The beginner camera deals I'd pick right now – Canon R100 vs R50 kits from just $529

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Canon's mirrorless line offers two of the best beginner options around. Right now, you can save on both the Canon R100 and Canon R50 lens kits – and which one is best depends on what kind of creator you are.

The Canon EOS R100 + 18-45mm f/4.5-6.3 IS STM lens bundle is now available for $529 on Amazon – with this deal, you save $120.99 of its original price of $649.99.

The Canon EOS R50 + 18-45mm f/4.5-6.3 IS STM lens bundle is now available for $7719.99 on Amazon – with this deal, you save $80.99 of its original price of $879.99.

The Canon R100 is a compact mirrorless camera with a 24.1MP APS-C sensor and Dual Pixel AF (autofocus) for fast, accurate focus in stills. It shoots up to 6.5fps (frames per second), and records 4K video at 24p, though with a 1.55x crop and contrast AF. The kit includes the versatile 18-45mm lens, perfect for everyday use. View Deal

The Canon EOS R50 offers a 24.2MP sensor, DIGIC X processor, and fast Dual Pixel CMOS AF II (autofocus). It captures oversampled 4K 30p video with no crop and shoots up to 15fps (frames per second). The flip-out touchscreen and compact RF-S lens make it ideal for vlogging and hybrid shooting. View Deal

Both cameras are beginner-friendly, use the same Canon RF-S lens mount, and have a 24MP sensor. And both kits come with the 18-45mm f/4.5-6.3 IS STM lens , a versatile zoom optic that will get you started at the beginning and beyond. But which camera is the best to start your journey?

Canon R100 : best for beginners who want to learn photography step-by-step
The Canon R100 is focused on photography, and we rated it as the best beginner-friendly camera . It's straightforward, lightweight, and has guided menus that help explain each mode. It doesn't have a touchscreen or a flip-out screen, and 4K video is cropped with slower AF (autofocus). But for stills, it performs beautifully and keeps things simple.

Canon EOS R50 : best for beginners, who want to shoot hybrid (photo+video)
The Canon R50 is better if you want to shoot video or vlog. It has a flip screen, touchscreen controls, and records sharp, full-width 4K video. It also shoots faster and feels more like a hybrid content creation tool. It's still easy to use, but it gives you more room to grow.

So if you want to learn photography without extra complexity, the Canon EOS R100 is a fantastic choice at just $529. But if you want to do more video, social content, or vlogging, the Canon R50 is absolutely worth the upgrade at $719.99.

Both cameras give you a strong start with Canon's mirrorless system, and with these Amazon deals, it's a great time to begin your creative journey.