Best Nikon Camera for Beginners (Top 11 for All Budgets!)

The Nikon D3500 is the ultimate beginner camera. And I don’t mean it’s the best Nikon camera for beginners. It’s the best camera for beginners, period. It’s an entry-level DSLR camera. It uses interchangeable lenses. But even the most inexperienced newbie can pick it up and take fabulous photos. The D3500 is the best Nikon camera for beginners.

The Nikon D3500 has a mechanical shutter and mirror system as a DSLR camera. That makes for a bigger camera. But Nikon has nailed the ergonomic design of their DSLR cameras. Plus, you get a lovely optical viewfinder for easy shot composition.

It has an APS-C sensor with a 24.2 MP resolution. That’s excellent image quality for an entry-level camera. And it’s a big improvement from using a smartphone camera. The dynamic range is really good, with fantastic detail and color rendition.

The autofocus isn’t groundbreaking. But it is fast and reliable. It uses 11 focus points across the frame to lock and track your subject as they move. You also get a good burst mode. The continuous shooting speed of 5 fps doesn’t break records. But it’s ideal for beginner photographers interested in sports.

The Nikon D3500 has a guide mode to help you get started. And you get other auto and semi-auto modes to help you learn the basics. Then you can go fully manual when you’re feeling confident.

The battery life is excellent. You can stay out shooting for hours on end. And it includes a built-in flash for low-light situations. You can buy the Nikon D3500 with a fantastic kit lens or two. But you also have an incredible selection of Nikon DSLR lenses. So you can buy just the camera body, too.

There’s also Full HD video for wannabe filmmakers. And the wireless connectivity with Bluetooth is another bonus.

The Nikon D3500 is the full package for beginners. It’s easy to use, helps you improve, and produces fantastic photos. Plus, it’s the cheapest DSLR camera on our list.

Nikon is relatively new to the mirrorless camera division. They were pioneers of DSLRs, but now they’ve made the jump to mirrorless. They now have some excellent mirrorless models. And the Nikon Z50 is their best mirrorless camera for beginners.

Without the mirror system of a DSLR, the Nikon Z50 camera body is more compact and lightweight. The ergonomic design is still fantastic. But it has a portable body that makes it easy to carry around. It makes a brilliant travel camera.

The Nikon Z50 has an APS-C sensor with 20.9 MP resolution. That is less than the D3500. But it’s a DX-format CMOS sensor with Nikon’s EXPEED 6 image processor. These components combine to give you excellent image quality. For quality low-light photography, you also get a healthy ISO range of 100 to 204,800.

The autofocus system is excellent. It uses 209 phase and contrast detection focus points. This gives you a fast and accurate autofocus system. It has subject tracking. And there’s eye detection for humans and animals. That’s ideal for budding portrait photographers.

The Nikon Z50 also has an 11 fps continuous shooting speed. Sports photographers will love that. There’s also a built-in flash for night photography. And the time-lapse video mode gives you another creative option. The electronic viewfinder is bright and accurate. And the kit lens has an excellent optical zoom. You can also swap it for other Nikon Z-mount lenses.

The Z50 is a hybrid camera for beginners interested in multimedia. You can shoot stunning 4K videos. Those are shot at 30 fps, giving you lovely smooth footage. You also have faster frame rates for slow-motion videos. You have to drop down to Full HD quality for that. But you get frame rates up to 120 fps.

The battery life isn’t as long-lasting as the D3500. And the Z50 does have a heavier price tag. But the Nikon Z50 is feature-packed and easy to use. It’s Nikon’s best mirrorless camera for beginners!

The Nikon CoolPix P1000 is their best bridge camera. You don’t need any previous camera experience. You can pick it up and shoot. But it also has fantastic photography features for experimenting and honing your skills. It’s one of the best Nikon cameras for beginners.

The CoolPix P1000 uses a 1/2.3-inch sensor. That’s smaller than the D3500 and Z50 sensors. But you still get 16 MP image resolution. That’s a good step up from smartphone cameras, and you’ll notice a marked contrast in image quality.

Unlike the Z50 and D3500, the CoolPix P1000 isn’t an interchangeable lens camera. But it does have a fixed telephoto lens. The optical quality is brilliant. And it gives you a 125x zoom range for incredible magnification.

There’s a contrast detection autofocus system. It’s not as advanced as the Z50’s AF system. But it performs well in all conditions. The electronic viewfinder gives you an accurate picture. And there’s a built-in flash when you’re low on light.

It also has a bright max aperture of f/2.8 for better performance in low light. And there’s a vibration reduction mechanism to give you more image stabilization.

