We've zoomed in on the best cameras for amateur photographers

Let’s be honest — there’s not much worth photographing at the moment. Unless you live in a particularly pretty pad, you’re probably just polishing your camera and waiting for the chance to jet off to somewhere a little more photogenic. Aren’t we all? But that’s no reason to neglect your kit.

No, you should be tooling up with the best in the biz, and priming your shutter-finger for the first taste of freedom this summer. So, to that end — and in anticipation of all the adventures we’ll have before 2020 ends — we’ve zoomed in on the best affordable cameras for amateur photographers. Forget your £14,000 SLRs — because even though none of these cameras cost over £1,000, they’ll still boost your photography credentials in a flash.

To dive in at the deep end, buy a DSLR

Let’s start at the serious end of the amateur scale. DSLR cameras — that’s Digital Single Lens Reflex, for those of you out of the lingo loop — are larger and heavier than compact cameras. In fact, many cameras favoured by professionals these days are DSLRs as their quality is so good. With removable lenses, manual settings and a design inspired by traditional film cameras, they’re a great place to start if you’re planning on taking your hobby very, very seriously in the future.

From Nikon, the D5600 is capable of sharply capturing fine textures and is particularly good in low-light situations. Canon’s EOS 200D is similarly capable, and links wirelessly with your smartphone if you just can’t wait to share your snaps on Instagram. Or, if you’re looking to capture dynamic shots, the vari-angle LCD monitor on this Pentax K-70 will ensure you can get creative without sacrificing quality.

Nikon D5600 DSLR

£509

Buy Now - £509

Canon EOS 200D DSLR

£389.99

Buy Now - £389.99

Pentax K-70 DSLR

£729

Buy Now - £729

For a dependable piece of kit, opt for a mirrorless camera

They may offer fewer features than a DSLR, but mirrorless cameras might just be the future of amateur photography. Named for their lack of an internal mirror that other cameras use to reflect light onto the sensor, these cameras harness the light directly, and thus have offered a powerful alternative to the DSLR.

So, if you’re in the market for something versatile and reliable, look no further than these three. First up, from Fujifilm, the X-T100 was engineered in Japan with amateurs in mind, and is incredibly user-friendly as a result. Next up comes Panasonic’s Lumix G DC-GX800, with a tiltable 180-degree monitor and selfie beauty-boosting functions. Or, for a vintage touch, why not opt for Olympus’ PEN E-PL8?

Fujifilm X-T100 Camera

£549

Buy Now - £549

Panasonic Lumix G DMC-GX800

£429.99

Buy Now - £429.99

Olympus PEN E-PL8

£399.99

Buy Now - £399.99

For a take-anywhere camera, pick up a premium compact

And then there are the compacts. If you fancy yourself as a photographer, but don’t want to be lugging around a long-lensed DSLR all the time, these premium compact cameras are ideal for slipping into your pocket and whipping out whenever a noteworthy situation or shot presents itself.

From Leica, the C-Lux is a fierce piece of auto-focusing, face-detecting, touchscreen kit. Canon’s Powershot G9 X Mark II boasts 0.14-second auto-focus, full HD video recording and a 3x optical zoom. And the Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 from Sony has an extra large sensor that gives you unparalleled image capture with richer colours and incredible depth.