If you’re shopping for gifts for beginner photographers who want to level up their photography skills with a real camera these 3 cameras are the best to start! I know it can be overwhelming when you’re trying to shop in the camera world with little background information. I’ve got you covered. These are really great starting cameras and some of them I used personally and absolutely loved. Of course, do your own research so you can feel confident about your purchase and make sure the gifts for beginner photographers that you decide on fit the needs and interests of the recipient.

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Canon Rebel T7 $550 + 50mm 1.8 lens $125

I started taking photos with a Canon Rebel T2i. They have definitely changed a bit since I used that one! Hands down, these are really great starter cameras and make great gifts for beginner photographers. They have everything on them like a regular DSLR but at a lower price point. Be aware that there will be a lot of grain when you use a high ISO with these cameras, but for capturing everyday moments, and learning to use a big camera manually, I think they’re a great option.

Sony Digital Camera $700

This is what a lot of bloggers and influencers are using as their nice camera. This camera also gives me a manual camera experience which is perfect for trips with my family and taking casual photos and videos at home with good low-light capabilities. This is why it makes the guide for gifts for beginner photographers.

Canon R, mirrorless system, body only $1000 + 50mm 1.8 RF lens $200

If you’re ready for a big camera, I think mirrorless is the way to go. Mirrorless is the next generation of cameras and their eye-tracking and clarity are pretty amazing. This is the Intro Full Frame Mirrorless from Canon. They use RF lenses, so if you’ve been using lenses that work with the Rebel or with other Canon cameras, you’ll probably need to invest in a new lens. Since this is a full-frame, it has great low-light capabilities and can handle higher ISO than the Rebel. I used this for a while professionally to decide if I wanted to switch from DSLR to mirrorless. I just recently dove into mirrorless with the R6s and I love them.

As you can see there are lots of different options in the camera market for gifts for beginner photographers, but I recommend starting with these three and researching more from there. Then you can explore different cameras and options that feel right for your needs and skills. If you’re shopping for kids or teenagers and want to find a good camera for that age group, check out my camera gift guide for kids and teenagers.