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Looking for the best camera to buy? There are so many different cameras out there contending for the title of the best camera, which makes it quite overwhelming when trying to decide on the ideal one for you. But no worries, we’ve written this extensive guide to help you choose the best camera for your needs.
- Sony Alpha 7 IV: Buy at Amazon
- Fujifilm X-T4: Buy at Amazon
- Canon EOS R6: Buy at Amazon
- Nikon D3500: Buy at Amazon
- Fujifilm X-T200: Buy at Amazon
Whether you’re looking for the best camera for beginners, video, photography, or vlogging, or you’re after the best mirrorless or DSLR camera. We’ve compiled the five best options out there based on rigorous research involving every necessary detail to help you narrow your search to the best camera for your particular needs.
The best camera to buy in 2024
This guide is a work in progress involving more best cameras in total, so you can always check back for the full list – but for now, we’ve put together the five best options with exceptionally good value that cover every need and budget.
1. Sony Alpha 7 IV Full-frame Mirrorless Interchangeable Lens Camera
Best Camera 2023
The Sony A7 IV is a high-resolution, full-frame mirrorless camera that’s aimed at both professional photographers and serious enthusiasts. It is a great choice for anyone looking for a powerful, yet easy-to-use full-frame camera. It’s built around a new 33MP Exmor R back-illuminated CMOS sensor, which is paired with the latest BIONZ XR image processing engine that’s eight times more powerful than the previous generation.
The A7 IV is also the first Sony camera to offer 4K 60p 10-bit 4:2:2 recording with full pixel readout in all recording formats. It can also oversample 7K footage to create 4K 30p 10-bit 4:2:2 files with no pixel binning. The A7 IV also features the S-Cinetone color profile, which is designed to produce beautiful color expression with accurate skin tones, natural shadows, and highlights. The camera also has a vari-angle screen, which makes it easier to compose shots from low or high angles.
The A7 IV also has a number of powerful video features, including 4K at 60p recording, S&Q Motion, and Active Tracking. However, there are a few things to keep in mind before buying the A7 IV. First, the A7 IV’s 4K footage is heavily cropped. Second, the A7 IV is a camera best suited for intermediate or experts, but not too complex for beginners willing to unleash their creativity.
Specifications:
Sensor size: Full-frame | Movies: 4K at 60p | Resolution: 33MP | Viewfinder: 3,690K dots | Monitor: 3.0-inch vari-angle touchscreen, 1,037K dots | Autofocus: 759-point AF | Maximum continuous shooting rate: 10fps | User level: Intermediate
2. Fujifilm X-T4
Best camera for professionals and intermediates
The Fujifilm X-T4 is an excellent masterpiece and the definition of a great camera. It’s an improved upgrade to the X-T3 with new features from styling to design and performance.
The X-T4 is a robust mirrorless camera solidly built with the trademark metallic design that’s weather-resistant and retains all the mechanical controls you’d expect from a Fujifilm camera.
One of the features that stood out in the X-T4 is IBIS (in-body image stabilization), which brings it up to speed with rivals like the Sony A6600. The X-H1 is the only other Fujifilm camera brand that has the IBIS feature.
In addition, the X-T4 has a much bigger battery (than the X-T3 predecessor), which is capable of doing 500 shots per charge, and its performance as a video camera is incredible. It also has a wide array of tools that makes shooting with it a great experience.
You also get a fully articulating LCD touchscreen that can be flipped, rotated, and used as a front-facing screen camera in a selfie mode, perfect for creators that work alone.
Specifications:
Sensor: 26.1MP APS-C X-Trans CMOS 4 sensor | Video: C4K & UHD at 60/50/30/25/24p | Image processor: X Processor 4 | Max image size: 6,240 x 4,160 | AF points: 117/425/91 point hybrid contrast/phase AF | Connectivity: Wi-Fi, Bluetooth | Memory card: 2x SD/SDHC/SDXC (UHS II) | ISO range: 160 to 12,800 (exp 80-51,200) | Metering modes: 256-zone multi-pattern, centre-weighted, spot | Viewfinder: EVF, 3.69m dots | LCD: 3-inch vari-angle touchscreen, 1.62m dots | Max burst: 30fps (electronic shutter, 1.25x crop mode) 15fps (mechanical shutter) | Size: 134.6 x 92.8 x 63.8mm | Weight: 607g (body)
3. Canon EOS R6
A superb camera for everyone
The Canon EOS R6 is definitely one of the best cameras for photography today. It’s a worthy upgrade to Canon’s DSLRs or early mirrorless full-framers like the EOS R. A more affordable option to its more expensive sibling, the EOS R5.
The EOS R6 boasts features that rival Canon’s professional-level and more expensive models. Despite being classed as an enthusiast-level camera, The EOS R6 has the best-in-class autofocus and a magnificent in-body image stabilization system. It also has an ergonomic design that makes it comfortable to use all day.
Shooting videos with the EOS R6 is absolutely amazing, even though it has limitations when shooting DCI 4K footage, it also has overheating limitations, but it’s still an excellent option for photography, especially the impressive autofocus feature.
