Many people asked me what photography equipment for beginners to get. In this article, I will help you to decide on which camera to choose and what photography setup to get if you have only around 400€.
Nowadays DSLR cameras are outdated and most photographers use mirrorless cameras, they are compact and light while having all of the same features as DSLRs. At the same time since they are fully electronic, they have shorter battery life. But since batteries are cheap, you can take an extra one with you to shoot seamlessly for the whole day.
Table of Contents
Low Budget Photography Equipment For Beginners
Camera:
- DSLR or Mirrorless: Both are great options; mirrorless cameras are lighter and more compact, while DSLRs often offer longer battery life.
- Entry-Level Models: Consider cameras like Canon 600D or 60D, or Sony Alpha a6000 series.
I usually buy used cameras. Most importantly I check whether the camera will serve me for long. That will mainly show the shutter count.
Since we live in a capitalist society with perceived value outweighing actual value, a used camera in mint condition can often be purchased for 30-50% less than a new one. You can expect to receive around 99% of the value for 50-70% of the initial price. However, I don’t limit myself solely to mint condition. As the camera primarily serves as a tool, I personally don’t fret over a scratch or two. I usually procure cameras and lenses on eBay due to their protective and return policies. Even if the listing indicates no return policy and you receive a faulty item or something not as described, you can still return it.
Camera Equipment For Beginners
Lenses:
- Kit Lens: Usually comes bundled with the camera. Offers versatility for general shooting.
- Prime Lens: A fixed focal length lens (like 35mm or 50mm) often provides better image quality and teaches composition skills due to the lack of zoom. It makes you walk more while choosing the best angle to compose your subject.
- The cheapest would be to get a vintage lens and an adapter. You will have only manual focus but the lenses can cost 15-30€
The lenses I would recommend are Yongnuo 35mm f/2 (on your camera it will be 56mm) or Canon 50mm f1.8 (the Canon lens on your camera will be more like 80mm)
For Sony, everything is a little more expensive and Sony 50mm 1.8 OSS lens would cost you about 200€. But as well as for Canon you can get an adapter ring and get a vintage lens like Helios 44-m that has beautiful bokeh and costs very little.
Tripod:
- Stable Platform: Helps in reducing camera shake, especially in low light or when using slower shutter speeds. You can find quite low-budget photography tripods used or new anywhere online. A normal price for a used tripod would be 15-50€ for smaller and simpler ones and up to 2000€ for premium high-quality ones.
If the tripod is outside your budget you can simply put your camera on any flat serfaces, it’s less convenient but that way you can achieve similar results and you won’t have to carry a heavy tripod with you.
Memory Cards:
- Fast and Reliable: Invest in high-capacity, high-speed cards to ensure ample storage and smooth photo transfer. I personally use inexpensive micro SD for 128GB for 18-20€1
Camera Bag:
- Protection and Organization: A bag that accommodates your camera, lenses, and accessories, providing protection and easy access during shoots. Quite often it comes with the camera if you buy second hand but when I had my first camera I didn’t have a proper photography backpack and simply tried to carry it carefully. This is not one of the most important pieces of photography equipment for beginners but it’s good to protect your camera
Other Accessories:
- Remote (can cost about 2-5€)
- Reflector ( cheap and very helpful for portraits -15-25€)
Editing Software:
Post-Processing Tools: Software like Adobe Lightroom, Adobe Photoshop or Capture One for editing and organizing photos. Again if you are low on budget you can use free tools like Photopea or many others. The alternatives are not as good as Photoshop but offer almost all of the same tools for free.
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A Little Calculation
If you have just 400€, you can get a camera like Canon 60D or 600D for about 200€ and you can get a lens for about 100€ and you will have 100 more for accesories.
Some Questions and Answers:
what are the essential features or specifications beginners should look for when purchasing a camera within a tight budget?
It’s good to have more megapixels but it’s not always the most important. More important features are the size of the sensor and how well the colours are captured. You can have 60MP but a small dynamic range, then you will have large pictures with dirty-grey shadows and pale uneditable colours.
