Best camera for beginner (DSLR)

So I currently have a Fujifilm Finepix SL300 and I'd like to upgrade to a DSLR. I've been looking at Nikon's and Canons and have decided that my budget is around £500 pounds for everything including the lenses. Can anyone recommend an entry level DSLR?

 

Thanks!

For that budget you’re looking at beginner models (assuming you’re shopping for a new camera). A Nikon D3500 kit would fit the bill. But look at mirrorless cameras too - Amazon has a Prime Day special on a Fuji X-T100 kit for £429, add an off brand second battery and charger and an SD card and you’re still under 500.

I'll second the mirrorless recommendation - mirrorless cameras are smaller and lighter and can use DSLR lens

www.flickr.com/photos/mmirrorless

I would go with a basic dSLR kit, like a D3500 or D5600, or similar Canon kit.

BUT, I would avoid the usual 2-lens kits, where the 2nd lens does NOT have VR/IS (stabilization). The reason is, for price/marketing reasons they cheap out on the 2nd lens and put in a cheaper non-stabilized lens, to lower the kit price. But, for you as a user, the long lens is where you need the stabilization the most.

 

Are you going hiking, camping or any other activity where you will be away from a mains outlet for more than two days?

The reason for this question is that mirrorless cameras in general have poor battery life, compared to a dSLR. My mirrorless will drain the battery in 4 hours (continuous ON) vs. 2 days for my dSLR. What this means is, on vacation I have to carry FOUR batteries, to last me a full day, then I have to charge all FOUR batteries at night. If I wanted to go two days, I would have to carry EIGHT batteries, then figure out how to charge EIGHT batteries.

If you turn the camera OFF as much as you can, you will extend the life of the battery. But it will still be much less than a dSLR.

I'd have a look at a local decent camera shop, or Ffordes as you mention £ and go for a used, mid-range outfit, rather than a new beginner kit, I think you'd get more use out of it.

Can anyone recommend an entry level DSLR?

• For which kind of subjects?
  

To nail an approaching jogger's frame filling torso in focus, you'll need a Canon maybe even preferably a Nikon. To shoot landscapes architecture and macro and static groups a used Pentax might do well enough. - They have feature rich inexpensive bodies with integrated image stabilization but unfortunately AF that isn't as fast as CaNikon's.

Canon vs. Nikon tends to be a taboo topic (since it must have been discussed to death multiple times). Both take pictures. Specs can be looked up online and the central question is whose menu system you'll consider less annoying.

• What is your long term financial planning?
  

Neither Canon (with their EOS M) nor Nikon (nothing at all) offer a mirrorless system that looks ready to provide a very desirable body utilizing the lensers you 'll buy today in a couple of years. And if they'll release a full line of high quality lenses for their APS DSLRs is open too.

I'm just suggesting to buy "something" now and maybe something entirely different later instead of committing to some system too much.

 

To me DSLRs seem the bang for the buck option right now. - Mirorrless stuff is catching up though and starting out with it could maybe already make sense.

I agree with the above post . . . Knowing your goals will certainly help make suggestions. Canon and Nikon are both all over on the used market because they sell the most new cameras. You really can't go wrong with either system. Lenses are more important than bodies. They last longer and have far more effect on your images than bodies do. As mentioned, I would start in a good shop selling used gear if you can. Like buying cars, it's great when you can let someone else take the depreciation that occurs when you unseal a new box.

you do not get all the features for this cheap budget. The budget has to be increased further. you get only good medium body for £500.

To me DSLRs seem the bang for the buck option right now. - Mirorrless stuff is catching up though.....

IMO, it's already caught up.

 

I have a Nikon D7200 DSLR that I bought new, and a Sony a6000 mirrorless that I picked up used for about 1/5th of the price. The image quality from the little Sony is every bit as good as from the much heavier and bulkier Nikon.

 

The D7200 had AF issues straight out of the box, and front-focussed badly. It also developed a shutter fault well within the warranty period and had to be replaced. This was a blessing in disguise, since the replacement had much better AF. However, the AF in a DSLR relies on perfect mechanical factory alignment of the AF sensor and the main picture sensor. This is rarely achieved, and AF issues with DSLRs are fairly common; needing software fudges to get them near right.

 

That can't happen with a mirrorless camera, since the picture sensor also acts as the AF sensor. So unless you're using the camera like a machine gun for sports or some other fast-moving action, then the mirrorless camera has a clear advantage. And if you put a DSLR into 'Live View' mode to get more accurate AF, then you've just got an overblown mirrorless camera anyway.

 

Having said that. If you have ambitions to expand your photography into areas like macro or serious wildlife shooting, then you need to consider what lenses and accessories are available for your chosen system. The camera body is only a platform for lenses, which are much more important for the quality of the image - and will inevitably cost more than the body if you want really high quality pictures.

 

FWIW, I paid under £200 for the used Sony a6000 with 16-50 kit lens. To be truthful, the lens is not that great, but for the £300 left in your budget, you could buy a much better used lens. Or have fun using other make old lenses on adaptors.

 

Not sure about the advice to go into a camera store. My experience with J***ops and C**ries is that most of the staff have no idea what they're talking about, and will just steer you to whatever gives them the most commission.

Edited July 17, 2019 by rodeo_joe|1