We often get asked 'which camera should I buy' when our students are starting out with photography.
Interchangeable lenses?
Although there are many different makes and models out there we think you should always buy a camera that has interchangeable lenses. This allows you to purchase better lenses as you develop your skills whilst using the same camera body.
We recommend you buy (in this order) :
Camera body + Short Entry lens
Medium Entry lens
Professional Short lens (2.8) 24 -70
Professional Mid Lens (2.8) 70 - 200
Professional body
We rarely use more than two lenses and unless you have very specific requirements with your kit we wouldnt bother buying lots of primes.
Which make and model?
It is important to pick a brand and stay with it, that way a lot of the accessories and lenses will continue to be compatible as you upgrade your kit.
High end - Sony Our camera of choice is the Sony A9, it's simply the best camera we've ever used and is perfect in almost every situation (apart from its price). We also highly recommend the A7RIV and that is a much better value for money camera.
Sony A9 - https://amzn.to/3i054AO
Sony A7RIV - https://amzn.to/2PpN86m
Price - £4k++ (body only)
Mid Level - Fujifilm. The XT-4. Our favourite camera for almost any use is the XT series. We used the XT-1 all around the world and it is favoured by military units for its compact size and excellent performance. I love the fact that you could easily carry this around with one of their excellent Medium lenses. The colour profiles on this sensor are beautiful as well.
Fuji XT4 https://amzn.to/2PAyKsl
Price 1.5k+ (body only)
Entry Level - Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark III. Currently available with 2 amazing lenses for only £550 this camera is an absolute bargain for the price and packs a serious punch. We don't think you can get better quality photos for cheaper than this. The body also is suitable to upgrade to professional lenses so you can grow with the camera.
Olympus OM-D MIII (with two lenses) https://amzn.to/3fsXpJJ
Price - £540
One of the many positive reviews :
https://www.digitalcameraworld.com/reviews/olympus-om-d-e-m10-ii-review
Example of it being used for weddings :
https://blog.mingthein.com/2017/12/21/micro-four-thirds-and-wedding-photography/
Which camera do you use on the course?
We use the brilliant Canon 70D to teach with. It's a solid camera that takes stunning photos and it has a really versitile 18-135mm lens on it which suits most situations. The 70D is discontinued now and is currently in the form of the 90D
Price - £1.2k with lens
If you have any questions please get in touch with our team today and we'll steer you in the right direction.