When considering what photography equipment for beginners to get, choose APS-C size sensor cameras. It is a good camera sensor for a beginner, I’m still using one of these nowadays since that camera is more compact than the ones I have for work.
How crucial is it for beginners to allocate funds for accessories like lens filters or additional batteries in the initial setup?
Lens filters can be quite pricey and aren’t the most important. Additional batteries are only needed if you are going for a long trip. For the first several months you can get great results with just your camera, one lens, creativity and a good mindset.
Is it worth investing in third-party or off-brand camera accessories compared to branded ones when on a budget?
Absolutely yes! Unless you need to get the top-of-the-line gear you can buy lenses from Samyang or Tamron and they won’t be worse than Canon, Nikon or Sony. I have a 50mm budget Sony lens that focuses slowly and I want to replace it with Samyang. Photography equipment for beginners shouldn’t be expensive and branded gear can sometimes be overpriced.
What are practical tips for finding reliable and affordable second-hand camera equipment?
The most crucial step is to test it and check the number of pictures taken. You can inquire with the seller and Also check the camera’s shutter life expectancy. For instance, with Sony mirrorless cameras, it’s typically around 500,000 frames. If the camera’s shutter count is between 30,000 to 100,000 frames, there’s no need to worry. However, if the camera has been heavily used, it might be better to look elsewhere.
It’s always good to switch on and off the camera multiple times, take a photo against the light overexposing it to check if the sensor is clean and not scratched, and then look if the picture is fine and doesn’t show any spots. Sometimes it can be only a bit of dust that can be cleaned but sometimes there can be a problem with the camera. If you see any dust on the pictures it might be also inside the lens. Then you can either buy another camera or (If the flaws aren’t significant) ask for a discount.
Aside from that I would check the camera’s dynamic range and look for reviews and comparisons. For example here is Sony a6000 VS Canon 600D.
What to prioritize between investing in lenses or camera bodies when starting out with limited funds?
Lenses often hold more importance than the camera body itself. Make sure you get a 50mm lens with the most open aperture of f2 or smaller that lens will let more light in and you will be able to photograph in low lighting conditions.
Full-frame lenses can be exceedingly expensive, which is why, as a beginner, I would certainly avoid purchasing a full-frame camera. Photography equipment for beginners and amateurs can be two to four times cheaper than professional gear. Opt for a camera body like the ones I recommended; they usually come with a lens, or you can find affordable options designed for APS-C sensors. As a beginner, one lens should suffice, especially if your interest lies in photography genres other than wildlife or sports. In such cases, expensive gear or telephoto lenses are not needed.
How do you manage your budget for photography equipment upgrades or enhancements as you progress in your photography journey?
I would recommend buying new gear only when it’s absolutely necessary. I have a lot of equipment (on the cover of this post is not everything that I have), but this is all I need for work. When I shoot for my passion one small 50mm lens and a camera is enough for about 80% of what I do. Another thing you can get, that will help you with shooting portraits is a reflector or, if you don’t have one, almost any piece of white cloth.
I personally never try to get the best gear out there. There’s no reason for that. Camera manufacturers release new cameras like iPhones all the time improving little details that do not play a big role. If you follow that race you will only spend more money.
Conclusion
Exploring photography equipment for beginners on a budget doesn’t have to be overwhelming. As someone who started with limited funds, I’ve learned that creativity matters more than the gear itself. Focus on mirrorless cameras for their compactness and invest in lenses over camera bodies. Embrace second-hand options cautiously, and you will save a lot of money. If I bought all of my gear from official shops I would have spent twice as much.
Remember that having a big camera and a lens is rather a problem than an advantage. To the people outside of photography, you will look like a pro but heavy cameras and huge lenses may make you more lazy about taking your camera with you. In fact, when you do street photography, having a small camera with a small lens gives you a lot of advantage, that’s why my favourite camera looks like an amateur point-and-shoot model and people don’t even understand if it’s better than a phone. That’s exactly the gear that you will be able to take everywhere and that won’t bring any attention to you.
At the beginning of your photography journey, it’s best to practice as much as possible. So I would recommend as your first photography equipment for beginners getting a cheap camera and a small lens and take hundreds of shots every week.
