Buying guides

Camera buying guides

Plain-English explainers to help you choose — written around the specs in our database, with sources where we quote a fact.

  1. Basics DSLR vs mirrorless: which should you buy in 2026? How DSLRs and mirrorless cameras differ — viewfinders, size, video and lenses — and who should still consider a DSLR.

    Photo: Dinkun Chen, CC BY-SA 4.0

  2. Vlogging How to choose a vlogging camera The features that make filming yourself easier — a screen that faces you, a mic input, a wide lens and stabilisation — plus the four kinds of vlogging camera.

    Photo: Kyu3a, CC BY-SA 4.0

  3. Basics Sensor sizes explained: full frame, APS-C, Micro Four Thirds and more What sensor size actually changes, the real dimensions behind the names, and how to use the crop factor to compare lenses.

    Photo: 昼落ち, CC BY-SA 4.0

  4. Basics Lenses and mounts: the basics before you buy into a system Why the lens mount matters more than the body, which mount each brand uses, focal length and aperture in plain English, and when lens stabilisation matters.

    Photo: FreeMediaKid!, CC BY 4.0

  5. Buying advice The camera specs that actually matter (and the ones that don't) A plain-English tour of a spec sheet: sensor size, megapixels, video modes, stabilisation, viewfinder, screen, inputs and weight — and how to read the small print.

    Photo: Bautsch, CC0

  6. Checklist Buying your first proper camera: a checklist Ten questions to answer before you buy your first DSLR, mirrorless or vlogging camera — with links to the right filters and guides.

    Photo: Aciarium, CC BY-SA 4.0