The best cameras for photography in 2022: we guide you through the choices

Choosing the best camera is hard enough for professional photographers, but when you’re just starting out the choice of types and price brackets can seem overwhelming. The best camera for photography isn’t necessarily the most expensive, or the most powerful – it’s about choosing the right camera for what you want to do. Here’s our list of the 10 best cameras right now across the whole spectrum of photography as well as its different users.

To start things off, we’ll need to find out want kind of photographer you are now, what kind of photographer you want to be, and what you want to shoot.

• If you just want something user-friendly, quick and cheap, head over to the best point and shoot cameras. These don’t cost a lot, they come with zoom lenses and they have simple controls that almost anyone can master.

• What about an instant camera? Even the best instant cameras aren’t very expensive, and with few buttons to confuse things, they are super simple, and a whole lot of fun. They can also be the best cameras for kids, as they are cheap to buy and easy to handle.

• If you’re just getting started in photography but keen to learn, you need a camera that’s simple enough for a novice to pick up and use, but powerful enough to grow with you as you try out more advanced techniques. We’ve got examples in this guide but check out the best cameras for beginners too.

• Are you into travel photography and vlogging? Some of the best cameras for travel are mirrorless, but have you considered an action camera, or one of the new generation of gimbal cameras like the DJI Pocket 2, below?

• Action cameras are also a great way to get started. The best GoPro cameras ignited the whole adventure photography genre, but there are some very exciting new technologies that include 360 imaging and pocket-sized gimbal cameras for super-smooth action sequences. The best 360 cameras can capture VR video and stills with no more than the press of a button to give you a totally new perspective.

• And talking about perspective, why not try out one of the best camera drones? With automated take off and landing, automated flight controls and programmed flights, most are really simple, even for novices.

There are now so many different ways to get into photography and video, and below we’ve got a list of ten cameras of the best cameras around right now, each with its own strengths and its own appeal for different kinds of photographer.

 

The 10 best cameras in 2022

SPECIFICATIONS

Type: DSLR
Sensor: APS-C
Megapixels: 24.2MP
Lens mount: Nikon F
Screen: 3-inch fixed, 921,000 dots
Viewfinder: Optical
Max video resolution: Full HD
User level: Beginner

REASONS TO BUY

+Great ergonomics
+Superb image quality
+Versatile and affordable

REASONS TO AVOID

-Fixed rear screen

The Nikon D3500 is a long-standing favorite of ours. It’s by no means the most advanced DSLR you can get, but its simplicity, its controls and the quality of the images it can create make it our top recommendation for anyone just starting out. There’s a lot the D3500 doesn’t do – it has a fixed rear screen that’s not touch-sensitive, it doesn’t have hybrid on-sensor autofocus and it doesn’t shoot 4K video. But its 24-megapixel sensor delivers super-sharp, super-high quality images, Nikon’s latest AF-P retracting kit lens is a miniature marvel and focuses very fast in live view, even without on-sensor phase-detection autofocus. The D3500 handles well, it’s easy to use, it’s more powerful than it looks and it’s the perfect introduction to interchangeable lens photography.

 

SPECIFICATIONS

Type: Mirrorless
Sensor: Micro Four Thirds
Megapixels: 20.3Lens mount: MFT
Screen: 3-inch 180-degree tilting touchscreen, 1,037k dots
Viewfinder: EVF, 2,360k dots
Max shooting speed: 8.7fps
Max video resolution: 4K UHD
User level: Beginner/intermediate

REASONS TO BUY

+Latest 20MP sensor
+5-axis in-body stabilisation
+Small body, small lenses

REASONS TO AVOID

-MFT sensor smaller than APS-C

With a flip-over screen for selfies and very good in-body image stabilization, the Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark IV is ideal for learning about photography and video and portable enough for daily use. With 4K video and attractive styling the E-M10 Mark IV is ideal as an entry-level camera that can do pretty much everything. It has a smaller Micro Four Thirds sensor than other mirrorless cameras or DSLRs, but the advantage is that the lenses are smaller and lighter. This is a great little camera that’s so much more powerful than it looks and could be with you for a long time to come.

