Best beginners digital camera and editing software

[robAK]

A little off topic for this site but I'm wanting to buy my teenage daughter a digital camera and some editing software and wondering what you guys suggest. Would like to get something that's easy to use. She's outdoors a lot and that's what she'll be using it for if that helps. Thanks guys.

 

[Jordan Budd]

A little off topic for this site but I'm wanting to buy my teenage daughter a digital camera and some editing software and wondering what you guys suggest. Would like to get something that's easy to use. She's outdoors a lot and that's what she'll be using it for if that helps. Thanks guys.

I highly recommend Adobe Lightroom. It is 10$/month, which allows you to always be able to update the program as new cameras come out. Very intuitive and simple to use but you can do a billion things with the program. It’s basically what the pros are using.

https://www.adobe.com/products/photoshop-lightroom-classic.html


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[sndmn11]

I highly recommend

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What camera?

 

[Jordan Budd]

What camera?

For the semi-pro range I think the Canon 80D is a great option. The Canon 6D mark 2 would be a step up from that. For photos I would hang with Canon. IMO a 24-105mm lens would be a great all around lens. The next lower step from the 80D to get started would be the Rebel series like the T7i


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[Dos Perros]

I think the above is good advice. You can get used T6i's or T6s's on Facebook for a steal. I've taken some nice pictures with the 18-135 kit lens. It's more than capable and IMO is pretty easy to learn to do stuff beyond auto settings. I almost purely shoot manual these days and I'm still very amateur photog. She'll figure it out in no time.

 

[jspradley]

Don't overlook older generation used pro level cameras, you can usually score them for less than current lower end cameras!

Fuji XT1 / XT2
Sony A71 / A72
Canon 5D MKII
Nikon D700/ D800

All of those were not too long ago top of the line cameras that you can score for a steal now and they won't be any more difficult to use than cheaper newer cameras.

Once she learns how to use her camera on manual, which isn't that hard, she will be able to pick up pretty much any camera and get great results with it.

As far as software, Lightroom is awesome, I have heard of good results with Capture One and Alien Skin Exposure but never used either of those two myself

 

[Wrench]

I have a d800 and 40 lbs of lenses.....I'm looking at the sony rx 100v myself.

And I too endorse lightroom.

 

[robAK]

Thanks guys for suggesting some great options. Appreciate it, now to do my homework.

 

[Clinch]

If she is outdoors mostly you might consider mirrorless. I run Olympus because it is smaller than most dslrs. EM5 IIs are going cheap since the III came out. Pair that with a 14-150 for most things, and add in a few of their small prime lenses later as she progresses.


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[Osborn99]

Great info

 

[Johnny_Outdoors]

I'd find a decent used camera body, nikon or canon. something clean and a model or 2 old and sink your money into a good lens. Depends what you like to shoot, I have a nikon d7000 and my nikon 17-55 2.8 rarely comes off it. I use it for a lot of different things though. Kit lens work, but you really notice a difference when you buy real glass. If you dont want to spend money on a fast zoom lens, you can always pick up a prime lens for affordable which will be much sharper than the kit lens, but wont have a zoom, but you would have to know which one would best fit your needs. If I lived out west id probably use my 17-55 and pick up a tokina 11-16 wide angle lens for landscape. Adobe Lightroom is the way to go. I am sure if I wanted to spend the time to figure photoshop out I could but Lightroom is so easy and it works for most of what I want to do, and makes a HUGE difference in your finished photo with minimal work once you have some presets that you like. Hope that helps

 

[mtmiller]

A little off topic for this site but I'm wanting to buy my teenage daughter a digital camera and some editing software and wondering what you guys suggest.

I bought a Nikon D750 earlier this year and it is locked onto my 70-200 2.8. You can pick it up today for $996. Great deal.

 

[apempek]

Check out ACDSee ultimate as editing software. It is reasonably perpetually licensed and handles raw editing, layered editing, and file management. Learning curve is easy.

 

[Apex_Hunt]

I am a newbie when it comes to videography and photography but after picking up the canon sl2 last year I have been very impressed I like how it has auto focus and a foldable screen to video different angles. Definitely would check it out for your daughter I believe they even came out with a canon sl3 but I think the only difference is that the sl3 shoots in 4K and the sl2 shoots in 1080p so you may be able to purchase the sl2 for cheaper

 

[gadrahthaar]

If she wants to try video editing look at Lightworks. Its probably a step below the adobe software but is top of the line for free software.