Canon fans raise your hands! We found the best Canon camera just for you! Either you’ve heard good things about Canon and you don’t know which camera to get, or you love Canon and want to upgrade your camera to something better (and you also don’t know which camera to get). Either way, we’ve got some great recommendations below, but first let’s get the elephant in the room out of the way.
Which is the better Canon or Nikon?
Yes, Canon and Nikon are arguably the two biggest camera manufacturers out there. And yes, they are competing for the same market share of people who are looking to purchase a high quality camera that isn’t attached to a phone. But Canon and Nikon don’t spend their days plotting to win the “Best Camera Manufacturer” title. Their aim is to make high quality products their users will love.
There are internet people that will spend all their days arguing which is better than the other. They will pull out specifications, out-in-the-field test results, and personal anecdotes telling you to choose one brand over the other. But from hours spent scouring the internet to determine once and for all which is better, I came to this conclusion: there isn’t ONE all time best brand. One brand might temporarily hold the title as the best, but before long a competing brand makes a better product.
A majority of people are loyal to a camera brand because their first ever camera was a Canon or Nikon or Sony etc. They may have seen an appealing commercial for a specific brand, or their local camera store sold only one brand. Maybe their first camera was on sale at the time of purchase and it was the only one that was in their budget. I don’t think many people bought their first camera thinking about which brand is better. Anyways, enough postulating, you didn’t come here to read this stuff, you’re here to find out what is the best Canon camera!
Are you looking for Nikon specific recommendations? Look no further…
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Which is the best Canon DSLR camera?
What a great question! One that I can answer in about a dozen different ways. But let me ask you one in return: what will you be using your camera for? A recommendation for the best Canon camera for high speed sports photography is going to be different than the best Canon camera to take pictures of your cat. And another question: How are you going to use the images? If you’re going to store the images on your computer until the end of time, I would suggest a different camera than in you’re going to sell your images to clients. One last question to consider: how big is your budget? I can’t in good conscious tell you to get the newest multi-thousand dollar camera when you’re struggling to make ends meet.
Which Canon DSLR camera is best for beginners?
You will want to get a beginner level DSLR if:
- You’re new to photography (i.e., you don’t know how much you like photography yet)
- You have a small budget (up to about $700USD)
- You don’t take photos very often
Don’t worry, just because these cameras are classified as beginner cameras does not mean that they are poor cameras. Canon has a history of making good quality, durable, and dependable products at all levels. My first camera, a point-and-shoot, produced consistently exposed images and did not allow me to adjust settings. So I purchased an entry level Canon Rebel T3i DSLR camera. Despite being very happy with this model at the time, I don’t recommend it now because there are better options.
Without further adieu, the best Canon DSLR camera for beginners is [amazon link=”B07P158MTK” title=”Canon EOS Rebel T7 / Canon EOS 2000D” /]. Why is this the best Canon camera at the entry level? It’s got the best low light sensitivity with an ISO of 25600. This means that with the right settings, you can take a photo in the dead of night and be able to see everything in the photo clearly.
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The Rebel T7 has 24 megapixel cropped sensor, and weighs a moderate 532 grams. Its fastest shutter speed is 1/4000 sec, and can take up to 6 pictures per second, which is more than enough to capture fast moving people. A few minor but handy features include a built in flash, a touch screen swiveling LCD screen, and wireless connectivity.
Additional top entry-level Canon picks
- [amazon link=”B06VT2NQD8″ title=”Canon Rebel T7i / Canon EOS 800D” /]
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- [amazon link=”B07QBD256Y” title=”Canon EOS REBEL SL3″ /]
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- [amazon link=”B01D93Z89W” title=”Canon EOS Rebel T6 / Canon EOS 1300D” /]
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Which is the best semi professional Canon camera?
Semi professional cameras are good for you if
- Your love of taking photos is consistent and frequent
- You have a medium budget
- You want high quality images
Our top pick for best Canon camera for semi-professionals is: [amazon link=”B071K62DZT” title=”Canon EOS 6D Mark II” /]
This camera is the only one on our list that features a full frame sensor. Full frame isn’t necessarily better than a cropped sensor, but it does allow greater versatility in tight spaces. It has the most pixels (26 megapixels), and the highest ISO (40000).