Video makers will love the 4K video quality. It’s shot at 30 fps for smooth results. Plus, the vibration reduction works just as well with video. You can shoot handheld without a tripod. And there are stereo mics built-in for sound recording.

A bridge camera is a great entryway into photography. It’s easy to use but gives you opportunities to improve. It’s not as advanced as the interchangeable lens cameras. But the Nikon CoolPix P1000 is the best Nikon camera if you want something simple.

Compact cameras are excellent for casual photographers and beginners. And the Nikon CoolPix S9900 is the best Nikon camera if you want a point-and-shoot. It has excellent features and delivers great results. And you don’t need a camera bag. It fits right in your pocket!

The Nikon CoolPix S9900 uses a 1-inch sensor. And it delivers 16 MP of image resolution for excellent image quality. It doesn’t have the power as the interchangeable lens cameras. But you notice the difference in quality if you’re coming from smartphone photography.

This compact camera has a fixed lens with a 30x optical zoom. There’s no quality deterioration with the optical zoom. So you always have sharp images. And there’s a 60x Dynamic Fine Zoom for extra reach. It’s a form of digital zoom to enhance the range, giving you even more options.

You can record Full HD videos. The vari-angle screen gives you more shot options. And it has built-in Wi-Fi connectivity. That makes it easy to share photos with other devices. Plus, you can use the camera remotely.

The battery life is very good. And there are auto and manual controls for different levels of use. So there’s room to learn manual settings. The Nikon CoolPix S9900 is the best compact camera for beginners!

The Nikon D5600 is another excellent Nikon DSLR. The fantastic ergonomic design and performance are like the D3500. But this camera is a step up from absolute beginner. It’s still a brilliant entry-level DSLR. But the Nikon D5600 has more to offer users further up the photography scale.

The Nikon D5600 uses an APS-C sensor. It’s a DX-format CMOS sensor with a 24.2 MP resolution. You’ll be impressed with the quality of the images. It encourages beginners to keep shooting.

There’s an ISO range of 100 to 25,600, which gives you plenty of wiggle room if you’re low on light. And there’s a fantastic autofocus system. It uses 39 focus points across the frame for locking and tracking your subject. And there’s a face priority AF system for portraits.

The max video resolution is only Full HD. That’s decent and looks great on social media. But other cameras are taking bigger steps in the video department. But we are impressed with the 60 fps frame rate for Full HD video. There’s also a built-in time-lapse video feature.

The Nikon D5600 has a built-in flash for low light situations. And it has separate modes you can easily apply for different types of photography. These include Portrait, Night Portrait, and Super Vivid. You also have a hotshoe connector for external flash lights.

The Nikon D5600 comes with a lovely 18-55mm kit lens. But you can change it for any of Nikon’s F-mount lenses. The F series is their biggest range. And you can find any type of lens you want.

The Wi-Fi connectivity is a big improvement from the D3500. It makes sharing and transferring easy. And it links up to the Nikon SnapBridge app on your mobile. The battery life is also excellent, giving you hours of uninterrupted shooting. There’s no doubt the Nikon D5600 is one of the best Nikon cameras for beginners!

The Nikon Z FC is another quality mirrorless camera from Nikon. It has all the advanced features you’d expect from a mirrorless. But it’s easy to use and accessible for beginners.

It’s an APS-C mirrorless camera. And it gives you an image resolution of 20.9 MP. It also uses the same processing engine as the Nikon Z50. So you can expect similar image results from the Z FC. Check our full Nikon Z FC vs Nikon Z50 specs comparison for more detail.

The Nikon Z FC has a compact size. But it has the look of an old-school analog camera. It even has manual controls for ISO and shutter speed. Users making the jump from film cameras will appreciate the tactile controls. But you also have the modern design features of the vari-angle screen. So it gives you the best of both worlds.

There’s a 16-50mm kit lens or a wide angle 28mm kit lens. The former gives you more range. The latter has a wide f-stop of f/2.8 to let lots of light in. Or you can just buy the camera body and have your pick of Nikon’s Z-mount lenses.

It’s a hybrid camera, so you can shoot in fabulous 4K video quality. You get a choice of frame rates. And there are mics for internal sound recording. DSLR cameras have longer battery life. But you do have Wi-Fi connectivity.

Finally, there’s a multi-mode AF system for varied photography. And there’s a guide mode for true newbies. So the Nikon Z FC is another fantastic Nikon camera for beginners!

Cameras with a full frame sensor don’t often appeal to beginners. They have more advanced features. And they cost a lot more than crop sensor cameras. But if you want to go straight to a full frame camera, the Nikon Z5 is the best for beginners.