 

SPECIFICATIONS

Weight: 153g
Waterproof: 10m
5K video: up to 60fps
4K video: up to 120fps
1080P: up to 240fps
Stills resolution: 23MP
Battery life: 1-32hrs estimate

REASONS TO BUY

+ Faster user interface
+Increased frame rates
+Hydrophobic lens coating

REASONS TO AVOID

-Incremental upgrade on Hero9 Black
-Bigger than the Hero8 Black and Hero7 Black
-Not compatible with older batteries

The GoPro Hero 10 might be a little more than you need if you’re shopping for your first action camera, but if you’re looking for a camera that’s going to record super-smooth high-quality video this can’t be beaten. It might look a lot like the previous GoPro Hero 9, which is still available, but it is a pretty significant upgrade. It features a new G2 processor which makes the interface super responsive, doubles the frame rates and fuels the best image stabilization tech available in action cameras. The stand-out feature is its ability to record 5.3K 60p using GoPro’s new HyperSmooth 4.0 video stabilization. It also has the ability to shoot 23-megapixel photos and is has the best low-light performance of any GoPro yet. You can buy a wealth of accessories separately so as well as mounting it on your helmet, you could attach it to your chest, your head or even onto one of the best selfie sticks.

 

SPECIFICATIONS

Type: DSLR
Sensor: APS-C
Megapixels: 32.5MP
Lens mount: Canon EF-S
Screen: 3.0in touch, pivot 1,040,000 dots
Viewfinder: Pentaprism
Max burst speed: 10fps
Max video resolution: 4K
User level: Enthusiast

REASONS TO BUY

+Tremendous value
+Fully articulated touchscreen

REASONS TO AVOID

-Pixel count causes noise issues
-Unimpressive buffer capacity

We know that mirrorless cameras are all the rage, but we’ve included the Canon EOS 90D for all those DSLR fans we know are still out there – and for all the folk who’ve got drawers full of Canon lenses! The Canon EOS 90D is an astounding APS-C workhorse of a camera, which combines the highest resolution yet seen in an APS-C sensor of 32.5MP, with high-speed frame rate of 10fps, and it also manages glorious uncropped 4K video, without that irritating crop that has plagued Canon cameras in the past. Its handling and ergonomics are a joy, reminding us of why shooting on a DSLR is such an enjoyably tactile experience, and it’s available for a welcome enthusiast price point – not to mention the fact that you get an optical viewfinder, which many people still prefer to the electronic viewfinders on mirrorless cameras. Rumours of the DSLR’s death will have been greatly exaggerated if Canon keeps on producing models as good as this.

 

SPECIFICATIONS

Type: Mirrorless
Sensor: APS-C
Megapixels: 26.1MP
Lens mount: Fujifilm X
Screen: 3-inch vari-angle touchscreen, 1.04m dots
Viewfinder: EVF, 2,360k dots
Max continuous shooting speed: 30/8fps
Max video resolution: 4K
User level: Intermediate/Expert

REASONS TO BUY

+Small size & excellent build quality
+Vari-angle touchscreen
+In-body image stabilisation

REASONS TO AVOID

-Conventional mode dial

The Fujifilm X-S10 doesn’t have the external exposure controls of the higher-level X-series cameras, but that’s the only thing we can find to complain about, and it’s clear this is no ‘amateur’ camera. as its build quality and handling stand out straight away. The swap to a conventional mode dial might disappoint Fujifilm fans, but the excellent finish, build quality and handling and the inclusion of IBIS (in-body stabilisation) gives this camera a very broad appeal, especially in this price sector, to produce perhaps the best combination of performance, quality and value in the APS-C mirrorless camera market right now. It even has a vari-angle rear screen, which is another reason why we rate this new camera above our previous favorite, the X-T30. This is a great choice for photographers looking to upgrade from an older DSLR or mirrorless camera.