Canon made it very clear that this is a stills camera, which makes it better suited to stills photographers.
Specifications:
Size: 138.4 x 97.5 x 88.4mm | Sensor: 20.1MP full-frame CMOS 35.9 x 23.9mm | Image processor: Digic X | Weight: 598g body only (or 680g with battery and card) | Metering zones: 384 | Video: 4K UHD at 60p, 50p, 30p, 25p, 24p / 1080p (FullHD) at 120p, 100p, 60p, 50p, 30p, 25p, 24p | Viewfinder: 0.5-inch OLED EVF, 3,690k dots, 100% coverage, 0.76x magnification, 120fps refresh rate | Stabilization: 5-axis, up to 8 stops | Max image size: 5,472 x 3,684px | AF points: 6,072 Dual Pixel CMOS AF II | ISO range: 100-102,400 (exp. to 50-204,800) | Memory card: 2x UHS-II SD/SDHC/SDXC | Connectivity: Wi-Fi 5Ghz and 2.4GHz, Bluetooth 4.2, USB-C (USB 3.1 Gen 2), micro HDMI (type D), microphone, headphone, E3 remote | LCD: 3-inch fully articulating touchscreen, 1,620k dots | Max burst: 12fps mechanical shutter, 20fps
4. Nikon D3500
The best DSLR camera for beginners in 2023
The Nikon D3500 is a stable favorite for many photographers. Although not the most sophisticated DSLR out there, we still rate it as the best DSLR you can buy right now — for the price, simplicity, controls, the image quality you get, and the incredible 1,550-shot battery life, plus a whole lot more.
For the price as you’d expect, the Nikon D3500 isn’t flawless. It lacks 4K video capture, there’s no hybrid on-sensor autofocus, and its fixed rear screen lacks touchscreen functionalities.
But it does compensate for those drawbacks with a 24-megapixel sensor (one of the best APS-C sensors around) that delivers outstanding, ultra-high quality images and a super helpful photography ‘Guide’ mode, which takes you through all the basic processes of using the D3500 functions, such as creating background effects and photo editing — perfect for beginner photographers to understand manual settings, develop their shooting skills, and grow in confidence.
If you are a beginner photographer looking for the best DSLR camera to create great pictures without a steep learning curve, look no further than the Nikon D3500. You’ll certainly get top-notch images of high quality and performance that are exceedingly good for the price.
Specifications:
Lens mount: Nikon F | Sensor: 24.2MP APS-C CMOS 4, 23.5 x 15.6mm | Video: 1920 x 1080 at 60p, 50p, 30p, 25p, 24p | Full frame: No | IBIS (In-body image stabilization): No | Image processor: EXPEED 4 | Max image size: 6,000 x 4,000px | AF points: 11-point AF, 1 cross-type | Connectivity: Bluetooth | ISO range: 100 to 25,600 | Memory card: SD/SDHC/SDXC UHS I | Metering zones: 420 pixel RGB sensor | Viewfinder: Optical pentamirror, 95% coverage | LCD: 3.0-inch fixed, 921K dots | Max burst: 5fps | Size: 124 x 97 x 69.5mm (body) | Weight: 415g (body, with battery and memory card)
5. Fujifilm X-T200
One of the best mirrorless cameras for vloggers, and Instagramers in 2023
The Fujifilm X-T200 is an excellent mix of sophistication and great pricing, a fantastic mirrorless camera with physical controls and touchscreen access to settings – a familiar feature for folks moving over from a smartphone.
If you like to compose images at eye level or take pictures in bright sunlight, you’ll be glad to know the Fujifilm X-T200 comes fitted with an electronic viewfinder plus a generous 3.5-inch LCD screen that can be flipped 180 degrees if necessary, perfect for vlogging and taking gram selfies.
Fujifilm mirrorless cameras are well known for producing images that look awesome with the trademark rich colors that don’t require any editing – thanks to the inclusion of various fantastic movie simulation modes that makes it possible to shoot excellent-looking 4K videos.
The X-T200 also provides access to a vast range of awesome Fujifilm lenses, a tremendous bonus that further solidifies it as the ideal camera for creators of all kinds.
The X-T200 is not the most advanced Fujifilm camera, but for what you get at that price – including the depth of functionality that allows you to develop your skill if you are willing to put in the effort to learn the camera and improve your shots with it.
Specifications:
Sensor: 24.2MP APS-C CMOS | Autofocus: Hybrid phase/contrast AF | Connectivity: Wi-Fi, Bluetooth | ISO range: 200-12,800 (exp. 100-51,200) | Max image size: 6,000 x 4,000 | Metering modes: 256-zone, multi, spot, average | Video: 4K UHD, 30/25/24p | Memory card: SD/SDHC/SDXC (UHS I) | Viewfinder: OLED EVF, 2.36m dots | Max burst: 8fps | Size: 121.0 x 83.7 x 55.1mm | Weight: 370g (including battery and memory card)