deal?