The best camera for photography in 2024: we guide you through the choices

Best camera for photography - smiling woman holding a camera
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Trying to choose the best camera for photography is a tough ask indeed. It's not necessarily going to be the most expensive or most powerful, especially if you're just starting out. The best step to take is to think about what kinds of photography you want to do, as this will help narrow it down.

This guide represents a broad spectrum of the types of camera available. We've included beginner-friendly cameras, simple point-and-shoots, waterproof action cameras, and sophisticated cameras for enthusiasts and professionals. Whatever your budget, whatever your skill level, there should be something here for you.

Chris George headshot
Chris George

Chris has been writing about photography professionally for nearly 40 years and has tested hundreds of different cameras – and owned dozens of them too. He has been the editor of What Camera, N-Photo, PhotoPlus, Video Camera, and Digital Camera magazines during his long career. He loves the challenge of helping people find the right camera, to suit their photography and their budget.

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Chris George

Chris George has worked on Digital Camera World since its launch in 2017. He has been writing about photography, mobile phones, video making and technology for over 30 years – and has edited numerous magazines including PhotoPlus, N-Photo, Digital Camera, Video Camera, and Professional Photography. 

His first serious camera was the iconic Olympus OM10, with which he won the title of Young Photographer of the Year - long before the advent of autofocus and memory cards. Today he uses a Nikon D800, a Fujifilm X-T1, a Sony A7, and his iPhone 15 Pro Max.

He has written about technology for countless publications and websites including The Sunday Times Magazine, The Daily Telegraph, Dorling Kindersley, What Cellphone, T3 and Techradar.

With contributions from