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"What's the best digital camera?"
This is the most common question I'm asked in our photography courses, so I've put my recommendations here. The list is based on how well I see cameras perform in the hands of everyday users on our photography courses. Think of these cameras as “safe bets” that also give plenty of room to grow.
Just because a camera isn't here doesn't mean it isn't good; it might just mean that I haven't seen it yet to review it. I'll update this page regularly as I see new cameras... over 100 new models have been released so far in 2011. See the health warning at the end of this page for more information about how I put this list together, and the biases in it.
Before buying a camera, I'd strongly recommend that you try out a few models in the shop. Here's an article on what to look out for when you're shopping for a new camera.
I've split the recommendations into the following groups based on size and price. For the same price, physically bigger cameras are generally better. Smaller cameras lose out either in features, picture quality or price, but they're so much more convenient.
- Cheapest camera
- Small, stylish compact cameras
- Up to $350
Over $350- Bigger compact cameras
- Waterproof cameras
Current recommendations (last updated 29th April 2011)
Panasonic Lumix FH1 - $168. A versatile little camera with a reasonable 5x zoom range that can shoot pretty quickly for a compact camera: 2 pictures per second, or even faster with a lower picture quality. Like all compact cameras, it's not very fast to focus, so it's not a sporty camera. But it's great at landscapes and night photos - you can actually bring out stars, and shoot a landscape lit by moonlight. There are more flexible cameras out there for a bit more money, but it's a perfect little travel companion. Think you can't get good results with a cheap camera? Here's a gallery of photos that I've taken on an $88 camera bought new in 2008 (sorry - that camera isn't available any more).
Small, stylish compact cameras
Fits in your pocket, and you can carry it anywhere. The disadvantage is normally a limited zoom range.
Small, stylish compact up to $350
Sony H55 $200 online. A great little camera with a big 10x zoom that gives good results and manages to be fun to use. It has Sony's "sweep panorama mode" (also called "drive-by shooting mode" on our courses!) which glues photos together to make a wide, thin poster as you swing the camera. A total gimmick... but everyone grins from ear-to-ear when playing with it, which is what photography is all about. Like all small cameras, it's not brilliant indoors without the flash, but it's competent. A bargain now that it's been superceded - pick it up online while you can.
The popular Canon digital Ixus range gives reliable results, and the cheaper ones like this Ixus 105is ($170) are good value, but most only have a limited zoom, which just doesn't magnify enough to get great shots of people. Everyone on our courses who uses them really likes them... but by the end of the workshop, they're often looking jealously at the users who have cameras with bigger zooms once they see all the effects that you can create with a zoom. The Ixus cameras are great for parties, as their small flashes recharge fairly quickly. The cameras in Olympus' competing FE range look lovely but share the same limitations and some add some extra limitations of their own: no quick shooting, and some have no screw for a tripod, so night shots and action shots become much harder.
Small, stylish compact over $350
Panasonic DMC TZ10 $360 online. There are lots of good cameras in this category, but I've seen beginners get wonderful photos with this little camera. It's got a great wide-angle lenses for landscapes (25mm equivalent), and it zooms in far enough for good portraits too. It has effective optical image stabilisation to reduce the chance of blurry pictures, it's small, looks great and can shoot landscapes by moonlight. It's got a fantastic rear screen - you really can see it in sunlight. Honest! Like all compact cameras, it's not that good indoors without the flash – the pictures start to look mottled and fuzzy, but it's no worse than the competition. It also eats through its rechargeable battery fairly quickly (very quickly if you turn on its GPS), so get a spare if travelling. The new TZ20 / TZ18 are out now (although I don't find the screen as clear on the newer cameras), making the TZ10 a screaming bargain if you can still get one online. Also look at the Canon SX230is - a good all-rounder.
The main reason to consider a bigger compact camera is for its extra zoom range. And these cameras offer truly staggering zooms. If you're really, really afraid of what you're photographing, they might be perfect.
Canon SX40IS, $500. This is an outstanding family camera, with enough capability to satisfy an enthusiast. It has two shutter buttons: one for photos and one for video, so it virtually replaces a camcorder too. It has a gigantic zoom range with an optical stabiliser, but the zoom is just so big that you'll still never be able to hold it steady when you zoom it all the way. The controls might look daunting, but it gives good results on "auto everything" and it's easy to learn a bit more to get great pictures with it - everyone I've taught who has one loves it. I've seen many people loyally buy their way through Canon's S-series and SX- series cameras, of which this is the latest. They are the first digital cameras that I've known people talk about with genuine affection - like an Englishman talking about his first Morris Minor.
The Fuji HS10 ($500) is a good alternative and it shoots a whopping 10 pictures per second, and Panasonic's FZ100 is also a great camera, and definitely worth a look. Don't be put off by the crazy number of modes - it has 36 of them, including 9 portrait modes. Frankly, this is silly. It's easier to learn to use a camera manually than to try to remember the differences between all these settings. I used to recommend the Olympus SP range, but they've missed the mark with the sp800 if you want night photos. It's great at everything else, but just can't let in enough light for many night scenes.
