A common question for anyone either interested in learning more about photography, or just wanting to get better pictures as a hobbyist is "what camera should I buy?"

    This can be a tough question to answer due to the rapid change in technology and what an individual wants to spend.  Most of the time, when someone inquires, they are wanting the ability to use different lenses, in which case you want to go with a DSLR (Digital Single Lens Reflex) camera.

     Like anything in our modern world, there are so many to choose from it can be overwhelming!

     I found a good resource from Digital Camera World that reviews camera's under $500. Here is the link:

https://photographylife.com/best-entry-level-dslrs
 

    There are a couple of cameras in this article that are not DSLR's,  meaning you could not switch out different lenses, but one of them is the Panasonic Lumix which has a zoom lens on it that will go from 25-250mm, pretty much eliminating the need to do so. This means that you could get a wide angle & yet be able to zoom in quite a ways as well. This is not offered on the other cameras in the list & only a few specific lenses you purchase would have that capability.  While this is great for a beginner, there are many reasons, that I won't go into on this blog, that it might not be the best choice for someone wanting to further their photography skills.

    Since I have always used Nikon cameras, the D3500 is one that jumps out to me.  One reason for this is the fact that it is very user & beginner friendly.  I love Nikon, but when people ask whether to go with a Nikon or Canon, in all the research I've done, reading, & talking to others that use Canon, I feel that they are very comparable & while there are a few pros & cons to each, one is not really better than the other.
     That being said many have opted for the Canon EOS Rebel  as it comes at a better price point.

While I've only made mention of a few different cameras, any of these on this list would be good reliable cameras, just depending on your need and price range!