It's November! Black Friday is approaching quickly, as well as Christmas. For a lot of people, this means thinking about upgrading or investing in a DSLR camera. It can be overwhelming sometimes to try and decide which DSLR camera to buy. Nikon and Canon are leading the industry, even though some companies such as Sony are quickly catching up. When it comes down to it, both Nikon and Canon have great technology, design and functions. Canon seems to be a little more popular as far as sales goes. You really can't go wrong with either brand, and if you are just starting out, you can almost close your eyes and point to one of their camera bodies from the last two years to present, and absolutely love it.
It is important to remember that camera bodies are remarkable now-a-days. Investing in a good lens is where you will notice the difference in image quality. Prime or fixed lenses have great glass and create sharper images than zoom lenses that have moving parts. Think about what kind of photography you plan to do in the future, and what kind of lens/lenses you might need to save up for to get you the best results. If you already have a lens or two from a certain brand, it would be smart to go with that brand. I highly recommend adding on a 50mm f/1.8 prime lens to begin with. These retail for around $100 with canon, $200 for nikon. This is an extremely affordable lens that can take great portrait, product and food shots. The low aperture on this lens will give you a more shallow depth of field that people love. Also think if family members or friends have gear you might want to share with; it would be beneficial to get the same brand as them. Most friends and family I know usually pick between Canon and Nikon, so my recommendations are based between these two brands.
Here is my guide for the best DSLR cameras for beginners. All of these are under $1,000.
1. Nikon D3300 - Price $446.95 (with kit lens on amazon)
24.2 Megapixel CMOS DX-format sensor
5 frames per second
11 Auto Focus points with 3D tracking
ISO 100-12800 +
1080 HD video / 3" LCD screen
Easy panorama mode & a beginner friendly guide mode on camera
Wi-Fi enabled (send photos wirelessly to your phone or tablet)
With the built-in beginner guide (on screen instructions/descriptions of settings), superior image and video quality and access to hundreds of Nikon lenses at that kind of price - this is a great pick. This camera controls the noise/grain in photos taken at a higher ISO very well (find out why ISO directly relates to image quality in my previous post Understanding ISO). It is also light-weight and pretty small for those looking to lighten their load.
2. Canon EOS Rebel SL1 - Price $499.00 (with kit lens on amazon)
18 Megapixel APS-C CMOS sensor
4 frames per second continuous shooting
9 point Autofocus system
ISO 100-12800 +
1080 HD video
3" touch panel LCD screen
Movie Servo AF (continuous focus tracking while recording video)
If you're searching for a smaller DSLR body, this is also great pick. This canon offers auto focusing while recording video which is awesome, and an improved live-view mode.
3. Canon T5i - Price $649.00 (with kit lens on amazon)
18 Megapixel APS-C CMOS sensor
5 frames per second continuous shooting
9 point Autofocus system
ISO 100-12800 +
1080 HD video
3" articulating touch panel LCD screen
Movie Servo AF (continuous focus tracking while recording video)
This is a great Canon if you're going to take photography further than just a basic first-step DSLR. There is a T6i out, but the battery life is weaker and it struggles to track movement (no AF in live view). I'm not sure the extra Megapixels would make the T6i worth the extra money. The T5i comes with an upgraded kit lens, which is well worth buying this model over the T4i (which had some issues with the grip, otherwise almost identical to the T5i).
4. Nikon D5500 - Price $796.95 (with kit lens on amazon)
24.2 Megapixel DX-format CMOS sensor
39-point Autofocus system
5 frames per second continuous shooting
ISO 100-25,600
High resolution, fully articulated 3.2" LCD touch screen
Wi-Fi (share images to phone/tablet wirelessly)
The D5500 is comparable to the D3300 when it comes to image quality, but boasts some of the newer features such as the tilting LCD screen, a more expansive Autofocus system, longer battery life and Wi-Fi if those are important to you. It also has a better grip making it easier to hold. If you want to save a couple hundred bucks, check out the Nikon D5300. The D5500 is almost the same camera, it just basically adds the touch screen and a longer battery life.
If you're hoping to save a little more on a DSLR, you can always look into the predecessors of some of these models or look into buying used gear. It can be a risk, but you can also luck out and get great deals from others wanting to upgrade. If you can't decide between the lower priced Nikon D3300 vs. the Canon SL1, I'd recommend the D3300. Not just because I'm a Nikon shooter :) read more about that comparison here.
If you're willing to spend a little more, I also love the Nikon D7000 (now just around $500 for the body) and the D7100 is the more expensive upgrade (around $800 for the body), with the newest model the D7200 (around $1100 for the body) if you are wanting a step closer to the professional DSLR cameras. All three of these are great options. The Canon 70D is also a great option on this level (around $1200 with an 18-55mm kit lens).
Feel free to visit my contact page if you have any further questions about which camera is right for you!
Source - www.amazon.com
