Cameras are perfect gadgets for carrying our present moments into our future. They create lasting memories both static and in motion. This is why you need the best camera for all your trips, ceremonies, parties, and other important life moments. Contrary to popular opinion, the best camera is not the most expensive or one with the most powerful features in the market. It takes several other factors to come up with the camera that best suits your needs.
Cameras have a variety of users including professionals, beginners, vloggers, and adventurers. If a professional is using a specific camera it doesn’t mean it is the best, to begin with. You should not go directly into buying it as a beginner, just because you have the money. Similarly, a camera that is suitable for a day’s vlog may not be any good for nature photography.
A Digital Single-Lens Reflex (DSLR) camera combines mechanisms and the optics of a single-lens reflex camera with a digital imaging sensor. Great DSLR models have emerged with amazing performance, sensor size/resolution, price, etc. The cost is considerably high, but worth it when you know how to pick the best suitable camera for you. In this article, we provide some factors to guide you when choosing a DSLR camera. We also review some of our best choices in the market at the moment.
A camera’s megapixel resolution is known to determine the printing size of an image while maintaining photo quality. It is the rationale behind most people hyping cameras that have a high number of megapixels. This factor is however insignificant when it comes to DSLR cameras. At 5 to 6 megapixels, a DSLR camera can produce an image fit to print on an A3 as long as you have the perfect shot and proper editing. In addition, 6-megapixel sensors have about 30% fewer light collectors than 8-megapixel sensors. The difference is not quite noticeable at a good viewing distance. If you want a print bigger than A3, you can still get the perfect camera resolution amongst the existing models.
The sensor size is the most important aspect when it comes to exposure flexibility and picture quality. The size of the photosite on the sensor is also key, as it is a light collector. The bigger the surface area of the photosite, the more the light and data it captures. More data in the image processor of the camera translates into a bigger dynamic range in the final image. It also translates into a better quality of images. This is the main reason why people opt for SLR cameras.
If the camera has a small sensor, you can easily note the difference when you take the images in dim and bright, contrasting lighting. When the light is bright, the sensor cannot capture image details in the dark and bright parts. It leads to shadowy images with bad highlights and no details. Without details, you cannot even advance the image by editing.
Initially, most DSLR cameras were coming with a medium-range zoom lens but more and more are now coming with two lenses at purchase. The extra lens is called a tele-zoom with a focal length equivalent to a range between 70-200mm. The main negotiating factor when it comes to optics is the speed of the lens and not its performance. They are coated with plastic to reduce the weight they carry. They are made in a way suitable for handling and portability.
If you already have a film single-lens reflex and several interchangeable lenses, it only makes sense to purchase a DSLR camera from the same manufacturer. You need a camera that will work well with the lenses you have. However, it is not a guarantee that having the same brand is the best way to go. For instance; 35mm lenses are great for imaging onto film whose structure varies from an image sensor. This means that the DSLR image quality is poor. The 35mm lenses also tend to be heavier than digital lenses which makes them incompatible.
The Nikon D3500 is a perfect camera for beginners especially if you are working with a budget. It is an affordable, light, and easy-to-use camera that carries perfect qualities. It comes with a tutorial in form of a guide shooting mode. It has a 24.2-megapixel sensor and limits you to Full HD movies at up to 60p. It has a sharp autofocus system and an ISO light-sensitivity range of 100-25600
What we like about it;
Perfect handling and performance
It comes with a guide shooting mode
What we don’t like;
Rather basic controls
No touch or tilting screen
The Canon EOS Rebel SL3 / EOS 250D is the perfect beginner camera with 24.2 megapixels APS-C sensor, 4K maximum video resolution, and a burst speed of 5fps. It has a simple-guided user interface that can help you start as you learn. It also has a 3.0" 1.04m-Dot Vari-Angle Touchscreen.
What we like about it;
It has a guide on on-screen options
4K video
Touchscreen
What we don’t like;
Relatively small body
The Canon EOS Rebel T100 / EOS 4000D is also a great beginner camera with an 18-megapixel APS-C sensor with a Full HD maximum video resolution of 1080p and a maximum burst speed of 3fps. It also comes with a feature and shooting mode guide and a typically intuitive quick menu.
What we like about it;
Quite affordable
Touchscreen
Ease of use
What we don’t like;
Small, low-resolution rear LCD
The kit lens has no image stabilizer
Fairly poor screen and viewfinder
The Canon EOS 90D is a perfect enthusiast’s camera with 32.5 megapixels APS-C screen, a Pentaprism viewfinder, 4K UHD maximum video resolution, and up to 10fps high-speed continuous shooting with no Time Lag.
What we like about it;
High-speed continuous shooting
Uncropped 4K video
High APS-C sensor resolution
What we don’t like;
18-135IS USM lens
Limited buffer capacity