 

SPECIFICATIONS

Type: Compact
Sensor: 1inch CMOS
Megapixels: 20.1MP
Lens mount: N/A
Screen: 3-inch vari-angle touchscreen, 921k dots
Viewfinder: No
Max continuous shooting speed: 24fps
Max video resolution: 4K
User level: Intermediate

REASONS TO BUY

+Vari-angle rear screen
+Clip on wind shield
+Brilliantly fast AF

REASONS TO AVOID

-No viewfinder

Normally we recommend interchangeable lens cameras for any kind of serious photography or filmmaking, but we’ll make an exception with the Sony ZV-1. It has a fixed 3x zoom lens and a 1-inch sensor that’s smaller than its Micro Four Thirds and APS-C rivals, but it makes up for it with a super-compact body small enough to slip into a jacket or even a trouser pocket, and a body, controls, audio system and rear that are optimised brilliantly for vlogging. The woolly hat you see in the pictures is a muffler to cut wind noise while filming, and it comes with the camera, and the autofocus on this camera is blazingly fast – and copes brilliantly when you hold objects up to show the camera.

 

SPECIFICATIONS

Type: Gimbal camera
Sensor: 1/1.7-inch
Megapixels: 64/16MP
Lens mount: N/A
Screen: 1-inch touchscreen
Viewfinder: No
Max continuous shooting speed: N/A
Max video resolution: 4K
User level: Beginner/Intermediate

REASONS TO BUY

+Excellent stabilization
+Panoramas, timelapse, more
+Simple forward/selfie switching

REASONS TO AVOID

-Tiny on-camera screen
-Accessories add to the cost

We’ve gone really left-field with this suggestion, but the DJI Pocket 2 could be a great travel/vlogging camera. It wouldn’t be the first choice for stills, but its 16MP stills (it can go up to 64MP) are likely to be better than a smartphone’s and it can shoot programmable multi-row panoramas stitched in-camera, too. There’s even an optional wide-angle add-on for spectacular interiors and architecture. Its star turn is its video, though, with an in-built gimbal that provides a smoothness bigger cameras can only dream of. It comes with a dinky controller for powered pan and tilt movements and has a trio of ‘follow’ modes, just like a proper gimbal. The difference is that this one will fit in a shirt pocket. The built in touchscreen is very small, but you can plug the Pocket 2 into your smartphone and control it on a bigger screen via the DJI app.

 

SPECIFICATIONS

Weight: 249g
Dimensions (folded): 180×97×84mm
Dimensions (unfolded): 159 x 203 x 56mm
Controller: Yes
Video resolution: 4K 30fps (1080P@60fps)
Camera resolution: 12MP
Battery life: 30 minutes
Max Range: 3.5km / 2.17mi
Max Speed: 72kph / 44.7mph

REASONS TO BUY

+Side-steps registration fees
+GPS and Altitude Hold
+Slightly better in wind than the old Mini

REASONS TO AVOID

-JPEG stills only
-No forward collision sensors

The best way to think of the DJI Mini SE in terms of quality is as a flying smartphone camera from a mid-range device. That, though, is a high standard these days, certainly far higher than toy drones and their shaky video because this drone can hover perfectly thanks to its onboard sensors and has a 3-axis mechanical stabilizer for its camera. Drone experts might decide that the 2.7K video resolution isn’t enough for them, but most new users will be amazed by the stability and the video quality. The Mini SE also scrapes in beneath the legal 250g registration threshold and has a much more welcoming entry price than anything else DJI offers, making it a perfect gift. Software-wise the app is intuitive and includes auto land, return to home and some cool orbiting effects which will be sure to earn likes.

 

SPECIFICATIONS

Type: Mirrorless
Sensor: Full frame CMOS
Megapixels: 61MP
Lens mount: Sony FE
Screen: 3-inch tilting touchscreen, 1,440,000 dots
Viewfinder: Electronic, 5.76m dots
Continuous shooting speed: 10fps
Max video resolution: 4K
User level: Professional

REASONS TO BUY

+61 megapixel resolution
+10fps continuous shooting
+Advanced Eye AF

REASONS TO AVOID

-Quite expensive – of course!

The ‘R’ models in Sony’s A7 series cameras are designed first and foremost for resolution – and the Sony A7R Mark IV has the highest resolution yet in a full frame camera. It’s not just the detail rendition that’s stellar, but this camera’s 4K video capability and 10fps continuous shooting speed – all combined with in-body 5-axis image stabilization and one of the most powerful autofocus systems the world has seen, complete with the world’s best (so far) eye AF. One of the most compelling reasons for picking the Sony system, however, is the extensive lens range now available, both from Sony itself and from third party lens makers, and the momentum the Sony brand has built up in the professional photographic community.