Top 4 DSLR for beginners 2016

For those who want to start photography but don’t have any idea which camera to buy, I made a simple guide for you for choosing the best DSLR for you. There are so many DSLR to choose from. Being a beginner doesn’t necessarily mean you need a beginner DSLR. It really boils down to your need. I have been on photography hobby for 6years now and like many of you, I struggled choosing the best DSLR for me. I already spent thousands of pesos to my gear and I end up broke on my 1-2years on this kind of hobby. I realized that this is not a profession and I do not earn money on it. But I really enjoyed this hobby for some time.

We will only concentrate on the 2 mainstream DSLR brands Nikon and Canon.

1. Budget – do not choose a camera that is so expensive that will make you financially broke. Set a budget that is within your reach. Also, do not buy a very cheap used camera that has potential to make some troubles on your work. Sometimes buying second hand gadgets won’t save you money but will be more expensive if you don’t have enough knowledge. You will end up a gadget with issues that will be expensive to fix than to buy a new one. If you want to buy a 2nd hand DSLR, just select those still covered with warranty to be sure.
2. Use – if your goal in purchasing a DSLR is just to have a better photo for your party and occasions then a hundred thousand peso worth DSLR is not a practical purchase. If you are planning to use it for your mountain climbing then a weather sealed DSLR is a must. Weather sealed DSLRs are tough; they can withstand heavy rains though they are not waterproof so don’t dare taking it under water. And of course you have to pair it with a weather sealed lens which will make this combo the most expensive. For professional work, this combo is also is a must but if you have limited budget you can start with cheaper one and upgrade later on.
3. Brand – there is a never-ending debate on the internet regarding what brand is the best. The truth is it really depends on the user. Just like foods, some prefers mcdonalds, other prefers jollibee. Canon tend to be better for portraits because it is more faithful to its color, Nikon has more saturated colors and skin tones tends to be a little bit yellowish in general but nikon colors is good on landscapes. Nikon tend to have better specification and better value for money but they have little more expensive lenses. Canon have better and cheaper lens lineup but Nikon has has cheaper lower end lenses on the second hand market. This is because there are more nikon users in the Philippines so there are many second hand lenses for sale out there. Both brands have up and downs, the best consideration on what brand to go is whether what brand your friends is using. This is because you will be able to borrow lenses and other accessories if you are using same brand with your friends.

Here are my top picks

Based on 2016 models

Pure beginner with very limited budget

1. Nikon D3300 (Best for Everyday Use)

For this category, the nikon is clearly the winner. Nikon D3300 throws its directly rival Canon 1300D out of the water. It has higher resolution (24MP vs. 18MP of canon), longer battery life, better low light performance, slightly sharper image because it has no AA filter. It is also smaller and lighter compared to Canon 1300D.

2. Canon 1300D (Best user experience with wireless connectivity)

Canon 1300D has some advantage over the Nikon D3300, it really depends on what matters most for you. The 1300D have built in WiFi and NFC which the nikon doesn’t have but you can do it with an optional Wifi adapter sold separately on nikon. Canon also in general has more user friendly interface. The menu of canon is easier to navigate compared to nikon. However this Canon can’t beat nikon in other way aspects like resolution(18MP vs 24MP on nikon), high ISO, focus points and battery life. If you haven’t invested on Canon lenses yet or your friends are not canon users, better go with Nikon.

Advanced Beginner

If you are a little more serious photographer and want more controls with limited budget, here are the choices. With this camera, you will have more auto focus points, tilting LCD, faster burst rates, and more controls on the image like exposure bracketing, wireless flash control.

1. Nikon D5500 (Best for low light, travel)

It has bigger LCD screen than canon equivalent (Canon 750D), it also has better battery life and smaller lighter body. It has little sharper because it lacks AA filter. The battery life of this camera is twice longer than canon 750D making it a perfect companion for travel.

 

2. Canon 750D/Canon 760D (Best for Sports, wildlife and video)

It has better live view and video focusing system than nikon, better controls on remote app and better autofocus system. Although it only has 19 AF points compared to 39 of nikon rival, all of the 19 are cross type compared to nikon which only has 9 cross type. What separates the 760D is that it has more controls and has top LCD which is usually found on Professional level camera. The canon 760D does not have not yet equivalent on Nikon DSLRs. I assume Nikon may release new DSLR to compete with this model.