Beginner camera recommendations

[Agadeem]

Hello all,

 

I am looking for a beginner camera in the 1000€ range. I'm looking for one that's decent for both photography and videography. I'm planning on shooting short movies and practicing photography. Ideally the camera should be on the European market, so I don't have to deal with customs.

 

Super thankful for any recommendations (still hoping for an LTT video COPIUM).

[SupaKomputa]

Sony ZV-E10 (or E1 if you have more money).

This is the best beginner camera currently.

Geared more for videos but it's okay for photos.

Nice and compact.

[Agadeem]

Isn't ZV-E10 more geared towards vloggers? From my limited knowledge the ZV seems like a "'plug and play" camera if you know what I mean (not many buttons and settings), I could be completely wrong tho. I'll check it out just to be sure, thanks!

 

[Vilacom]

On 4/10/2023 at 2:32 PM, Agadeem said:

Isn't ZV-E10 more geared towards vloggers? From my limited knowledge the ZV seems like a "'plug and play" camera if you know what I mean (not many buttons and settings), I could be completely wrong tho. I'll check it out just to be sure, thanks!

 

Yes, it is a vlogging centric camera.  To be honest in your price range you're probably better off continuing to use/upgrading to a new phone.  The cameras and video capabilities on most phones now is so good that unless there are very specific things you're looking to do or going to be making money most cameras in your price range are such small upgrades(if its an upgrade at all) over your phone that you're better off saving money until you can get into a more high end system if that's something you want.

Another option is to rent, you can get top of the line equipment to use for jobs/events for *relatively* inexpensive.  Like an R6mk2 and a 24-70 F 2.8 lens is $200 for a week, which is almost $5,000 worth of gear for relatively inexpensive and you can try some really nice stuff to see what you might want to get long term. 

[Agadeem]

At first my plan was to use a phone (I am currently using Samsung S10), but changed my mind as I don't plan to buy a high range phone after this one dies. I am looking at used "top end" cameras if I can find something.

[Vilacom]

2 hours ago, Agadeem said:

At first my plan was to use a phone (I am currently using Samsung S10), but changed my mind as I don't plan to buy a high range phone after this one dies. I am looking at used "top end" cameras if I can find something.

Even reasonable mid range phones have a camera that should more than suit your needs to learn and make great quality stuff, the real reason I’m pushing this isn’t so much the camera body.  You can very likely find some great used camera bodies without much issue.  The real issue is lenses, lenses are where you want to invest 90% of your money with photography, basically every camera body thats come out in the last 6-10 years can take fantastic pictures, and they’re only going to get better and better.  In 2-3 years your budget will probably buy you a nearly top of the range camera for today, but lenses really don’t get cheaper, even used they will sell for 80-90% of their original price.  Lenses will make or break your photos, and anything even third party good quality will come close to your entire budget.  

So to afford both a body and a lens youre going to end up with a mediocre body and a pretty meh lens, especially in the used market you’re probably going to have to go with a DSLR which are by and large being phased out entirely.  Sticking with a mid range phone will give you time to learn the craft, figure out what you want from a camera, and put some more budget aside for a good quality lens that will dramatically improve the quality of your shots over just about anything else.  

[Action_Johnson]

I'd go for a Nikon Z50 or a used Z5.

 

Nothing wrong with Sony, but they're primarily popular with amateurs. The only professionals I know who use Sony are architectural photogs adapting Canon TSE's to them because it's the cheapest way to 60MP. 

 

I know 4 photographers who switched from Sony Mirrorless back to Canon R or Nikon Z because they're so awful to work with when you're "in the trenches".

 

About a year ago I auditioned a Sony A7R4 for work to replace my D800's because according to DPReview, it checked ALL the boxes when I was transitioning to mirrorless. Problem was, it was infuriating to tether with and operate as a professional. They're unnecessarily complicated pieces of kit and settled on a Nikon Z6 and Z9. 

 

Also rented the EOS R5 and R3 as options, but the cheap Canon RF lenses are garbage, forcing you to go exotic. Plus they don't have anything that can compete with with the 400mm f/4.5S.