{"id":8933,"date":"2022-11-08T13:28:53","date_gmt":"2022-11-08T18:28:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.missytimko.com\/blog\/?p=8933"},"modified":"2025-11-25T14:58:33","modified_gmt":"2025-11-25T19:58:33","slug":"holiday-gift-guide-cameras-lenses","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.missytimko.com\/blog\/2022\/11\/08\/holiday-gift-guide-cameras-lenses\/","title":{"rendered":"Camera Gift Picks for New Photographers – Missy’s Good, Better, and Best Picks"},"content":{"rendered":"

The holiday season is upon us, and I get asked every year which cameras are ideal for gifting. I pretty much universally recommend the Canon Rebel<\/strong><\/a> series, but this year I am making a change in my recommendation for the first time… ever!<\/p>\n

The future of digital photography is in\u00a0mirrorless cameras<\/strong>, and things have been headed in this direction for quite some time now on the professional level. In the past 1-2 years, there have been several new releases at the hobbyist (crop sensor\/affordable) level, including a couple of options from Canon that I can recommend for a beginner. Mirrorless cameras are going to be more expensive, even at the “prosumer” level, but I think it’s worthwhile unless you are really uncertain how committed you are to learning photography.<\/p>\n

Mirrrorless cameras have a few significant changes from your traditional DSLR: they incorporate features and technology that you will not see in a regular DSLR (particularly when it comes to focusing technique), there is a learning curve when coming from a traditional DSLR, and mirrorless camera bodies require a new lens mount, meaning your older lenses will work with your new mirrorless camera only with an adapter.<\/p>\n

So, it makes sense to start your photography journey with a mirrorless camera since there are different controls and features, and most importantly, any lenses you purchase will be relatively future-proof.<\/p>\n

My Picks for Cameras:<\/h2>\n