Best beginner cameras 2025 | Live Science

The best beginner cameras need to strike the perfect balance between quality and ease of use while remaining affordable. Some users want a compact camera to slip into their pocket on their travels, while others want something they can grow with, something that can be the first step of a longer photographic journey. In this guide, we’ve covered a range of budgets and applications to offer something for everyone, from content creators to astrophotographers.

All of these options are fantastic for a wide range of photographic uses, although the best beginner cameras for astrophotography specialize in low light, and the best cameras for wildlife photography will need to prioritize burst rate and autofocus.

We’ve selected models that we’ve either tested and reviewed ourselves or cameras that our expert team recommends based on their extensive knowledge and experience in the field.

The quick list

Best overall

Best for growth

Best budget

Best for casual users

Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark IV

Best compact camera

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Best overall

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Nikon Z fc

For beginners looking for the complete package, you can’t go wrong with the Nikon Z fc.

Specifications

Type: APS-C, mirrorless

Resolution: 20.9 Megapixels

Screen: 3-inch vari-angle, 1.04M dots, touchscreen

Viewfinder: 2.36M dots

Autofocus: Face & Eye detection, Humans & animals

Burst rate: Up to 11FPS

In-body image stabilization: No

Video: 4K/UHD 30p

Weight: 15.7 oz / 445 g

Dimensions: 5.3 x 3.7 x 1.8 in / 134.5 x 93.5 x 43.5 mm

Reasons to buy

Lightweight

Gorgeous retro aesthetic

Good for general photography

Reasons to avoid

–

Controls could be confusing for total beginners

–

Limited lens options

Buy it if

You want interchangeable lenses: You can swap the lenses out for different purposes.

You want to shoot a range of subjects: It’s great for street photography and portraits, and it’s also good in low-light.

Don’t buy it if:

You want something simple: If you want a simple point-and-shoot camera you can just switch on and go, try the Sony RX100 VII.

You want more lens options: There are limited lenses for Nikon APS-C cameras —Sony offers a better range.

The bottom line

Nikon Z fc: A stylish, lightweight camera that’s easy for most users to get to grips with. It blends the retro looks of cameras 10 times its age with the modern features and impressive specs of today’s cameras. ★★★★½

Inspired by classic film cameras, the Nikon Z fc is a fantastic choice for beginners who want a stylish but capable camera. The retro design is a joy to use while still offering all the benefits of modern mirrorless technology.

It features a 20.9 Megapixel sensor, the same as the well-loved Nikon Z50, which delivers sharp, detailed images with great color reproduction.

One of the biggest advantages for beginners are the intuitive manual controls, unlike many other cameras that rely more on confusing digital menus. These may take a little more getting used to if you’re a complete beginner, but the effort more than pays off once you’ve got the hang of it.

The Nikon Z fc has dedicated dials for shutter speed, ISO and exposure compensation (though we’d also love an aperture wheel on the lens), helping users to understand the settings more naturally. But if that sounds daunting, it does offer a fully automatic mode for users who prefer a more “point and shoot” approach.

It can record 4K video with no crop, making it a great option for content creators and vlogging. Plus, its compact size and USB charging make it a great travel-friendly camera. That said, it doesn’t have in-body image stabilization, so you’ll need to pair it with a lens that does. If image stabilization is an important feature for you, consider spending more and going for the Nikon Zf.

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Attributes	Notes
Design	Stylish, compact and lightweight
Performance	Bright, sharp images.
Functionality	Intuitive controls for automatic and manual settings.

Best for growth

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Canon EOS R8 set against a white backdrop with orange glow — By going straight into the full-frame system, there’s less chance of outgrowing your camera.(Image credit: Jase Parnell-Brookes)

A fantastic full-frame camera that beginners can continue using as their skills grow.