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Last updated on June 1st, 2022

10 Best Camera Kits for Beginners at a Glance

Are you in the market for a beginner camera? Well, you’ve come to the right place. If you’re shopping for an entry-level camera, there’s a lot to consider. The beginner’s camera market is flooded with excellent choices and some that are not so good.

You have mirrorless cameras, DSLRs, compact cameras, and more — all vying for your hard-earned dollars. That said — when buying the best entry-level camera — you should be looking for a camera that is affordable, easy to use, and helps you improve your photography skills. If you’re an enthusiast or have taken photography as a hobby — it’s unwise and wasteful if you invest a lot of money on a camera kit meant for professionals.

Fortunately, there are many highly capable, excellent cameras that are not only budget-friendly but super simple to use. The best camera kits for beginners come in both fully automatic and manual modes. This means, as your skills grow, the capabilities of your camera grows with you, which is great because you don’t need to splurge your money on a new camera system.

We recommend you start a camera with an interchangeable lens. It can either be DSLR or a mirrorless camera. Anyways, check out these fantastic cameras for beginners below.

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10 best camera kits for beginners

Editor’s Top Picks

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10 Best Camera Kits for Beginners [Detailed Guide]

1. Canon EOS M50 Mark II + EF-M 15-45mm & EF-M 55-200mm IS STM Bundle

Canon EOS M50 Mark II + EF-M 15-45mm & EF-M 55-200mm IS STM Bundle

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Canon is adding more cameras to their mirrorless lineup with the EOS M50 Mark II that boasts the company’s latest iteration of its Dual Pixel AF.

The camera features a DIGIC 8 processor with a 24MP APS-C CMOS sensor and is compatible with Canon EF-M mount lenses. It has a 2.36M-dot OLED viewfinder and an entirely articulating touchscreen.

There are various highlights for vlogging in the Canon EOS M50, including live YouTube streaming, support for vertical videos, and microphone input. This camera can shoot 4K video effortlessly but is restricted to 24 fps. The video also does not utilize Dual Pixel AF, and they’re cropped to 1.6x. There is built-in Bluetooth and WiFi for image sharing.

Wildlife photographers will love the entry-level telephoto zoom lens, Canon EF-M 55-200mm f/4.5-6.3 IS STM lens with a 88-320mm equivalent zoom. The built-in image stabilization will reduce camera shake when the lens is fully expanded. 

The beginner camera kit also comes with the standard Canon EF-M 15-45mm f/3.5-6.3 IS STM lens equivalent to 24-72mm. This lens is excellent for tight portraits but not good while shooting video at arm’s length or in a confined space. The camera does have the option to attach the EF-M 11-22mm f/4-5.6 IS STM lens, but it only offers an equivalent field of view of 28mm while filming in 4K, even at its widest setting.

Despite its few shortcomings, if you’re a beginner looking for a compact, mirrorless camera that can shoot great photos, and is easy to use, the Canon EOS M50 Mark II is an exceptional choice.

Related: Best Lenses for Canon m50

Pros

  • Improved Dual Pixel CMOS AF
  • Excellent image quality
  • Polished touchscreen
  • Excellent EVF
  • Easy to use

Cons

  • Mediocre battery life
  • No weather-sealing
  • Low-quality plastic build

2. Nikon Z5 w/NIKKOR Z 24-200mm f/4-6.3 VR Lens

Nikon Z5 w/NIKKOR Z 24-200mm f/4-6.3 VR Lens

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The Nikon Z5 is an entry-level full-frame, Z-mount mirrorless camera with a 24MP CMOS sensor, a hybrid autofocus system, and 5-axis image stabilization. The camera has human and animal detection features. Furthermore, it includes a 3.6M-dot electronic viewfinder with a tilting 3.2″ touchscreen. There are dual SD card slots with UHS-II speed support.

The Z5 captures 4K/30p video with a 1.7X crop. Filming in 1080p uses the entire camera sensor area with no crop but lacks high-speed modes. The headphone and microphone sockets are both available. Powering the Z5 is the newly released EN-EL15C battery which supports USB PD allowing you to power the camera via a portable battery pack.  

