A Nikon Photographer's Shocking Confession


I've been shooting Nikon cameras for over 17 years. I love Nikon. My camera bag is basically one giant Nikon fan club. But if someone came to me tomorrow wanting to buy their very first camera and asked what I'd recommend, I'd probably tell them to buy a Canon.


I know!


GASP!!!


I'm as surprised as you are!

A mirrorless camera on a tripod displays a kitchen interior on its LCD screen during a real estate photography shoot.

Having said this I'll always be Team Nikon!

Canon Has The Cheapest Entry Ticket Into Photography


Photography isn't exactly a budget hobby. You start by buying a camera. Then a memory card. Then a camera bag. Then a lens. Then another lens. Then a tripod. Then another lens because you have done a Get Off Auto photography course and discovered aperture...Before you know it you're trying to explain to your partner why a lens costs more than your first car. The good news is Canon currently has some of the cheapest mirrorless cameras on the market, making it much easier to get started without needing another partner to subsidise the bills. Significant others you get to stay if your main squeeze chooses Canon!

The Camera I'd Actually Buy


If I was buying my first camera today, I'd probably choose the Canon R50. Not the cheapest Canon. Not the most expensive Canon. Just a really good sweet spot. It has a flip-out touchscreen, which is incredibly handy when you're learning. You can tap on your subject to focus, swipe through photos and generally feel like you know what you're doing. The menus are easy to navigate, it takes beautiful photos and it's a camera you can grow into rather than outgrow. The lenses on your first basic camera are going to fit onto your pro camera body in 5 years time...

The Real Secret Is The Lens


Here's where beginners often get it wrong. They spend every cent on the camera body and then buy the cheapest lens available. That's a bit like buying a Ferrari and putting shopping trolley wheels on it. The lens matters. A lot! I'd rather see someone buy a slightly cheaper camera and a better lens than the other way around. I've written a whole blog post on why good glass matters. It's worth a read if you are not sure what I'm talking about.

👉 Read: Why Good Glass Matters

Canon's Affordable Lenses Are Hard To Beat


One thing Canon does really well is affordable prime lenses sometimes called fixed lenses. A prime lens simply means it doesn't zoom in or out. Before you panic, that's actually a good thing. Prime lenses help you learn photography faster because they force you to think about composition instead of standing in one spot zooming in and out you have to actually move your feet so you are closer to the subject to 'zoom' in. They also take stunning photographs with much creamier background blur. Once you do a Get off Auto course and can start shooting with really wide apertures like f/1.8 you are going to be in lens heaven with a prime lens. Trust me it's a game changer.


The Canon 50mm lens is one of the best bargains in photography. It's small, lightweight, affordable and creates those beautiful blurry backgrounds everyone wants. More importantly, the lenses you buy for your beginner Canon can come with you if you decide to upgrade your camera later. Future You will appreciate this. Current You might not understand it yet, but Future You will.

Here's The Part Nobody Wants To Hear


Buying a camera will not magically make you a better photographer. I know. RUDE. People spend weeks comparing brands, reading reviews and watching YouTube videos. Then they buy the camera, leave it on Auto and wonder why their photos don't look amazing. The camera isn't the problem. The problem is not knowing how to use it.

Black and white photo of a photographer crouching to take a picture inside a modern kitchen with wooden floors.

Kris being a fool. Self portrait shot on a tripod. Embarrassing I know!

The Best Money You'll Spend Isn't On The Camera

Honestly, I'd rather see someone buy a Canon R50 and spend the money they saved on a photography course than buy a fancy camera and never learn how to use it. A beginner who understands light, shutter speed and aperture will almost always take better photos than someone with a $5,000 camera shooting on Auto.

That's exactly why I created my Get Off Auto photography course. No confusing jargon. No silly questions. Just practical, easy-to-understand photography lessons that help you finally understand what all those buttons actually do. Because once you understand photography, it doesn't really matter whether you're holding a Canon, Nikon or Sony. You start creating photographs instead of just taking snapshots.



My Advice

If you're buying your first camera, stop stressing about brands. Canon. Nikon. Sony. They're all excellent. Pick a camera you can afford, buy a decent lens, learn how to use it and get out there taking photos. Because the world's best camera sitting in a cupboard takes shit photos.



One Last Thing

This definitely isn't sponsored (sadly). But if you're looking for advice on what camera to buy, you can't go wrong chatting to the team at Coffs Camera House. Port Macquarie doesn't currently have a dedicated camera store, and the guys at Camera House know their stuff. They can help match a camera to your budget without making you feel like you need to remortgage the house. They also courier cameras to Port Macquarie (and pretty much anywhere in Australia). Every order I've had delivered has arrived overnight. Tell them Kris sent you. They won't give you a discount. But you'll sound like you know a photographer.



Not Sure What Camera To Buy?


👉 Read: What Camera Should I Buy?

https://www.kristenshawphotography.com.au/Tips/what-camera-should-i-buy/


👉 Read: Why Good Glass Matters!

https://www.kristenshawphotography.com.au/Tips/why-good-glass-matters/


👉 Check Out My Get Off Auto Photography Course.

https://www.kristenshawphotography.com.au/workshops/


And if you end up buying a Canon after reading this, please don't tell Nikon I said so.

Kristen Shaw Photography


Kris is a Port Macquarie photographer and the owner of Kristen Shaw Photography. Based on the Mid North Coast of NSW, Kris specialises in commercial photography, business branding photography, boutique accommodation and Airbnb photography and food photography. She works with businesses throughout Port Macquarie, Wauchope, Kempsey, South West Rocks, Crescent Head, Forster, Taree and beyond, helping brands tell their story through natural, authentic imagery. Kris is also the founder of The Shutter Sisterhood, a supportive women's photography community, and regularly teaches photography workshops designed to help women gain confidence behind the camera.