Gear I Recommend for Beginners

As a follow-up to my previous blog post on how to start photography on a budget, I thought it would be helpful to dive into gear recommendations and share some thoughts on how to approach your first camera purchase.

Before getting specific, let’s zoom out a little. As you’ve probably noticed, there are quite a few camera brands out there, just like in any other market. That also means a wide range of price segments: everything from budget-friendly options to high-end professional gear.

My advice? If you can, try to start somewhere in the middle. The cheapest cameras might feel limiting, and you risk losing motivation because of poor image quality or frustrating user experience. On the other hand, you don’t need the latest or most expensive gear to take great photos. A well-designed camera with decent image quality will make your photography journey much more enjoyable, which is especially important when you’re just starting out.

When it comes to brands, the four most popular names are Canon, Nikon, Sony, and Fujifilm. Of course, there are others, but these four offer excellent cameras across various price points. If you’re curious about high-end luxury brands, you might also want to check out Leica (Germany) and Hasselblad (Sweden) — though these are definitely not beginner-priced.

In addition to camera bodies, there are also well-respected third-party lens manufacturers like Tamron, Sigma, Zeiss, and TTArtisan. These brands offer great alternatives to first-party lenses and are often more affordable.

Personally, I shoot with Canon R5 most of the time, but I also have a Fujifilm X100V, which I absolutely love. For my Canon, I use a mix of Canon lenses and a 150–600mm telephoto lens from Tamron. This just shows that you can mix and match gear to suit your needs.

So, what does all this mean if you’re a beginner?

Since I haven’t used every brand out there, I’ll focus on what I know best and can genuinely recommend. If you want to explore more options, there are plenty of great comparisons and reviews online. But here’s my personal take:

One of the most important things when choosing a camera — especially as a beginner — is how fun it is to use. That includes ease of handling and intuitive controls. Many cameras today are packed with menus, settings, and sub-menus. But especially when you’re learning, you don’t want to spend all your time fiddling with menus, you want to take photos.

This is why Fujifilm stands out. Most Fujifilm cameras have manual dials for shutter speed and ISO, and the lenses often have an aperture ring. This gives you direct access to the three most important exposure settings without diving into a menu. It’s a brilliant setup that mirrors the classic film cameras and makes learning photography more intuitive.

Fujifilm also offers something unique: film simulations. These in-camera color profiles mimic the look of classic film stocks, giving your JPEGs a distinctive character straight out of camera. You can shoot in RAW, JPEG, or both. Having beautiful results straight out of camera is a great motivator to keep shooting.

However, other brands are catching on. Nikon, for instance, has launched retro-style models like the Z f and Z fc, which also feature physical controls and a stylish design. These are also worth checking out.

As I mentioned in my budget blog, I recommend starting with a prime lens rather than a zoom. A prime lens (like a 35mm or 50mm equivalent) helps you develop your eye and understand composition more quickly. It also encourages you to move around and find interesting angles, rather than relying on zoom.

In Summary:

If you’re a beginner looking for a fun, reliable, and intuitive camera to grow with, I highly recommend a Fujifilm camera with a prime lens, provided it fits your budget. It’s a brand that makes photography enjoyable, and that alone can make all the difference in sticking with it. Whether you’re new to photography or looking to fall in love with it all over again, Fujifilm is always a good place to start.