Included with the camera body is the NIKKOR Z 24-200mm f/4-6.3 VR lens. The lens has an advanced optical design with ARNEO and Nano Crystal Coatings for sharp and clear image quality. The all-in-one zoom capability of the lens is enhanced by Vibration Reduction image stabilization. The stepping motor provides quiet, quick, and precise autofocus alongside manual focus. The control ring is programmable and intuitive for adjusting the various camera and exposure settings.

The lens is also water and dust-resistant, especially around the moving parts of the barrel. It’s excellent for landscape photography during the twilight hours (provided you have a tripod) or for wildlife photography at a distance. Coupled with the Z5 weather-sealed body, this is one of the best camera and lens packages.

Pros

  • Great build quality
  • Great image quality
  • Great for entry-level users and enthusiasts
  • Weather-resistant for travel photography
  • Well-priced full-frame mirrorless camera

Cons

  • Not suitable for video shooters wishing to capture super-fast action footage
  • Continuous focusing needs improvement

3. Fujifilm X-T200 Mirrorless Digital Camera w/XC15-45mm Kit

Fujifilm X-T200 Mirrorless Digital Camera w/XC15-45mm Kit

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The Fujifilm X-T200 is a low-to-midrange mirrorless camera that features a versatile imaging system for both photos and video. The Fujifilm X-T200 features a 24.2MP APS-C-format CMOS sensor with on-sensor phase detection. The camera can record high-resolution still images up to 8 fps within ISO 200-12800 range. For videographers, it records in UHD 4K up to 30 fps with a 15-minute limit and 1080p up to 60 fps. There is also Eye and Face Detection functions for taking improved portraits.  

The Fujifilm X-T200 has a well-rounded body design with a 2.36m-dot OLED EVF and a fully articulating 3.5-inch 2.76m-dot LCD touchscreen. Built-in WiFi and Bluetooth allow for remote camera control and wireless image sharing. The camera also has a built-in mic jack and supports headphones via an included adapter.

Included with the camera body is the XC 15-45mm f/3.5-5.6 OIS PZ lens. The lens is wide, offering a 23mm equivalent focal length and a 69mm equivalent when zoomed in entirely at 45mm. There is a power zoom mechanism for easy adjusting of the focal length and a three-stop-effective Optical Image Stabilization for improved handheld shooting.

Pros

Easy-to-use touchscreen interface

Compact, lightweight, and stylish design

It comes with a vast collection of lenses

Sound 4K video recording

Sharp 3.5-inch OLED touchscreen

Cons

  • Average battery life
  • Body is weather-sealed, but the lens is not
  • Unreliable autofocus

4. Sony Alpha a6600 with 18-135mm Zoom Lens 

Sony Alpha a6600 with 18-135mm Zoom Lens

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The Sony a6600 is a weather-sealed, E-mount mirrorless camera with an interchangeable lens. It has a 24MP APS-C sensor that uses Sony’s Real-time Tracking autofocus technology offering superior subject tracking, face detection, and eye detection. The a6600 produces excellent high-resolution photos and up to 4K UHD videos with no recording time limit. The camera shoots at 11 fps with autofocus and auto-exposure. The 5-axis SteadyShot INSIDE image stabilization reduces camera shakes with mounted lenses while working with slower shutter speeds.

The camera has a rear 3.0″ 921.6k-dot LCD touchscreen that tilts 180 degrees, a high-resolution XGA Tru-Finder 2.36m-dot OLED electronic viewfinder. The A6600 body is made from robust magnesium alloy that is dust and moisture-resistant. There are microphone and headphone ports as well. The A6600 comes with a long-lasting ‘Z-type’ FZ1000 battery.

Included with the camera is the Sony E 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 OSS lens that offers a wide-angle to telephoto 27-202.5mm equivalent focal length range. The lens is equipped with an Optical SteadyShot image stabilization system for sharper stills shots and video when handheld. Keep in mind the Sony E 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 OSS is not weather-sealed.

