When I started photography it was still a thing to first start with a 50/1.4 and get a few thousand shots with it...I used a Contax adapted to E mount because of the lack of AF options at the time and how AF options are so much larger and heavier anyway. Somehow NEX7's peaking always seemed much better than that of the A7 series...
Shopping for a first camera can be a daunting experience, especially for someone coming from a smartphone camera with little experience. While it's easy to drop US$3,000 on a premium camera, it's worth the effort to take a measured approach to know you're getting gear that you can use without wasting money.