Panasonic FT2 - $300 online. Waterproof to 10 metres and shockproof, yet it still has a decent zoom range and features, so it doesn't feel like you're using a whale for normal photography. Recently replaced by the FT3, the FT2 is now a bargain while you can still find it online. Great for kids and worry-free holidays.
Bigger cameras with changeable lenses (SLRs)
If you can spend $600 or more on a camera and don't mind the size, think about getting a cheap digital Single Lens Reflex (SLR) camera instead of a compact camera.
What's an SLR? This page explains the differences between SLR cameras and the rest. In brief, SLRs cost more, are bigger, heavier, make a noisy 'clunk', can get dust on all your pictures, and (on all but the latest models) don't shoot video and you have to look through the viewfinder to frame up a picture. BUT they focus and shoot much faster, take clearer pictures, give much better quality photos in poor light (you can often get sharp, good-quality photos indoors without flash), let you put the background totally out-of-focus if you want to, and you can change their flash and lenses for different effects. All of the digital SLRs below are better than the one used to take 90% of the photos on this web site.
I'd suggest getting the cheapest camera body you can get away with, and the best (yup, read “most expensive”) lenses you can. This combination will give you more versatility, and the best long-term investment. Your camera is going to be comprehensively superseded by a new model in 18 months, but your lenses won't be. You might already have some lenses from a film SLR camera that you can use. This page explains which lenses might work with a modern digital SLR.
Many people ask which brand is the best. Unlike cars, there is little difference between any of the major camera brands - try them and see which one fits your hand the best. Or see which brand your friends have and get that brand so that you can swap lenses between you.
Bigger cameras with changeable lenses (under $1,000)
Second-hand Canon EOS 400D, 450D, 20D, 30D, 40D or Nikon D70 or D80 - around $350 - $650 with a basic 18-55 lens on Ebay. Fantastic cameras that give great quality at a bargain price. You won't be getting the gorgeous big screen that comes on the back of the latest cameras, but the picture quality is still great. When buying second-hand, ask the seller how many photos it's taken - it's like the mileage of a car, and these cameras are rated for 50,000+ photos. Check that the sensor is clean, as it's about $100 to clean the sensor, check that the flash does pop up, and budget for a new battery as the existing one will be tired by now. Don't get earlier-model cameras than these, as they won't take modern memory cards. I've bought a few second-hand 40Ds recently, and they've been wonderful.
Canon EOS 1000D - $600 with an 18-55 lens. We've been recommending it for two and a half years now, and it keeps getting cheaper. The 1000D will give you great results. It's fast enough to focus and shoot, and gives smooth, clear pictures. Even this cheap SLR will knock the spots off all the compact cameras above for image quality when the light gets dim. It's the entry-point to Canon's dazzling array of lenses. Bargain hard on this one, as the new 1100D is out.
Nikon D3100 - $750 with an 18-55 lens. Small and light for an SLR, this camera gives lovely results. Now that Nikon have announced a cheap "50mm f/1.8" lens that works with this camera (available July 2011), it's a terrific camera for shooting indoors without the flash. When you get it, you'll need to change some of the basic settings to unleash it's full potential: see page 132 in the manual to set "Auto ISO Sensitivity" to let you shoot easily indoors without the flash. As a shameless plug, our workshops include full instructions to make the most of every camera, without having to refer to the manual.
Sony alpha 33 - $750 with an 18-55 lens. Ohhhh - this is a lust-after camera. It shoots 7 pictures per second, has Sony's gimmicky-but-lovely sweep panorama mode, and gives truly great image quality - you can really play with the pictures on the computer and they still look great. The focus isn't as good at tracking moving targets as the Canon and Nikon above, the flash is a little under-powered (and Sony external flashes are not cheap), but all-in-all this is a wonderful machine.
Olympus E-P1 - $530 or E-PL1 - $480 with a basic lens, or
Sony NEX-3 - $730 with two lenses. If you want an SLR but don't like its size, take a look at this tiny new type of "mirrorless" camera. They give the quality of an SLR and take interchangeable lenses, but they're truly dinky. They have no viewfinder (so watch out in bright sunlight) and they don't focus quite as quickly as an SLR so they're not built for shooting sports. In fact, for the same money, an SLR will be a touch better in most regards. But if you're off on holiday soon and want an SLR but don't want to carry around a huge lump, this may be a perfect compromise. If not, wait a year or so until there are more brands available so prices drop further and features are better.
Bigger cameras with changeable lenses (over $1,000)
The SLRs above all give outstanding results, and few people will need more. But are you curious to know what you can get if you do spend more?
The cameras below offer faster shooting, faster autofocus, and better build quality. They're more weatherproof – but few of their lenses are so you still need to be careful. To a lesser extent, they will offer better image quality when shooting in the darkest conditions. If you are beginning in photography, I'd suggest getting one of the SLRs above, and spend the extra money on lenses, rather on one of the cameras below.