Pros

  • 5-axis image stabilization
  • Real-Time Eye AF tracking
  • Unlimited 4K video recording
  • Microphone and headphones jacks
  • Best-in-class battery life

Cons

  • Dated body design
  • Cramped controls
  • High price
  • Pronounced rolling shutter

5. Canon EOS Rebel T8i with EF-S 18-55mm IS STM Lens Kit

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Best Lenses for Canon Rebel T8i

The Canon EOS Rebel T8i is a capable and well-rounded DSLR designed for first-time shooters without advanced photo and video capabilities. It features a 24.1MP APS-C-format CMOS sensor and DIGIC 8 image processor that results in high-resolution still shots and UHD 4K video alongside an ISO 100-25600 sensitivity range. 

4K video is limited to 24 fps and Full HD at 60 fps. Shooting vertical video is available — a preferred feature for vloggers. The sensor includes Canon’s incredible Dual Pixel CMOS AF, which uses phase-detection autofocus for accurate, quick, and smooth focusing performance when shooting stills or filming. The optical viewfinder has 45 cross-type AF points for precise and fast focusing in various shooting scenarios.

The lightweight physical design of the camera incorporates a fully articulating 3.0″ 1.04m-dot LCD touchscreen. The built-in WiFi with NFC and Bluetooth allows quick and convenient wireless image sharing and remote camera control from a mobile device or tablet. The camera also features a 3.5mm input for attaching an external microphone.

The camera body includes the EF-S 18-55mm f/4-5.6 IS STM lens, which provides a 28.8-88mm equivalent focal length range for taking wide-angle to portrait-length stills. The lens includes an Optical Image Stabilizer system to minimize camera shakes up to four shutter speeds.

Pros

  • The optical viewfinder is sharp
  • Effective Dual Pixel CMOS AF
  • Solid build quality and easy to handle
  • Excellent battery life
  • Excellent still image quality
  • Versatile fully articulating touchscreen display

Cons

  • Cropped 4K video, limited to 24fps
  • No Dual Pixel AF in 4K
  • No weather sealing

6. Nikon Z50 with 16-50mm and 50-250mm VR Lenses

Nikon Z50 with 16-50mm and 50-250mm VR Lenses

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The Nikon Z50 is a DX-format mirrorless camera with a versatile Z Mount interchangeable lens system. The camera produces great stills and video— thanks to the 20.9MP CMOS sensor and EXPEED 6 image processor, and low-light performance to ISO 51200.

The Z50 also features a 209-point hybrid AF system with eye detection. The camera supports UHD 4K up to 30 fps and Full HD recording up to 120 fps. Slow-motion playback is limited to 120 fps. For fine-tuning your stills and videos, there are 20 Creative Picture Controls and 10 Special Effects settings.

The Z50 has an impressive and sleek magnesium alloy body design that is easy to handle and weather-sealed. There is a high-res 2.36m-dot OLED EVF and a 180° flip-down 3.2″ rear LCD touchscreen. 

The connectivity includes WiFi and Bluetooth for wirelessly transferring photos and videos. The Nikon SnapBridge app works in the WiFi and Bluetooth for controlling the camera remotely.

The camera body comes with the the NIKKOR Z DX 50-250mm f/4.5-6.3 VR telephoto zoom and NIKKOR Z DX 16-50mm f/3.5-6.3 VR standard zoom lenses. Both lenses provide 75-375mm and 24-75mm equivalent focal length ranges, respectively. Both lenses come with Vibration Reduction image stabilization.

Pros

  • Great image and video quality
  • Excellent dynamic range
  • Comfortable, ergonomic controls
  • Plenty of customization
  • Impressive viewfinder and touchscreen

Cons

  • Unreliable Autofocus
  • Lack of in-body stabilization
  • Limited native lens availability
  • Lenses are not weather-sealed

7. Sony Alpha a7 III with 28-70mm Lens and Accessory Bundle

Sony Alpha a7 III with 28-70mm Lens and Accessory Bundle

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Best Lenses for Sony a7iii

The Alpha a7 III is a mirrorless camera from Sony with a full-frame 24.2MP Exmor R BSI CMOS sensor and BIONZ X image processor. This is a well-rounded camera for taking photos and videos in various situations, even in low-light conditions. The Sony Alpha a7 III has an impressive 10 fps continuous shooting rate and improved autofocus performance.

