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Guides

What to buy, what it should cost, and how to get more out of the body you already own. Every number here comes from optics, a named rule of thumb, or the same catalogue the finder ranks — so you can click through and check it.

Before you buy

Work out which camera the pictures you want actually need, then what it should cost.

How to choose a camera: the five questions that actually decide itWhat you photograph, how far you carry it, what you print and what glass you already own. Five answers that cut 61 cameras down to about three.8 min
Do you need a camera, or is your phone already enough?Your phone is genuinely better at most everyday pictures. Here are the four situations where physics still wins, and what to buy if none of them apply.8 min
Sensor size explained: what it changes, and what it does notThe real dimensions, the crop factor applied honestly to field of view, depth of field and light, and when a smaller sensor is the better buy.8 min
How much to spend on a camera: what the money actually buysWhat each price band adds, why the body is the half that depreciates and the glass is the half that does not, and the real cost of a working system.8 min
Lenses before bodies: the advice everyone gives, argued properlyWhat a lens changes that a body cannot, what a body changes that a lens cannot, and the one situation where buying the camera first is the right call.7 min
Understanding lens specs: how to read a lens nameFocal length, maximum aperture, the second f-number, stabilisation, close focus and equivalence: what a lens name tells you before you open a review.8 min
Autofocus and burst: the specs that catch a moving subjectSubject detection, buffer depth, rolling shutter and viewfinder blackout: which autofocus and burst numbers decide the shot, and who actually needs them.8 min

Once it is yours

Exposure, focus, framing, and the care that keeps a kit working away from home.