Photo Buying Guides 2025: Recommended Photography Gear by Phototrend

Since 2011, we have been offering our buying guides every year, and here is the 2025 edition!

These guides are designed to be simple and accessible, helping you choose the right photography gear (or the perfect gifts for the holiday season). They are organized by category (DSLRs, mirrorless cameras, Micro 4/3, APS-C, full-frame, instant cameras, storage, drones, smartphones, and compact cameras), and we have selected the best cameras available today.

Before diving in, it is essential to consider what you want to do with your camera. This is a great opportunity to revisit our advice on choosing a camera that suits your needs rather than simply picking the one that seems best based on general criteria.

How do you navigate the vast range of options offered by manufacturers? How do you determine which type of camera is best for your use? Which model should you choose within a given budget? To answer these questions, we invite you to revisit our buying guide on how to choose your photography gear, but here’s a useful summary.

Choosing the Right Gear

To make the best choice when selecting photography equipment, keep these key points in mind before making a purchase:

• Find the camera that meets YOUR needs, not just the most expensive or advanced one. Photography is not a competition, and everyone has different requirements. Do you need a lightweight camera to carry everywhere? A fast camera for sports? A model with a powerful zoom? Ask yourself these questions to determine the right camera for you.
• The lens is just as important, if not more so, than the camera body (for interchangeable lens cameras like DSLRs and mirrorless models). Camera bodies change over time, but lenses remain, and they play a crucial role in maximizing your sensor’s potential. Don’t spend your entire budget on the latest high-tech camera—consider the whole setup, including post-processing software.
• Read, compare, learn… and if possible, test the camera before buying! There’s nothing worse than investing in a powerful camera only to realize it doesn’t feel comfortable in your hands. Most camera stores allow you to try out models, and some even let you borrow them for real-world use.

Phototrend’s Selection

To help you make the right choice, we have put together buying guides for all types of cameras. These guides are not exhaustive, and some excellent models may not be included. This is an editorial choice on our part to highlight the best cameras in each category. If you believe a camera truly deserves a mention, feel free to share your thoughts in the comments of the relevant guide.

To create these buying guides, we rely on the equipment we have tested on Phototrend and our hands-on experiences during official product presentations.