What Can An Entry Level Camera Really Do?

That camera in your bag or on your wishlist? It can do a lot more than you think.

If you're thinking about buying your first camera, chances are you've already talked yourself out of it at least once. "I can't justify spending thousands of pounds on a professional camera." Sound familiar?

And I completely understand why people think that. Photography can look intimidating. The gear looks serious. The prices of professional cameras are eye-watering. And the photos you see from professional photographers online can make you feel like you'd need an enormous budget just to get started.

But here's the thing. You don't.

I've spent 40 years in photography, 20 of those as a professional photographer. I own a Canon 6D with professional grade lenses. And recently I took an entry level Canon R100 — with the kit lens it comes with — to Mexico. I used nothing else for two weeks. And the photos I came back with are genuinely beautiful.

That camera costs under £500. The kit lens came in the box.

In this episode I want to answer the question that I think is sitting in the back of your mind if you're thinking about buying your first camera. What can an entry level camera really do? Properly, honestly, realistically — what is it actually capable of? The answer might surprise you.

Seven Things an Entry Level Camera Can Do Brilliantly

Let me be clear about what I mean by entry level camera. I'm talking about a camera like the Canon EOS R100, or the Nikon Z30, or the Sony ZV-E10. Cameras that sit at the starting point of the mirrorless range. Cameras that cost somewhere between £350 and £600. Cameras that most manufacturers bundle with a basic kit lens.

These are the cameras that a lot of people dismiss as "not good enough" or "just a beginner camera" — as if that's somehow a problem. It isn't.

Tip 1: It Produces Genuinely Excellent Photos — Right Out of the Box

This is the one that surprises people most. They expect entry level to mean entry level results. It doesn't.

Modern entry level cameras have sensors that, even just a few years ago, would have been considered very capable indeed. The image processing technology inside them is extraordinary. And when you combine good light with a steady hand and a decent composition, an entry level camera produces photos that are genuinely beautiful.

I know this because I've done it. I came back from two weeks in Mexico with images taken on a Canon R100. I have put 12 of them on my portfolio page — go and check them out at rickmcevoyphotography.com/portfolios . Landscapes. Travel. Sunrises. All shot on an entry level camera with a kit lens.

Don't confuse entry level with limited. The camera will not hold you back. Not yet. Not for a long time.

Tip 2: The Kit Lens Is a Much Better Starting Point Than You Think

The kit lens has a bit of a reputation problem. Photographers talk about upgrading from the kit lens as if it's some kind of rite of passage. And while better lenses do exist — of course they do — the kit lens that comes with your camera is genuinely capable of excellent results.

A typical kit lens covers a useful focal length range — often something like 18 to 45mm or 18 to 55mm. That's wide enough for landscapes, buildings, and group shots. Tight enough to isolate a subject nicely. It focuses quickly, it's light to carry, and it doesn't cost anything extra because it came in the box.

Start with it. Learn on it. Get to know what it can and can't do. You'll know when you've outgrown it — and by that point you'll also know exactly what you want to replace it with.

Don't forget the crop factor though — with my Canon R100 we multiply the focal length by the crop factor which is 1.6 — so my 18-45mm kit lens is really a 28.8-72mm lens. Yes this is a limitation but manageable if you know about it.

Tip 3: Programme Mode Is a Perfectly Valid Way to Shoot

I want to say this clearly because I think it matters. You do not have to shoot in manual mode to take great photos. Not when you're starting out. Possibly not ever, depending on what you photograph.

Programme mode — the P on your camera's mode dial — is an intelligent automatic mode. It makes sensible decisions about shutter speed and aperture based on the light. It gives you a starting point that is almost always usable. And it frees you up to think about composition, light, and subject rather than wrestling with settings.

I used Programme mode extensively during my Mexico sunrise shoots. It handled the rapidly changing light brilliantly.

One word of caution though — do keep an eye on the settings the camera is choosing. During my Mexico shoot, I didn't notice for a while that I was shooting with my aperture at f/4.5 — the maximum aperture of my kit lens. A good learning experience, even for someone who's been doing this for 40 years. So use Programme mode, absolutely — but glance at those settings occasionally.

Don't let anyone make you feel like you're cheating by using Programme mode. You're not. You're being smart.

Tip 4: It Handles Low Light Significantly Better Than Your Phone

This is one of the genuine, real-world advantages of moving from a phone to a camera. Sensor size.

An entry level mirrorless camera has a sensor that is physically much larger than the one in your phone. And a larger sensor gathers more light. Which means in low light conditions — think golden hour, indoor shooting, evening shots — a camera produces noticeably cleaner, sharper results than even a very good phone camera.

Phone cameras are clever. They use computational tricks to compensate for small sensors. And they do a remarkable job. But there are limits, and low light is where those limits show most clearly.

Your entry level camera will outperform your phone in low light. It's not even close.

Tip 5: A Tripod Unlocks a Whole New Level of What's Possible

This isn't just about entry level cameras — it applies to all cameras. But if you're starting out, this is one of the best investments you can make alongside your camera.

A tripod gives you stability. That stability allows you to use slower shutter speeds without camera shake. Slower shutter speeds allow you to shoot in lower light without raising your ISO and introducing noise. They also allow you to do creative things — silky water, light trails, long exposures at sunrise or sunset.

For my sunrise photography in Mexico, the tripod was as important as the camera. And a decent starter tripod costs about £20. Yes, really.

Your entry level camera on a basic tripod, in the right light, can produce images that look absolutely professional. Don't underestimate the combination.

Tip 6: Auto Exposure Bracketing Helps You Handle Tricky Light

Here's a feature that entry level cameras have that most people don't know about or use. Auto Exposure Bracketing — or AEB.

