Buying guides
Which one, for the pictures you actually take
A hub compares everything in a family. A guide answers one question — a budget, a first lens for someone who has only ever used the kit zoom, what a dim room needs before a faster body — with a ranked shortlist and a reason for the order.
- Buying a first camera
A first camera under $300: four routes, four compromises
Four first cameras under $300 from our reviews: the KODAK PIXPRO FZ45, the AKASO EK7000 Pro, the DJI Osmo Action 4 and the instax mini 12, compared.
- Lighting at home
Lighting a small room: five kits that fit
Five lighting setups for a small room from our reviews: NEEWER 660 panels, NiceVeedi kit, Skytex and RALENO softboxes and the ULANZI VL49 RGB.
- Choosing a tripod or monopod
A support that holds still: three tripods and two monopods
Three tripods and two monopods from our reviews, from the $19 Amazon Basics to the SmallRig CT-10 rated for 33 lb, with each declared load explained.
- Backdrops at home
A background for filming at home: five backdrop kits
Five backdrop kits from our reviews, from $16 tabletop boards to an 8.5 × 10 ft stand with green screen, softboxes and umbrellas, with Amazon.com prices.
- Choosing a second lens
A second lens after the kit: five bright primes
Five bright second lenses from our reviews, from an $89 autofocus 50mm to Canon’s f/1.2 45mm, with Amazon.com prices and the mount each one fits.
Each amount in a write-up is what the listing showed when that page was written. The figure next to the product is pulled in as you read, and it is the one that counts.