How to Choose a DSLR Camera
February 27, 2019
When it comes to picture quality, speed, durability and creative control, DSLR cameras are hard to beat. Since replacing their film-based predecessors, DSLRs (digital single-lens reflex) cameras have been the foremost capture tools of choice for both professional photographers and enthusiast shooters eager to take better images.
Whether you’re a beginner contemplating your first DSLR or you’re a more experienced photographer looking to upgrade, choosing the right DSLR camera for you and your specific needs is important. But this is often easier said than done, given the vast number of different DSLR makes, models, features and prices on the market.
To make things a little easier we’ve put together this guide explaining how to choose the best DSLR camera.
(Trying to decide whether to get a DSLR, mirrorless, or other type of camera? Check out our Beginner’s Guide to Digital Cameras.)
Budget
A deciding factor for most customers, your budget will obviously determine the overall camera quality, durability and capabilities that you can afford.
Entry-level DSLR cameras are usually the smallest, lightest and most affordable options. They tend to have various automatic modes designed to help you learn gradually. Virtually all entry-level DSLRs will have an APS-C sensor, which helps provide a smaller form factor but also affects the focal length of any lenses you use.
If you’re just starting out and/or would prefer to keep cost and bulk/weight at a minimum, an entry-level DSLR is probably the way to go. However, it’s also worth weighing up the cost-to-benefit ratio of investing in a more advanced camera that your skills won’t outgrow too quickly.
More advanced DSLR cameras, designed for intermediate or professional photographers, tend to have fewer (if any) automatic controls but more features and customisability, faster autofocus and processing, and better overall performance than beginner DSLRs. Some intermediate and virtually all professional DSLRs have full-frame sensors, which offer better low-light performance and are compatible with professional lenses, which provide top image quality. Professional DSLRs are usually highly durable and often weather-resistant, which tends to make them larger and heavier.
Brand
In terms of quality and reliability, not a lot separates leading DSLR brands like Canon and Nikon; both are long-standing manufacturers that professionals have trusted for decades. Brand determines things like lens and accessory support, software and education offerings, and how comfortable you feel with a camera’s controls and interface.
Lenses
Lenses are among the most important considerations when it comes to choosing a DSLR. Unless you’re already invested in a particular system of DSLR lenses, you’ll want to consider your lens options before choosing a camera. Aside from price, there are three main reasons for this:
-
Out of all forms of photographic equipment, lenses have the greatest direct impact on image quality.
-
While photographers might update their camera every few years, lenses are more of a long-term investment that (with proper care) will outlast multiple camera upgrades.
-
Entry-level lenses usually aren’t compatible with certain advanced level cameras, so it’s worth bearing this in mind if you plan on upgrading in the future.
Some DSLR models—entry-level ones, usually—are sold as a kit package including a lens or two. Designed to give you flexibility and value for money, these are ideal options for beginners or those on a budget.
If you’re a more serious shooter (or planning to be), you’re usually better off buying your DSLR and lens or lenses separately. This allows you to invest in a (usually higher quality) lens or lenses that (a) are best suited to the style of photography you do, and (b) you’re also more likely to use in future – particularly if you later upgrade from a cropped sensor to a full-frame DSLR.
Sensor Size: Full Frame vs APS-C (Crop)
DSLR cameras usually have one of two sensor sizes: full frame (36 x 24mm, which is about equal to 35mm film) or APS-C (23.6 x 15.6mm for Nikon, 22.2 x 14.8mm for Canon).
APS-C (aka cropped) sensors are found in most entry-level and intermediate DSLR cameras. Being 1.5 to 1.6 times smaller than a full-frame sensor, an APS-C sensor offers a narrower—i.e. more zoomed-in—apparent field of view than a full-frame sensor used with the same focal length lens. This apparent increase in crop/zoom is known as ‘crop factor’ and effectively extends (by 1.5x or 1.6x) the focal length of any lens when it’s used on an APS-C camera—handy for situations in which more zoom is desired. APS-C sensors’ smaller size also allows for a smaller overall camera design, which is attractive to travellers and photographers who move around a lot.
Full-frame sensors are standard in professional (and some advanced model) DSLRs. Being larger than APS-C sensors, full-frame sensors accommodate more data and larger pixels, which provide higher image quality and better (i.e. less noisy) low-light capabilities. Because lens focal lengths are always relative to full-frame sensors, there is no crop factor to calculate with a full-frame sensor camera; a 35mm lens does exactly what you’d expect a 35mm lens to do.
Construction & Weather Sealing
DSLR camera bodies are typically constructed from polycarbonate, metal, or a combination of the two. More metal provides more durability and weather resistance (ideal for shooting outdoors or near dust, dirt or moisture) but also more weight.
