The Only Camera Buying Guide You Will Need (Photography 2022)

These days new camera gear is coming out every other week and with an almost unlimited amount of options, it can be somewhat daunting to figure out what’s right for you. So that’s why in this blog I will answer the single most common question I get asked… What camera shall I buy? Before I answer that though, let me get a few key points out of the way.

“Gear Doesn’t matter”

Having a better camera will not make you a better photographer. So if you expect better photos because of an upgrade, you might be disappointed. What a better camera will do is remove some of the technical barriers such as slow autofocus, poor battery life and so on. Now there is something to be said for how a camera feels in your hand. I know that not everyone has this luxury, but if there is a camera store nearby or even some kind of rental service, I would highly suggest going and trying the camera before buying it. It doesn’t matter how good the camera is if you hate how it feels in your hand. Equally I would happily spend a little more or make a technical sacrifice to have a camera I actually love using.

Camera Brands

These days all cameras are good. The differences between the latest Sony, Canon or Fuji is negligible if any. Some brands will have certain traits and quirks. For example Fujifilm is known for it’s filmic colours and user experience. Sony is known for the autofocus and Canon for skin tones. Any camera by any major brand from the last 5 years will get you amazing photos.

Think long term

When you invest into a camera brand, you’re not just investing into the body itself. You also investing into accessories and lenses if applicable. Not only that but you’re also investing your time learning how the camera works, how the files edit, how to get the most out of it and how to work around any quirks. So chose wisely and don’t get into the trap of always switching brands and systems. Not only will it be a waste of money, but also time.

Sensor Size

If you hang around the online photography world long enough you will get an impression that full frame cameras are superior in every way and you must get one in order to get good photos. While there is a lot of nuance around this topic, the simple answer is that most people do not need a full frame camera. If you have the disposable income and just want to get the top of the range, sure go for it. But for most people including myself, a full frame camera is just not gonna bring any real benefits that will be worth the extra cost, wight and bulk.

Law of diminishing return

I’m sure you’ve heard this before but typically the more you spend, the less you get in terms of value. So for example let’s use this chart where on the bottom is the cost and on the side is how much of the full experience do you get. I will use the Fuji camera only because I’ve tried most of them but you can put any system here. On the bottom we have the fuji XE4 which will give you 80% of the fuji experience. Moving up you have the XS10 which is more expensive but has the same sensor and will giver you 85% of the experience. Next up is the XT3 or X100v with again the same sensor for 90% of the experience. Next is the XT4 that gives you 95%. Finally we have the new XH cameras for 100% of the experience. So by all means spend more on a better model if you can, but just remember that you have to pay a much bigger premium for smaller real world performance gains.

How much to spend on a camera?

This is gonna be a separate video but in short, if all you have is £1000 to spend on photography, don’t blow it all on an amazing camera but then have nothing left over to actually go and shoot. Leave some money to actually go somewhere and shoot. For example maybe spend £750 on a camera and £250 spend on days out into your local city or nature reserve to walk around and practice. Also consider education such as workshops to fast track your learning.

Unexpected costs & headaches

The final thing to keep in mind that when you spend more money on a fancier camera, usually that will come with additional costs and headaches. For example if you go out and buy the new Fuji XH2, you would then need to buy a CFexpress card in order to utilise all the new features. If you buy a camera with more megapixels, you would also need to remember that the files are bigger and would need more processing power. Thankfully these headaches only apply to high end cameras, but I’ve done enough workshops where total beginners bought high end cameras worth 3k or more and where overwhelmed to say the least. Ok now let’s look at some camera options.

Smartphone

We are starting with the phone for 2 reasons. Firstly because everyone has one and secondly because for most people, the phone the best starting point. For anyone just starting out, the phone is by far the best device. Unless you have a phone from 5 years ago with a potato camera, you will get plenty good enough image quality and performance. This will give you an idea whether you actually enjoy taking photos or not. Also if you upgrade but find that photography is not for you, then you have not lost anything and still have a great phone. An obvious advantage of going down this route is that you will always have your camera with you and as the saying goes, the best camera is the one you have with you. Not to mention that with a phone you can shoot anywhere, while in many places, proper cameras will attract attention or be banned altogether. Of course there are plenty of downsides of using a phone such as poor ergonomics, less than ideal image quality and constant distractions, however it is by far the most straight forward way to dip your feet into the world of photography. Not to mention the ability to edit, organise and share your work all from one device without even needing a computer. Finally if you are considering a cheap point and shoot, I’d say stick with a good phone and put that money towards one of the next suggestions or a trip somewhere.