Canon EOS 60D, $1,500 without lens. A lovely camera with a nice, articulating rear screen. It gives good quality pictures indoors without flash, takes over 5 pictures per second, and focuses quickly. The screen on the back is a joy to look at. Unless you're sure you can afford it, don't even try it in the shop. You won't be able to resist it.
Nikon D7000, $1,400 without lens. Every once in a while, you see a camera that's a huge jump forward. This is Nikon's. Truly outstanding image quality in all types of light (about equal to my $6000 Nikon D3 of 3 years ago), great semi-professional build quality, good autofocus, and good handling too. It's not that any one thing is miles better than the competing cameras, but it puts them all together so well. It's not even that expensive for what you're getting. The pick of Nikon's cameras.
Pentax K-5, $1,750. Think of it as a smaller, lighter version of the two cameras above, and just about every inch as good too. It's shown here covered in water to show-off that it's properly-sealed and weatherproof (like the Nikon above). Just make sure your lenses are also weather-sealed too before doing this, though!
Huge, state-of-the-art cameras – over $3,000
I've put this here purely so that you know what the state-of-the-art is. Anyone buying one of these will be doing some serious research into their business plan first.
Nikon D3s, $6,500 without lens or flash. I still haven't been able to get the grin off my face since buying the predecessor D3. It laughs at me every time I use it. It gives unprecedented picture quality in one hundredth of the light needed by the compact cameras above. This means that I can shoot in the murkiest venues without flash and still get shots that clients love. Nine pictures every second. The D3 and the Canon 1D III were the two cameras that shot China's Olympics. Weaknesses? It weighs 3kg with a professional lens, and the most sensitive autofocus sensors are clustered in the middle of the picture – just where I don't want them. The biggest downside is its size: it's so big that it cuts you off from the people you're photographing, making it harder to get genuine expressions, especially when shooting children. So I sometimes get better photos with much smaller, cheaper cameras. The smaller, but almost-as-good D7000 is a more sensible buy for 99% of people.
For the ultimate in picture quality from cameras of this size, Canon's 1Ds III ($8,000) and Nikon's D3X ($10,000) are as big as they come. Canon's 5D II ($3,200) gives comparable quality and also shoots high-quality video.
Canon and Nikon rule the roost for these professional workhorses - not because they're better than other brands, but because you can rent, service and repair their cameras and accessories almost anywhere, and because they have a staggering range of accessories and lenses. If your livelihood doesn't depend on it, also consider cameras like Sony's alpha 850 ($2,300) which gives image quality in the same league at a fraction of the price.
If you need even more quality (for billboards or demanding commercial assignments), you're looking at a “medium format” camera or even a “large format camera” – about $5,000 for film or $40,000 for digital. Happy shopping!
Health warning - how we put this list together
I only recommend cameras that I've actually used or taught beginners how to use. Just because a camera isn't here, doesn't mean it isn't good... it might just mean that I haven't seen it yet to review it. I update this page regularly as I see how people go with new cameras. Note that the photos on this page are not all to the same scale.
Megapixels don't feature on this page, because all new cameras have enough megapixels for 99% of people. See this article to find out why megapixels really don't matter anymore.
The prices are in Australian dollars and come from web searches for cameras that have full Australian warranties, from retailers that have actual stores unless otherwise noted. You can get them cheaper online if you're prepared to forego the manufacturers' warranties and service support by buying "grey imports". Many stores in Brisbane have slightly higher prices, which is justified if you're going to spend time trying the cameras, which I would recommend, and many offer good pre- and post-sale support. Some shops may match others' advertised prices too.
Our biases are:
1. Fail-safe cameras, rather than whiz-bang with the latest things
2. Versatile cameras, rather than cameras specialised at just one thing
3. Proven cameras. I may not have seen the latest ones yet.
4. Easy-to-learn cameras that perform well for beginners as well as enthusiasts.
5. Common cameras – Canon sell more cameras than anyone else, and so I see more Canons than anything else. There are more Canon cameras mentioned because I can be more confident of these recommendations.For the record, my current cameras include Nikon and Canon digital SLR cameras, Canon and Panasonic compact digital cameras, and a range of film cameras including Hasselblad.
So far, the 13 major camera companies have created about 1,800 digital camera models between them, with over 100 brand-new ones announced in 2011 so far. Web sites such as dpreview.com keep up with the deluge, and have an encyclopaedic database featuring almost every camera, with recommendations from experienced reviewers. If you understand the camera jargon (or want to learn it), those web sites have heaps of information.
Images and trademarks on this page are property of their respective owners. Take Better Photos Pty Ltd is not associated with any company mentioned on this page.
Comments? Suggestions? Have we made a mistake? We'd love to hear from you. Write to us at courses@takebetterphotos.com.au
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