Instead of taking one photo, the camera takes three — one at the exposure it thinks is correct, one slightly darker, and one slightly brighter. You end up with three versions of the same shot at different exposures.

Taking photos that are say two stops underexposed and two stops overexposed gives you a wider range of light and dark tones than you can capture with a single image. Merge them together later in editing and you have much better results. I do this all the time.

And it's there on your entry level camera, waiting to be used.

Tip 7: It Will Make You a Better Photographer

This is the one that people don't expect me to say, but I mean it completely.

A phone camera makes decisions for you. A camera asks you to make them. And that process of making decisions — thinking about what you want, adjusting to get it, reviewing what you got and asking why — is exactly what turns someone who takes photos into someone who creates photos.

Entry level cameras are not dumbed down. They have full manual control available when you want it. They let you shoot in RAW format. They have proper autofocus systems, real viewfinders, physical controls that your hands can find without looking at a screen.

Every time you use your camera, you learn something. I learned a huge amount using the Canon R100 in Mexico — and I've been doing this for over 40 years. That's the thing about photography. There's always something new to take in. That's worth a great deal.

Quick Recap

• It produces genuinely excellent photos, right from the start.

• The kit lens is a better starting point than its reputation suggests — just be aware of the crop factor.

• Programme mode is a completely valid way to shoot — but keep an eye on the settings the camera is choosing.

• It handles low light significantly better than your phone.

• Pair it with a tripod and you unlock a whole new range of creative possibilities.

• Auto Exposure Bracketing helps you handle tricky, high-contrast light by giving you a wider tonal range to work with.

• And perhaps most importantly of all — it will make you a better photographer.

The camera is not the limiting factor here. You are. And that's a wonderful thing, because it means the only way is up.

What If I Use a Phone to Take My Photos? 📱

How utterly splendid — everything in this episode is relevant to you too, because this episode is really about what happens when you make the move from phone to camera.

If you're shooting on a phone right now, you've already got a very capable device. The jump to an entry level camera isn't about leaving something bad behind. It's about adding something genuinely different.

The things that an entry level camera does better — low light performance, manual control, the discipline of making your own decisions — these are the things that will push your photography forward once your phone has taken you as far as it comfortably can.

And if you're not sure whether you're ready to make that move yet, head back to episode 228 — How to Know If You're Ready to Move from Phone to Camera first. It'll help you figure out where you are.

What Do I Do? 📷

I'll tell you exactly what I did. I took a Canon R100 to Mexico for two weeks. I left my Canon 6D at home. And I shot exclusively with an entry level camera and its kit lens for the entire trip.

The honest answer is that the camera was better than I expected. Not because my expectations were low — I know cameras — but because the R100 is a genuinely capable bit of kit that handles real-world shooting conditions very well.

I used Programme mode a lot. I used Auto Exposure Bracketing at sunrise. And when it came to the tripod — I take every photo I can with my camera on a tripod. Well, every travel and landscape photo, and every sunrise and sunset. I prefer taking photos with my camera on a tripod. It slows me down and helps me to get better compositions. And having my camera on a tripod means I can also enjoy the sunrise I am photographing. Very important to me.

And I came back with a portfolio of images I'm genuinely proud of. If I — with 40 years of experience and access to professional gear — can pick up an entry level camera and produce work I'm happy with, so can you.

Here's Something for You to Do, Dear Listener 🎯

If you're still deciding whether to buy your first camera, I want you to do one thing. Go and look at the portfolio page on my website — rickmcevoyphotography.com/portfolios — and find the Mexico images. Every single one of those photos was taken on a Canon R100 with the kit lens.

Look at them. And then ask yourself whether an entry level camera can produce images worth having. I think you'll have your answer. And then let me know what you think — I'd love to hear from you.

Related Episodes 🎙️

Episode 228 — How to Know If You're Ready to Move from Phone to Camera is the natural predecessor to this one — if you haven't listened to it yet, start there.

Episode 225 — I Just Got My First Camera, What Do I Do in the First Week? is exactly where to go next once you've made your decision.

Episode 106 — Programme Mode: What Is It? Is It OK For Me to Use It? goes into proper detail on Programme mode and why it's a completely valid choice.

Episode 160 — What Is Auto Exposure Bracketing (AEB)? is the full explanation of the AEB feature I mentioned in Tip 6.

Episode 60 — What Is a Kit Lens? is worth a listen if you want to understand exactly what your kit lens can and can't do.

Next Episode 💝

In the next episode we're starting something brand new — a mini-series all about learning your camera. Episode 230 is Camera Modes Overview, the first in a nine-episode series running through to the end of July. If you've ever looked at your mode dial and wondered what all those letters actually mean, this one is for you. See you in a fortnight.

Get in Touch & Subscribe! 🤝

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For everything else, visit RickMcEvoyPhotography.com 🌐 — ask questions, get my weekly email, get in touch, or text me directly from the podcast feed. 📱 Find me on YouTube by searching Rick McEvoy. 📺

Check out my courses page 🎓 for my brand new sunrise photography course — filmed on location in Mexico using a beginner entry-level camera. If you've ever wanted to photograph a stunning sunrise and actually know what you're doing when you get there, this is the course for you. 🌄

And check out my resources page which takes you in all sorts of splendid directions.

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This episode was brought to you by a cheese and pickle sandwich 🥪 consumed before settling into my homemade, acoustically cushioned recording room. 🎙️

I've been Rick McEvoy. Thanks very much for giving me 27-ish minutes of your valuable time. 🙏

Thanks for listening. 👍

Stay safe. 🛡️ Cheers from me, Rick! 🍻