The Canon EOS R100 takes the crown when it comes to the best cameras for beginners. This baby couldn’t be easier to use. Charge the battery, pop in a memory card, and start shooting. Its controls feel almost as intuitive as a point-and-shoot camera but with a lot more functionality.

We particularly love how the display gives an explanation for each shooting mode, complete with visual samples to get a better sense of what that mode does. For example, when you set the dial to TV (shutter priority mode), it explains that this allows you to set your preferred shutter speed, and shows images of waterfalls at different shutter speeds. Once you set your shooting mode, you can use the thumb wheel to adjust the aperture, shutter speed, or other settings as you shoot.

Shooting this camera gives a very pleasant “click” sound, which makes you feel more like a professional photographer. It might be a little noisy for a quiet environment (like taking photos of your child performing in their first play), but you can get rid of it entirely in silent mode — one of several “special scenes” settings you can choose from.

There are dedicated settings for culinary scenes, close-ups, landscapes, sports, portraits, and more, adding to its overall ease of use. Another advantage? It’s the only mirrorless camera we tested that has a built-in flash. There are some downsides, but they’re pretty minor. The display screen doesn’t pop out, so taking selfies won’t be easy. It’s not a touchscreen, either, which makes zooming into images in your library a little trickier.

If you’re looking for a camera that can give you pro-looking images even if you’re still figuring out which way to point the lens, you can’t go wrong with the Canon EOS R100. At under $500 with a kit lens, this camera would also make an excellent gift for a graduation, milestone birthday, or the holidays.