In addition to speed and AF, this camera takes images with greater clarity and reduced noise in ISO 100-51200 range, which is expandable to ISO 50-204800. The Alpha a7 III records videos in UHD 4K and utilizes a 5-axis SteadyShot inside sensor-shift image stabilization to reduce distortion from camera shake up to 5 stops.

The a7 III’s body is made of magnesium-alloy chassis and is dust and moisture-resistant. The camera body features a rear tilting 3.0″ 922k-dot LCD touchscreen and a 2.36m-dot Tru-Finder OLED EVF. There are dual SD memory card slots and a beefy NP-FZ100 battery that allows the camera to up to 710 shots per charge.

The Alpha a7 III comes with a FE 28-70mm f/3.5-5.6 OSS lens that offers versatile wide-angle to portrait-length shots. A linear autofocus motor provides fast and quiet focusing performance. Additionally, the lens also has Optical SteadyShot image stabilization, with a dust and water-resistant design.

Pros

  • full-frame 4K UHD video at up to 60fps
  • Great build-quality and ergonomics
  • Impressive battery life
  • Dual SD memory card slots
  • Water and dust-resistant
  • Image stabilization
  • Full-sized HDMI socket

Cons

  • Video AF needs improvement
  • The rear LCD isn’t detailed compared to other cameras in its class

8. Nikon D7500 with AF-S DX NIKKOR 18-140mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR 

Nikon D7500 with AF-S DX NIKKOR 18-140mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR

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The Nikon D7500 is a DX-format DSLR featuring a 20.9MP CMOS sensor and EXPEED 5 image processor that can shoot up to 100 consecutive JPEGS at 8 fps. The sensitivity ranges up to ISO 51,200 that is expandable up to ISO 1,640,000.

It is an entry-level camera kit that shoots 4K video at 30fps. The D7500 features a 51-point Multi-CAM 3500FX II autofocus system with 15 cross-type points for accurate subject tracking and fast performance.

The D7500 has a sleek monocoque construction that is comfortable to handle, and the body is weather-sealed for use in harsh weather conditions. There is a pentaprism optical viewfinder; a rear 3.2″ 922k-dot touchscreen is also with a tilting design.

For connectivity, there is built-in Bluetooth and WiFi for wireless transferring of photos and videos. Additionally, the Nikon SnapBridge app works in the WiFi and Bluetooth for controlling the camera remotely via mobile devices.

The camera package includes a wide-angle to telephoto zoom lens AF-S DX NIKKOR 18-140mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR lens, which provides a 27-210mm equivalent focal length range. The Vibration Reduction image stabilization system helps minimize camera shakes by up to four stops while shooting stills in low-lighting conditions. The Silent Wave Motor offers silent, precise, and smooth autofocus performance.

Pros

  • Excellent image quality: high quality Raw and JPEG
  • Excellent ergonomics
  • Great 4K video quality
  • Useful automated AF Fine Tune
  • Impressive deep buffer

Cons

  • The Nikon SnapBridge wireless system performance is inconsistent
  • Autofocus performance video mode is underwhelming
  • Lens has no weather sealing
  • JPEGs have high noise reduction and sharpening

9. Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark III with M.Zuiko Digital ED 14-150mm F4.0-5.6 II Lens Kit 

Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark III with M.Zuiko Digital ED 14-150mm F4.0-5.6 II Lens Kit

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The Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark III is a micro four-thirds mirrorless camera featuring a 20.4MP MOS sensor and a TruePic VIII image processor. The E-M5 Mark III promises continuous 10 fps burst shooting with a mechanical shutter, and up to 30 fps shooting using the electronic shutter, and UHD 4K video recording.