The full frame mirrorless sensor has a resolution of 24 MP. It’ll give you stunning images. And the increased sensor size means you get a wider dynamic range. You can expect incredible detail and color rendition.

The 4K max video resolution is impressive. And you get a selection of frame rate options, including slow-motion. The AF system is sophisticated, using 273 focus points that track your subject as they move. It also has face and eye detection features. And the true-to-life electronic viewfinder helps you compose your shots.

There are plenty of photography modes. These include time-lapse video, multiple exposure, and focus shift photography modes. The Z5 is perfect for creative photographers. The battery life isn’t great. But we appreciate the Wi-Fi connectivity.

The Nikon Z50 isn’t exactly a beginner’s camera. But it’s the best Nikon camera if you want to jump straight to full frame. There are two kit lens options. There’s a more standard 24-50mm kit lens. And there’s a 24-200mm zoom kit lens with vibration reduction.

The Nikon Z30 is the perfect Nikon camera if you like making videos and vlogging. It’s a compact mirrorless camera. And it delivers fantastic photos and videos. It has all the features to make it the best camera for vloggers from Nikon.

The Nikon Z30 has a 20.9 MP mirrorless sensor. The dynamic range is good. And the 100 to 51,200 ISO range gives you excellent low-light performance. Plus, another lens kit has an additional 50-250mm zoom.

The Z30’s enhanced video features will attract budding filmmakers. You can record in beautiful 4K at 30 fps. And there’s a rotating screen with a specialist selfie mode for stills and video. It adjusts the exposure settings to keep your face perfectly illuminated. And the face-detection autofocus keeps you in focus even if you move.

You also have built-in mics for stereo sound recording. And you can use the Nikon Z30 for live streaming, yet only in Full HD quality. But you get a high frame rate of 60 fps for a smoother stream.

The Nikon Z30 is a brilliant camera for beginner photographers. But the features also make it one of the best Nikon cameras for vloggers and streamers. It’s an all-in-one multimedia machine!

The Nikon CoolPix B500 is another fantastic bridge camera for beginners. It’s a simple solution to your photography needs. But it’s packed with fun features for newbies. It’s also an absolute bargain. You’ll forget your smartphone has a camera when you take photos with the B500.

The small sensor has a resolution of 16 MP. It has a fantastic fixed lens. The glass quality is lovely, with very little distortion. It also gives you an impressive 40x zoom range. And that’s also enhanced by the Dynamic Digital zoom.

The Nikon CoolPix B500 also has Full HD video options. And there’s built-in Wi-Fi for easy image transfers. Plus, the built-in flash is another handy feature. The Nikon CoolPix B500 is far from a professional camera. But it’s a great budget Nikon camera for beginners.

The Nikon D7500 isn’t really a beginner camera. It’s more advanced. But the D7500 is still accessible, even for beginners. It’s a more advanced Nikon camera for determined newbies.

And technically, it doesn’t come with a kit lens. That means you need to fork out a bit extra before getting started. But there are lots of deals that include lenses.

The DX-format camera has a resolution of 20.9 MP. That’s not record-breaking. But paired with the EXPEED 5 engine, you get stunning image quality and dynamic range. And you get a beautiful optical viewfinder for pro compositions.

The ISO range is wide enough for low-light photography. And there’s a 51-point autofocus system that works well in low light. And there’s a continuous shooting speed of 8 fps for action.

The 4K video quality is superb. The battery life gives you up to 950 shots from a full charge. And the weather-sealed body also means it’ll work in all conditions. But it is bulkier than other options.

The Nikon D7500 might be too expensive for many beginners. But the extra investment might be worth it… if you’re serious about starting a photography career. It’s a top-quality DSLR and the best Nikon camera for ambitious newcomers!

The Nikon CoolPix A1000 is another compact camera from Nikon. It’s a versatile point-and-shoot. And there are plenty of features to fuel a beginner’s enthusiasm. It’s a great Nikon camera to help you get started with photography.

The 1-inch sensor has a 16 MP resolution. And as we’ve seen with other cameras, 16 MP gives you excellent images. The fixed lens is another fantastic feature. The glass is top quality, and the lens gives you a 35x zoom range. Plus, it’s an optical zoom, so there’s no pixelation when zoomed in.

The CoolPix A1000 has an auto-scene selector. It recognizes the type of photo you’re taking and applies the correct mode. You also get great 4K max video resolution. And you can use single frames from video footage as images. That gives you a fast 30 fps continuous shooting speed.

The Nikon CoolPix A1000 is a fantastic compact camera. It gives you a complete photography experience. And it fits in your back pocket! Plus, you don’t need to break the bank for this one. That makes it one of the best Nikon cameras for beginners.