What would be a good camera for a beginning photographer?

Question by Kathy: What would be a good camera for a beginning photographer?
I have never used anything but point and shoot, know nothing of camera settings etc (but am willing to learn). I love taking pictures outdoors, nature shots. Right now, I am using my iPhone. I would appreciate any recommendations on a camera and also maybe a good book for a beginner to learn?
P.S. I’m 56 years old. Don’t need anything that takes excellent eyesight to adjust!

Best answer:

Answer by fhotoace
Your age has nothing to do with which camera you buy. I have used spectacles and adjusted the cameras diopter since about 1988.

With auto-focus, nailing the focus is not a big deal

As far as picking a camera, your budget will determine which camera you buy, since all cameras work the same, whether you spend $ 700 for an entry level dSLR like a Nikon D3200 or Canon T3i/600D or $ 43,000 for a studio camera like a Hasselblad H4D

With any fully adjustable camera, you will have to learn how to balance ISO, shutter speed and lens aperture

http://camerasim.com/camera-simulator/

Using this website, you can practice doing that before you pick your camera

Spend a lot of time on the Nikon, Canon, Pentax and Sony websites, comparing the camera features that are available. Also look at the number of lenses available for each brand.

Once you have a good idea which cameras you want to further consider, visit a proper camera shop and hold each in your hands to make your final choice. Remember that once you decide on a camera system, you will be married to it for a couple of decades.

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