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The LCD screen is a touchscreen swivel, and the camera has wireless connectivity. This camera has a slightly slower maximum shutter speed compared to the others on the list (1/4000 vs 1/8000). This camera also doesn’t have the fastest continuous drive speed (6.5 frames per second vs 10 fps). If you photograph fast moving subjects, you’ll want to spring for the 7D mark II instead, but otherwise we suggest the 6D Mark II. Except for the 77D, the’re all weather sealed, making them usable in rainy conditions.
Additional top semi-professional / enthusiast Canon picks
- [amazon link=”B082WV47CJ” title=”Canon EOS 80D” /]
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- [amazon link=”B01KURGSGW” title=”EOS 7D Mark II Canon” /]
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- [amazon link=”B071H4L4DV” title=”Canon EOS 77D” /]
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Which Canon cameras do the pros use?
Professional cameras are worth the investment for you if
- Clients are consistently paying you for your images
- You have a high budget (at least $2000 USD)
- You want high quality images
- You’ve got enough work to justify such a large expense, and you’ll use the camera often
The top pic for best Canon camera in the professional category is: [amazon link=”B01KURGS9E” title=”Canon EOS 5D Mark IV” /]
All 3 cameras on our tops picks list (below) have full frame sensors and have extremely impressive specs. The 5DS R wins in the pixel category with an impressive 51 megapixels. The Mark IV has an ISO of 32,000, which is excellent when in low light.
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All 3 cameras have the same fast shutter speed at 1/8000 and are weather sealed. The 5D Mark IV features 4K video resolution capabilities. All around, these cameras are the creme de la crop from Canon. You’ll be very glad to get your hands on these cameras if they’re in your budget.
Additional top pro-level Canon picks
- [amazon link=”B086TTTZR5″ title=”Canon EOS R” /]
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- [amazon link=”B00T3ERT5S” title=”EOS 5DS R Canon” /]
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What is the best Canon camera lens?
Even more than camera bodies, the best lens for a photographer is dependent on what kind of photography they use. While a wide angle lens is fantastic for landscape photographers, a wildlife photographer’s best lens is a telephoto lens. Below is a list of our favourite lens pick based on some popular photography niches. Notice many of these aren’t Canon brand lenses? Sigma and Tamron are two manufacturers that make lenses compatible with Canon at more budget friendly prices.
- Multipurpose photographer: [amazon link=”B002NLHXQ8″ title=”Sigma 24-70mm f/2.8 DG OS HSM” /]
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- Landscape photographers: [amazon link=”B079QG291L” title=”Sigma 14-24mm f/2.8 DG HSM | A” /]
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- Wedding photographers: [amazon link=”B01N3CCXZR” title=”Tamron SP 70-200mm f/2.8 Di VC USD G2″ /]
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- Wildlife photographers: [amazon link=”B0001G6U48″ title=”Canon EF 28-300mm f/3.5-5.6L IS USM” /]
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- Sport photographers: [amazon link=”B07DFVF7M4″ title=”Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS III USM” /]
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- Portrait photographers: [amazon link=”B074VQ6SGM” title=”Canon EF 85mm f/1.4L IS USM” /]
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- Macro photographers: [amazon link=”B002NEGTSI” title=”Canon EF 100mm f/2.8L IS USM” /]
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Just like a good camera doesn’t make you a good photographer, neither does a good lens. But if you were going to splurge on something, it’s better to save your money for a high quality lens. This is where you’ll notice the biggest difference in the quality of your images. These lenses also allow you to get beautiful bokeh, which isn’t necessary in all situations but is certainly desirable in many.
If you’re thinking of upgrading a camera or a lens, first take some time to make sure you fully understand how to use the lenses you’ve got. Often times for those new to photography believe they need to spend a lot on equipment to take beautiful photos. But taking beautiful photos starts with a comprehensive knowledge on what camera settings to use and how to compose your image. Also equally important for people photography is finding the best ways to interact with your subjects to get authentic expressions. Luckily, you’re in the right place to learn countless tips and tricks to master your photography skills.
Why Cole’s Classroom is the best online educational resource for photographers.