Article updated on March 3, 2024 at 6:00 PM PST
We’ve tested cameras from all the top brands to help you choose the best camera for you in 2024.
Our Experts
Whether you’re looking to splurge on a fancy new mirrorless model or you need a brilliant but budget-friendly beginner camera, choosing the best camera for your needs can be a difficult decision. With so many models, from top makers like Sony, Canon, Nikon, Fujifilm and more, all of which pack a wide variety of different features and megapixel counts, the sheer choice can be baffling. That also means that whether you want pro-level full-frame image quality, fast-burst shooting or just something light for your travels, there’s a camera that’ll suit you perfectly.
As with most things, the more you spend, the better performance you’ll get. Top-spec cameras offer 8K video and high-resolution sensors and cost way more than their entry-level equivalents.
Want to take photos from the air? Check out our guide to the best drones. Want a camera to record your next ski trip? Our action camera guide is for you.
Later in this article you can read my advice on what to consider when buying a new camera, as well as answers to some of the most common questions.
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The mirrorless Canon EOS R5 (left) is smaller than the older Canon 5D Mk IV DSLR (right).
Andrew Lanxon/CNETA look at micro four thirds sensor (left), a full-frame sensor (middle) and medium format sensor (right). Typically a larger sensor results in better image quality.
Andrew Lanxon/CNETCanon’s 50mm f/1.8 RF lens is small, light and cheap. It’s a great starter lens but it’s also good for pros wanting something that won’t weigh them down.
Andrew Lanxon/CNETThere’s a huge array of choices when you’re looking for a new camera.
Andrew Lanxon/CNETWith so many camera brands offering a huge variety of different models at wildly differing prices, choosing a camera that suits you can be tricky. Like most things, performance lines up with budget — with the best, most advanced features typically found on more expensive, professional-standard models.
It’s worth spending some time thinking about what you actually need from your camera. If you’re looking for something small and light to chuck in a backpack and get some great travel shots then smaller APS-C models like Fujifilm’s X-S10 will suit you well and won’t break the bank. The OM Systems OM-1 is similarly compact thanks to its smaller image sensor, but its higher price comes with more advanced autofocus, incredible burst firing speeds and pro-standard video options.
If you’re looking to take your photography to the next level then look towards full-frame models like the Nikon Z7 II, Sony A7 IV or Canon EOS R5. These cameras all come with higher price tags attached, but their physically larger image sensors allow you to shoot pristine-looking photos that capture more detail in the highlights and shadows of your scene. These are often the cameras you’ll see in the hands of professional photographers.
Don’t forget, it’s not just the camera you’re buying, you’ll need to consider lenses, as well. Unfortunately, lenses don’t come cheap, with many professional-level lenses costing more than the actual cameras. Full frame sensors demand bigger lenses to accommodate them, which in turn makes them more expensive, so again, beginners among you will be better served with smaller sensor models from the likes of Fujifilm or Olympus.
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Not necessarily, no. While some cameras like the Canon EOS R5 or Sony A1 offer huge megapixel counts, more pixels don’t make your photos look better. Instead, those additional pixels allow you to crop into the image later without sacrificing too much resolution, allow for high-quality gallery printing or allow for easier compositing in post-production. If none of those things are important to you then you needn’t worry too much about your camera’s resolution.
A rare moment of CNET Editor At Large and professional photographer Andrew Lanxon seen in front of the lens as he takes a break from camera testing in the beautiful Scottish scenery.
Andrew Lanxon/CNETEverything on this list has been hand-selected and tested by us to make sure that it performs as promised. No manufacturer’s claims are taken at face value and if it didn’t impress, it didn’t make the list.
The cameras featured here have been tested by CNET Editor At Large and professional photographer Andrew Lanxon. They’ve been carried in backpacks, in messenger bags, taken to city-center coffee shops, bars, to the beach, up hills and through forests. We’ve tested cameras in the ways that you’d want to use them yourself; actually getting out into the world and capturing real images we’d want to share with family or on Instagram.
Frame after frame of test images have been taken on each camera, both in raw format and JPEG, to test all of the key features of the camera and to see how each model really handles. Most cameras were tested with fast SD cards by SanDisk and ProGrade, but more high-performance models like the Canon EOS R3, R5 and Nikon Z9 were tested with ultra high-speed CFExpress cards by ProGrade.
As professionals ourselves, we know what to look for in a good camera, we know what makes our lives easier when out shooting in the field and what features genuinely help us take better-looking images — or are simply a waste of money.
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