Fixed Lens

Next up is a fixed lens camera such as a fuji x100, Sony RX100 or a Ricoh GR3. This is a good option for those who want to take photography more seriously with a dedicated camera but don’t want the bulk or complexity of interchangeable lens systems. A fixed lens camera means less to think about and less to carry, therefore you will have it with you more frequently.

The main downside is that these systems are expensive. However my suggestion is to either buy used or get the one model prior. You will still get a great camera but at a more reasonable price. However you will get far superior image quality and a fully functioning camera with a decent APSC sensor and most importantly the ergonomics of a real camera especially on the Fuji or the Ricoh. You will be able to manually control your exposure, set custom buttons and get a superior user experience compared to a phone. Not to mention that even if you decide to upgrade to a bigger system later, these will still remain as your small casual cameras to throw in your coat pocket.

Interchangeable lens

Now we are onto the most common type of camera and given the immense choice, I will split this into 4 groups. Also for this video I will just assume you will pick up the camera with a kit lens. If you’re just starting out, that is by far the best and most cost effective option. As for brands I will only cover Fuji, Sony and Canon because they are the ones I have used. There are other brands out there you can add into the mix but this will give you a good overview. Finally as with the fixed lens camera, if you look at any of these options and still think they are out of your reach, I suggest searching for a used one or a model prior.

Budget
The entry level cameras are as follows:
Fuji XT20, Sony A6000, Canon M5
For this category we are looking at around £500 or less and even if you can find a new one, chances are it will be a used model. These are suitable if you have a really low budget and want to test the water before spending more. Also at this price point, you can still sell your camera on and not lose too much if you find it’s not for you. With any of these cameras you will be getting everything you could possibly need to get you going. They have good APSC sensors, customisable buttons and great ergonomics. The Canon M5 was actually my first real camera and the one I learned all the basics on. If I had to pick one, id go for the Canon M5.

Mid Level
The entry level cameras are as follows:
Fuji XT3, Sony A6400, Canon M6 II
This is perfect if you know you enjoy photography and want to get something a bit more capable that perhaps you can grow into. These cameras will hover around the £1000 mark and will be more than enough for most photographers. If I had to pick one, id say get the XT3. This is the camera that really transformed my photography, because I absolutely loved using it. I lived having it in my hands therefore I always had it with me. Furthermore, the XT3 has the best dedicated photography buttons and dials which will make controlling the camera a breeze. Finally out of all the systems, the Fuji has the best lens line up. So if you invest tin better lenses, you don’t need to worry about changing systems.. With canon for example, the M lens system is different. So if you have built up a collection of M lenses, they will all have to go should you decide to upgrade to an RF system.

Premium
The entry level cameras are as follows: Fuji XT4, Sony A6600, Canon EOS R10/R7
These will set you back around £1500 or thereabout. Fundamentally these are just newer and beefed up versions of the previous group. The only exception is the Canon R10 which uses the new RF mount. So if you do go down the canon route, at least you will share the same mount as the more premium cameras. Honestly id only consider an XT4 over the XT3 from the previous group if you need the specific features such as IBIS or slightly better battery. So when deciding this is where you need to really study what the differences are and if they are worth it to you. Personally id say you’re better off with an XT3 and a spare £500 for a nice prime lens, a few courses / workshops or a weekend away somewhere nice to shoot.

Ultra Premium
Finally we have the ultra premium group and this is only suitable to people who want to create “content” for a living. All of these will set you back £2000 or more and will come with features that 99% of people will simply not need. However if you have already been shooting for a while, you have the disposable income and you know that you would always want to evolve and improve, then any of these would make for fantastic systems to grow into and use for years to come.
They are: Fuji XH2, Canon EOS R7 / R6, Sony A7iv /A7c
If I had to pick, id go for the XH2 if you have a lower budget or the A7iv if you have a higher budget. Especially for lenses.