Camera and lens advice from someone who shoots for a living
I'm Marien Cartel, a certified digital photographer with 22 years behind the camera. Every guide here comes out of the same question I get asked constantly: which camera or lens should I actually buy? Not which one has the longest spec sheet — which one will suit the way you shoot.
So each guide is written the way I'd answer a friend. What the gear does well, where it falls short, who should skip it, and which one I'd spend my own money on. You can see the kit I shoot with — the bodies and glass I actually pick up, photographed rather than borrowed from a stock library.
Start with the camera guides if you're choosing a body, the lens guides if you already have one and want more from it, or browse every guide on the site in one list.
Latest Guides
What Camera Is Best for Taking Good Food Pictures?
The best camera for food photos is one with a flexible screen, good macro lens options and a tripod-friendly setup. Features, picks and settings explained.
How to Choose a Lens for Astrophotography and Night Sky Photos
Choosing an astrophotography lens means balancing focal length, a fast aperture and corner sharpness. Here's how to weigh each one for night sky shots.
What Is a Lens Mount? Canon RF vs EF, Sony E, Nikon Z and Fujifilm X
A lens mount is the bayonet that locks lens to camera — and it decides which lenses you can buy. RF, EF, E, Z and X explained, plus adapter compatibility.
How to Choose a Lens for Wildlife and Bird Photography
Choosing a lens for wildlife and bird photography comes down to focal length, maximum aperture, stabilization and weight. Here's how each one trades off.
Which Camera Shooting Mode Should You Use? Auto, P, A, S and M Explained
Auto, Program, Aperture Priority, Shutter Priority and Manual: what each mode controls, what you still set yourself, and how to choose one for a shot.
Best Camera for Automotive Photography
Best Camera for Automotive Photography: Canon EOS R5, Sony a7 IV and Nikon Z6 III compared on features, price and who each one suits.
Best Cameras for Virtual Production
Best Cameras for Virtual Production — how Sony FX6 and Sony FX9 compare on features and price, and who each is best for.
Best DSLR Cameras for Beginners: (Guide & Reviews)
Best DSLR Cameras for Beginners — Canon EOS Rebel T7, Nikon D3500 and Canon EOS Rebel T8i compared, with pros, cons and who should buy which.
Best DSLR for Video
Best DSLR for Video — Canon EOS R6 Mark II, Sony A7S III and Panasonic Lumix GH6 compared, with pros, cons and who should buy which.
Start here
Three questions cover most of what people arrive looking for.
Buying your first camera
The mistake almost everyone makes is spending the whole budget on the body. Here's what a first camera actually needs.
Choosing a lens
The lens does more for your pictures than the camera does. Start by understanding what the numbers on the barrel mean.
Getting more from what you own
Most of what improves a photograph costs nothing. These are the techniques worth learning before the next upgrade.
Browse by topic
Every guide grouped by what you shoot and what you shoot it with.
Free calculators
Two things I work out often enough to have built tools for: how much of a scene will be in focus, and what to change when you alter one exposure setting.
Who writes these guides
Professional and Certified Digital Photographer born in the USA, with 22 years of experience in the field of photography. I shoot on a Canon 5D Mark IV, a Sony A7 III and a Sony a6700 — and the gear photographed across this site is my own, not stock.
More about me and my kit →