If you intend to use your DSLR mostly indoors, or if portability is your main priority, then investing in a more robust model may not be necessary. Your preferences and style of photography will dictate your needs here.
Portability
Will you be shooting mainly in one place, like a portrait studio? Will you be shooting on the fly as you roam from place to place (e.g. for travel, street, event or wedding photography)? Or will you be shooting in a variety of indoor or outdoor locations (e.g. landscapes, architecture, or on-location shoots for clients) and having to pack up and carry your gear between them?
The size and weight of your camera (and lens/es) is an important consideration if you plan to travel and/or photograph on the move a lot. However, this needs to be balanced against your need for durability and weather protection.
Resolution
With most DSLRs these days boasting resolutions around or far exceeding 12MP, resolution (measured in megapixels, or MP) is now less crucial to camera choice than a lot of people think. The exception is if you intend to significantly crop your images or print them on a very large scale (e.g. for gallery or billboard display); in this case, look for the highest resolution (ideally 40MP+) that you can afford.
Autofocus
A good autofocus (AF) system is a huge benefit for all styles of photography, but particularly for those involving fast or unpredictably moving subjects (e.g. sports, performers, children, animals, weddings). The better your camera’s autofocus system, the faster and more accurately it can sharply capture your chosen point of focus.
Number & Spread of AF Points
Each camera’s autofocus system consists of a number of autofocus points, arranged across the sensor, at which the camera can detect and determine whether an object or detail is in focus. More autofocus points generally means faster and more precise autofocus performance, and a more even spread of points across the entire sensor gives you more scope for composition (as centrally clustered autofocus points aren’t conducive to focusing near the edges of the frame).
AF Method & Point Type
Autofocus speed and accuracy are also influenced by the type of autofocus points—single (|) or cross-type (+)—a camera has. The focusing method used in most DSLRs is phase-detection, which involves splitting incoming light using one of the camera’s internal mirrors, comparing whether the separate light beams match, and readjusting focus if they don’t. This is normally a split-second process but can be thwarted in certain situations when single AF points are involved.
A more reliable innovation devised by camera manufacturers is cross-type AF points, which split incoming light into two dimensions rather than one. It’s common for different DSLRs to incorporate a different combination of single and cross-type AF points, with higher-end models tending to have more cross-type AF points than lower-end models.
Frame Rate
To shoot fast or unpredictably moving subjects (e.g. sports, performers, children, animals, weddings), a high frame rate is a must. Frame rate refers to the number of frames per second (fps) that a camera can shoot while in high-speed continuous shooting (aka burst) mode, and the higher a camera’s frame rate, the higher your chances of capturing the action.
You’ll need a memory card that can keep up with this process, however. An adequately speedy memory card is key to getting the most out of any digital camera’s performance.
Display Monitor
Virtually all modern DSLRs come with a rear LCD monitor that lets you shoot in live view (i.e. using the screen instead of the viewfinder), play back images you’ve taken, and view settings. The higher the monitor’s resolution (expressed in dots per inch, or dpi), the brighter and sharper its display.
Some monitors are fixed. Others tilt up/down, making it easier to view the screen in bright conditions and photograph at high or low angles without needing to adopt an awkward position. Others again are fully articulated—that is, they can be flipped out to one side (handy for recording yourself on video) and reversed for protection while not in use.
Touchscreen control is becoming more and more common in DSLR camera monitors, and may be worth considering when choosing a DSLR camera. While physical button and dial controls have the advantage of being operable without you needing to look away from the viewfinder, touchscreen control can be faster and more intuitive for adjusting certain functions, e.g. spot focus.
Video
With the ever-growing popularity of video (among both content producers and those who commission them), DSLR cameras’ video capabilities are growing ever more sophisticated. Full HD (1920 x 1080) recording and HDMI output is standard in most DSLR models these days, making it easy to shoot and play back high quality movies.
If you’re a serious videographer you’ll want to consider DSLR cameras that feature 4K video, microphone and headphone ports, audio adjustment controls, a variety of different frame rates, and (if filming yourself for a vlog or similar) an articulating monitor.
Accessories
Any DSLR camera will come with a battery (and, sometimes, image editing software) but you’ll also need a few other essential accessories such as memory cards, a protective camera bag or case, and cleaning items.
As your skills and ambitions grow, you’ll want to consider additional gear like a portable flash (speedlight), tripod, shutter remote, a microphone if you do video, and a battery grip for long shoots or extended bouts of continuous shooting. Even if you’re a beginner, it’s worth considering which accessories are supported by your prospective DSLR to make sure your camera system is ‘future-proofed’ to a degree.