This Canon Camera Is the Perfect DSLR Camera for Beginners
Though I have always had a deep appreciation for capturing and documenting life’s moments, I have never been a great photographer. Try as I may, the only camera I’ve operated successfully in my life is my decades-old Polaroid camera, which let’s be honest, isn’t exactly a camera that will get me very far in today’s digital world.
For a long time, I accepted my fate as a bad photographer. If people asked me to take pictures on their phones at weddings, parties, or happy hours, I would politely suggest they ask someone else if they wanted to be happy with their images. I simply avoided being a photographer at all costs.
Recently, though, I started to realize just how much I was holding myself back by not at least trying to find a professional camera I could call my own —one that could capture the beautiful everyday moments of life, major milestones, and possibly even improve my sad social-media presence. And I’ll be honest and admit I have some major envy when I look at the great photography these influencers and content creators are putting out in the world every day.
Canon EOS M50 Mark II + EF-M 15-45mm is STM Kit Black
This is the perfect professional-level DSLR camera kit for beginner photographers. The bundle comes with everything you need to get started, including a camera strap and charger.
Buy Canon EOS M50 Mark II + EF-M 15-45mm is STM Kit Black at Amazon, $700
Buy Canon EOS M50 Mark II + EF-M 15-45mm is STM Kit Black at Best Buy, $700
When I reached out to a number of professional photographers and asked them what the best beginner-friendly cameras are for someone who has no clue how to operate a camera—let alone take pictures—one brand that kept coming up time and time again was Canon. And one specific model that kept getting recommended to me was the EOS M50 Mark II DSLR camera. After doing some online research and reading the camera’s awesome reviews, I decided to give it a try.
A little bit about this camera to start: For one thing, this camera is super lightweight, small, and easy to transport. I always thought that professional-grade cameras were bound to be bulky, heavy, cumbersome, and come with an insane number of lenses, but this one is something you can take with you anywhere on the go, whether you’re stashing it in your purse for the day or packing it away for a weekend trip.
It also is equipped with 24.1 megapixels, which if you’re like me, that probably doesn’t mean much, but to put it simply, this camera has the power and design to take some amazing high-resolution photos and videos. It also has a DIGIC 8 Image Processor—again, terminology that is lost on me—but this feature makes your images super sharp and super detailed— absent of unwanted blur and grain.
Canon EOS M50 Mark II + EF-M 15-45mm is STM Kit Black
I was surprised at just how lightweight and portable this beginner-friendly DSLR was.
Buy Canon EOS M50 Mark II + EF-M 15-45mm is STM Kit Black at Amazon, $700
Buy Canon EOS M50 Mark II + EF-M 15-45mm is STM Kit Black at Best Buy, $700
I toyed with the EOS M50 Mark II’s settings for about 10 minutes before I got the hang of how to take some very basic photographs with the various shooting modes (there are nine in total.) I immediately appreciated the side-articulating touchscreen, too—something I had never seen or used on a camera before, but this feature guided me through many of the selections and decisions that turned my would-be-bland photos into some great photography I was excited to document and share.
In terms of settings, beginners should gravitate toward the automatic mode —a great first-time user setting that essentially lets the camera do all the work for you, i.e., select ISO, aperture, etc., while you take pictures. But there are other useful shooting modes as well, like “special scene,” where you can select what type of items you’re taking pictures of, such as sports, food, landscapes, close-ups, self-portraits, and more. There are also “creative filters,” where you can apply little details like soft-focus, watercolor effects, and other details.
One thing I really appreciated about the EOS M50 Mark II is how articulate the autofocus is. I have two kids, both of whom are under the age of 3, so trying to wrangle them for photos is tricky and often quite humbling. But no matter how much movement was involved, the autofocus on the EOS M50 Mark II captured quality images I would never get with my iPhone camera. I also like that the camera has WiFi and Bluetooth capability, and that I can use the Canon Camera Connect app to access my photos immediately after taking them on my camera.
I wish I could say I’ve become a confident, knowledgeable photographer all my own efforts, but all credit in this instance is owed to the EOS M50 Mark II’s design and professional quality, Long gone are the grainy, blurry, sad images I’ve captured a hundred times before, and in their place are photos I’m finally proud to post and share with everyone.
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