The camera can take shots with a sensitivity range up to ISO 25600. The 5-axis sensor-shift image stabilization system reduces camera shakes up to 6.5 stops for sharp and blur-free handheld shooting. The sensor’s design includes 121 phase-detection points, 121 contrast-detection areas for quick and accurate fast focusing and subject tracking.

The E-M5 Mark III has a sleek design, which is also weather-sealed. There is a high-resolution 2.36m-dot 0.67x-magnification OLED viewfinder, a tilting 3.0″ 1.04m-dot LCD touchscreen LCD.

For connectivity, there is built-in WiFi and Bluetooth for wireless transferring and remote camera control.

The camera package includes the M.Zuiko Digital ED 14-150mm f/4-5.6 II lens, a 28-300mm equivalent all-in-one wide-angle to telephoto zoom lens. This 14-150mm lens features a fast and smooth Movie & Still Compatible (MSC) AF system and a weather-resistant design for shooting in all weather conditions.

Pros

  • Excellent JPEG and Raw image quality
  • Good build quality and attractive design
  • Excellent image stabilization
  • Good quality 4K video recording
  • 10fps burst shooting
  • Compact, ergonomic design
  • USB charging

Cons

  • Smaller image sensor than rivals
  • Mediocre continuous autofocus and tracking performance
  • Complicated menus
  • Average battery life

10. Panasonic LUMIX S5 with LUMIX S 20-60mm F3.5-5.6 Lens

Panasonic LUMIX S5 with LUMIX S 20-60mm F3.5-5.6 Lens

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The Panasonic Lumix S5 is a hybrid camera that has a 24MP full-frame CMOS sensor. The built-in 5-axis image stabilization of the S5 can reduce camera shakes by up to 6.5 stops. There is a 96MP High-Res Shot mode that produces images with spectacular levels of detail. 

The camera body is compact, lightweight, weather-sealed, and has two SD card slots. It has a 2.36m-dot OLED electronic viewfinder and a fully articulating 3.0″ 1.84m-dot LCD touchscreen LCD. For wireless connectivity, there is built-in WiFi and Bluetooth.

The S5 comes with a microphone and headphone sockets and has support for Panasonic’s XLR adapter. The camera can be charged and powered over the provided USB-C connector. Video-wise, the S5 can shoot 10-bit 4K up to 60p. Additionally, the precision, accuracy, and speed of continuous autofocus in video mode and face/eye/body recognition in all shooting modes is top-notch.

The camera kit includes the Lumix S 20-60mm f/3.5-5.6 zoom, a wide to short portrait-length lens. The lens has a weather-sealed design for shooting in harsh weather. Additionally, a stepping motor offers fast, precise, and smooth autofocus performance in all photo and video modes.

Pros

  • Compact, lightweight, and weather-sealed body
  • Good range of controls
  • Excellent video features
  • Class-leading in-body stabilization
  • Impressive Image quality
  • Full-frame 4K up to 30 fps, 60 fps with APS-C crop

Cons

  • Lacks Full-sized HDMI port
  • Slow burst shooting
  • Average-resolution EVF

Conclusion

Before buying a camera, you must be aware that you aren’t only buying the camera body — but investing into an entire system of lenses and accessories that’s only compatible with that manufacturer. For example, if you’re buying a Nikon Canon EOS M50 with an EF-M mount, it means you have to use only EF-M mount lenses with it. Of course, there some cameras that are cross-compatible, such as systems from Panasonic and Olympus. 

We recommend doing your research before investing in a future-proof camera system. For instance, if you’re into travel, wildlife, or landscape photography — buy a camera from a manufacturer that offers telephoto lenses and offers better ranges than the others.

Just remember, mirrorless cameras are more portable compared to DSLRs. On the other hand, DSLRs are easy to handle and more rugged. In this camera buying guide, we’ve included both DSLRs and mirrorless cameras from some of the top camera manufacturers, and you won’t go wrong with any of them.

Aperlust
About the Author: Aperlust

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