Best Sony Cameras for Beginners

Sony is one of the most known names in the camera-manufacturing market. It also has a range of cameras created especially for amateur photographers. Some of its top DSLRs and mirror-less for beginner photographers are:

1. Sony A6000
2. Sony ZV-1
3. Sony ZV-E10

Sony A6000

MRP: Sony A6000 is available at a starting price of INR 48,990/-.

The Sony A6000 is a perfect illustration of how well-designed products can stand the test of time. This is a camera that was first released in 2014, and now almost seven years old, the A6000 is still one of Sony’s best entry-level cameras.

The A6000 houses a superb 24.3MP APS-C sensor that can capture detailed photos at up to 11fps. Its autofocusing system operates quickly and uses 179-points to track moving subjects. This combo makes it a good choice for people who are hoping to take pictures of wildlife, fast-moving family members (toddlers), and sports. When most cameras at this size only offer an LCD, Sony somehow managed to squeeze in an electronic viewfinder.

Specifications:

Sensor: APS-C

Resolution: 24.3MP

Viewfinder: 1,440K dots

Monitor: 3.0-inch articulated touchscreen, 921K dots

Autofocus: 179-point AF

Focus Sensor: Exmor™ APS CMOS sensor

Maximum continuous shooting rate: 11fps (full resolution)

Screen: 3-inch, 921k-dot tilting LCD

Shutter speeds: 1/4000-30sec plus Bulb

Movies: Full HD 1080p

User level: Beginner/intermediate

Power: NP-FW50 rechargeable lithium-ion battery

Size: 120 x 66.9 x 45.1 mm

Weight: 344g (with battery and memory stick)

Reasons to buy

• Highly compact for an APS-C camera
• Manual controls
• 11fps burst mode shooting
• Built-in electronic viewfinder

Reasons to avoid

• No touchscreen
• Battery life is not the best
• Only Full HD 1080p video

Sony ZV-1

MRP: The Sony ZV-1 can be bought at a starting price of INR 67,990/-. 

Focused almost entirely on vlogging, the Sony ZV-1 is one of the best compact cameras for creating video. Its combination of a bright f/1.8-2.8 lens, intelligent AF, and articulated screen makes it a compelling choice for people who enjoy creating video content and want to make a significant step up from their smartphone.

The ZV-1 is designed for content creation with a selfie-friendly vari-angle LCD screen, body grip, and a recording lamp. A directional three-capsule mic with a windscreen picks up voice clearly with less wind noise, and the Bokeh switch and Product Showcase Setting make videos more interesting with less effort. Its mix of a bright lens, superb autofocus, and design tweaks like the side-flipping screen make it a powerful pocket video option with few peers. Those seeking super-smooth walking footage might find its image stabilization a slight let-down, and it has a few familiar usability quirks, but the ZV-1 remains the best video all-rounder in its weight class.

Specifications:

Sensor: 1.0-type Exmor® RS CMOS sensor

Resolution: 20.1MP

Viewfinder: N/A

Monitor: 3.0-inch articulating touchscreen, 1,040K dots

Autofocus: 121-point AF, 1 cross-type

Focus Type: Fast Hybrid AF

Maximum continuous shooting rate: 8.6fps

Movies: 4K/30p

Flash Mode: Auto / Flash On / Slow Synchro / Rear Sync / Flash Off

User level: Beginner

Size: 105.5 x 60.0 x 43.5 mm

Weight: 294g (including battery and memory card)

Reasons to buy

• Class-leading autofocus
• Bright lens for silky background blur
• Pocket-able with a flip-out screen
•  

Reasons to avoid

• Video stabilization could be better
• Limited touchscreen
• No headphone jack

Sony ZV-E10

MRP: Price starts from INR 59,490/-.

The A6000 are pretty great for videos. However, those whose interests lie particularly in videography and vlogging might prefer the ZV-E10 instead. There are important differences, though. One is that the ZV-E10 has a fully-adjustable variety-angle screen for the first time on a Sony APS-C mirrorless camera – so far, all the rest have had tilting screens only. This is a big advantage for video because it means the screen won’t foul on microphones or tripods when it’s flipped to face forwards. The second camera in the ZV series can also shoot pretty good stills when it needs to. It’s also really well-priced, more affordable than many rivals. It also packs a large and well-performing internal microphone (with clip-on muffler) and excellent autofocus.

There’s no viewfinder and no mode dial on the rear for quickly shifting modes – something is done more in stills than video. Also, there is no in-body image stabilization, and the menus can't be touch-controlled. 

Specifications:

Sensor: APS-C

Type: Mirror-less

Megapixels: 24.2MP

Focus: Fast Hybrid AF, Exmor® CMOS sensor

Lens: Sony E mount

Exposure: 1200-zone evaluative metering

LCD: Vari-angle

Viewfinder: None

Maximum continuous shooting speed: 11fps for 116 JPEGs

Max video resolution: 4K 30p

Flash Modes: Flash off, Autoflash, Fill-flash, Slow Sync., Rear Sync., Wireless control

User level: Enthusiast

Size: 115.2 x 64.2 x 44.8 mm

Weight: 343 g

Reasons to buy

• Autofocus features and performance
• Vari-angle screen
• Clip-on wind muffler

Reasons to avoid

• No in-body stabilization
• No viewfinder
• Rolling shutter/'jello' effect

When making a purchase, a defined idea about the required camera features will allow a smarter buying.

Happy Capturing!