Popular DSLR Cameras

Wondering what DSLR camera to purchase? Or are you looking to upgrade your DSLR to a newer version? Use the table below to sort and compare some of the most popular DSLR cameras on the market.

How to Buy a DSLR Camera

Budget

The number one thing to consider is how much you have to spend on a camera. DSLRs can run from several hundred dollars to several thousand. Top-of-the-line cameras always have the best features. But most of the time, it’s not a good idea to buy the most expensive, feature-packed camera if you can’t fully appreciate all of its capabilities. The rule of thumb is to plan to invest more money into a lens than a DSLR camera body since lenses give you more flexibility and retain their value better down the road.

Full-Frame versus APS-C (Crop Sensor)

A crop sensor camera has a smaller sensor than its full-frame counterpart. Thus, using a lens on a crop-sensor camera will be slightly cropped or magnified. So a 50mm lens attached to a crop sensor would give you a point of view that is more zoomed in. A crop sensor camera always cheaper than a full-frame camera.

Lens Compatability

Not all Canon and Nikon lenses are compatible with both full-frame and crop sensor cameras. For example, Canon EF-S lenses only work on crop sensor cameras, whereas EF lenses work with both crop sensor and full-frame cameras. The same is true for Nikon FX (full frame) and DX (crop sensor) lenses. As a result, whether you go for a full-frame camera or crop sensor camera may depend on what lenses you intend to use.

Further Reading

Need a lens to accompany your DSLR camera body? Check out Popular DSLR Camera Lenses for recommendations. Alternatively, check out this list of Popular Mirrorless Cameras to see other options. You can also research according to photography specialty and see what should be part of your event photography equipment and concert photography toolkit.

*Last Updated January 2018