Best Entry-Level DSLR Cameras

Check out our 5 best entry-level DSLRs available.

The good thing about cameras today is that you can’t go wrong with any of them. In terms of megapixels, they’re all between 18 and 24MP, which is more than what 99% of photographers will ever need.

But sometimes having too many choices makes it even more difficult to choose the best DSLR camera, which is why we create these guides.

We looked at every DSLR on the market and selected the ones that have the features that truly matter, and will give you the most for your money.

These are our 5 favorite DSLR models:
Nikon D3400
Canon Rebel T6i
Nikon D5500
Canon Rebel T6
Pentax K-S2

The two biggest companies are Canon and Nikon. They’ve got the most models and you’ll always find them on our guides. The amount of lenses, support and third-party brands that do equipment for them is enormous. The third company is Pentax, and while they may not be as famous, their cameras are just as good.

Whether you’re just starting out in photography, or have been using a phone/point and shoot for years, and decided you finally want something better, all of the cameras below are perfect.

They all come with a kit lens, battery, charger, strap, and most importantly, the manual. They may seem complicated and all, but remember, entry-level DSLRs are aimed at people who haven’t had much experience with cameras. The good thing is that even when you do finally grasp and understand how to fully use them, they’ll still allow you to take awesome professional like shots.

If you decide to buy anything through our Amazon links, you automatically support our work as we receive a small commission and it’s what allows us to write these guides.

The 5 Best Entry-Level DSLRs

1. Nikon D3400

The Nikon D3400 is hands down the best price/performance DSLR. It’s perfect if you’re a beginner or even a more experienced photographer that’s looking for a small camera that can do it all.

It’s extremely affordable and packed with a ton of great features. The first is 24 megapixels, allowing you to print huge or crop your images if you feel like you weren’t close enough to your subject.

Besides so many pixels, the sensor also has great high ISO performance, maxing out at 25,600. This makes it great for birthdays, indoor sports, concerts and night time photography. ISO up to 6,400 looks pretty good, although even at 12,800 it could be usable for certain situations. The good thing is that you can manually (or let the camera do it) change the ISO speed and see the differences for yourself.

Nikon D3400 Features:

• 24.2MP APS-C Sensor
• 11 AF Points
• ISO 100-12,800 (25,600)
• 5 frames per second
• Full HD Video at 60fps
• 3.0″ Fixed LCD Screen
• See all features here

Video recording is available at 60/50fps in Full HD, which is amazing for such a cheap camera. The quality and colors look good, although if you will want to do this professionally, we recommend focusing manually. Only more expensive Canon DSLRs (not on this list) have AF technology that’s good for moving subjects, but it’s not perfected yet.

If you like sharing your images with others and want the easiest, quickest way of sending your shots online, you’ll be happy to know that the Nikon D3400 now features built-in WiFi and NFC. Connect the camera to your phone and simply transfer your files.

The D3400, like all cameras at this price range, doesn’t have an articulating screen. It’s just as big as sharp as the rest though, with 3.0″ in size and 921,000 pixels so you can preview if your shots are sharp.

If you’re looking to spend little to get a lot, the D3400 wins easily.

You can buy it at Amazon or see more reviews here.

2. Canon Rebel T6i

The Canon Rebel T6i is a slightly more expensive model, but offers a more sophisticated auto focus with an all-cross type 19 point AF system.

It’s got the same amount of megapixels, and image quality, colors, sharpness, these are identical on pretty much all DSLRs today. No one, not even the most professional photographers, could look at a picture and for sure tell it was taken with a certain camera. Okay, back to the camera.

The Rebel T6i’s AF system gives you more freedom to frame your shot as you have more (8 more) points in your viewfinder. As mentioned above, all 19 are cross-type so auto focusing will be quicker in many situations. Regular points measure the scene either horizontally or vertically, while cross-type calculate it in both ways.

Canon Rebel T6i Features:

• 24.2MP APS-C Sensor
• 19 AF Points (all cross-type)
• ISO 100-12,800 (25,600)
• 5 frames per second
• Full HD Video at 30fps
• 3.0″ Articulating touch-screen LCD
• See all features here

It’s also bigger and feels better in hand than the D3400. The body with the kit 18-55mm lens weighs 27.4 oz (776g). If you shoot RAW and often do sports, you’ll be disappointed in the T6i’s RAW buffer size, as it stops at 8 images. In JPEG this is much improved compared to the T5i (920 vs 22).

There’s no 60fps option the T6i, which is a bit unfortunate if you want to do some slow-mo videos. However, because of the articulating screen, the T6i will make your life much easier if you want to record yourself. Simply flip the screen and check your settings and brightness without moving. It’s also useful if you’re trying to take pictures of something really high or low and can’t tell whether it’s in focus.

You can buy it at Amazon or see more reviews here.

3. Canon Rebel T6

You’re looking at the cheapest DSLR out right now. The Canon Rebel T6 competes with the Nikon D3400 and is around $50 cheaper.

Both the T6 and its predecessor are extremely popular among first time shooters who are looking to spend the minimum to get into DSLR photography. You can take great, professional pictures, and change all of the settings as on every other camera, but it just doesn’t look that awesome when you compare it to other models.

It uses an 18 megapixel sensor, just like the T5 before it. ISO also goes up to 12,800 compared to 25,600 on both models above, and we don’t recommend you to go over 3,200.

AF system is also the same with 9AF points, so is the burst mode at 3fps.

Canon Rebel T6 Features:

• 18MP APS-C Sensor
• 9 AF Points
• ISO 100-6,400 (12,800)
• 3 frames per second
• Full HD Video at 30fps
• 3.0″ Fixed LCD
• See all features here

The biggest difference between the T6 and Canon T5 is the introduction of built-in WiFi and NFC. If you don’t need this, you might as well go with the cheaper T5.

You can buy it at Amazon or see more reviews here.

4. Nikon D5500

To make things even more complicated, here’s the Nikon D5500.

It’s the third DSLR on our list with 24 megapixels, with the sensor being identical to the one found in the D3400. If the price is higher but noise and image quality are the same, what is it that makes this camera better?

The 39-point AF system. That’s over 3 times as many points as in the D3400, and 20 more than in the Canon T6. Unfortunately not all of them are cross-type (9 are), but it’s still better than none.

Nikon D5500 Features:

• 24.2MP APS-C Sensor
• 39 AF Points (9 cross-type)
• ISO 100- 25,600
• 5 frames per second
• Full HD Video at 60fps
• 3.2″ Articulating touch-screen LCD
• See all features here

For video recording, the D5500 also beats the D3400. You have the option of plugging an external microphone which leads to much better sound quality. Having an articulating screen also allows you to watch yourself the entire time you’re recording. Frame options are the same (60 in Full HD).

It’s got built-in WiFi and NFC and a sensor with no optical-low pass filter. Camera brands started doing this in around 2013 and it slightly increases the overall sharpness of your shots.

You can buy it at Amazon or see more reviews here.

5. Pentax K-S2

Want a a fully weather-sealed DSLR? The Pentax K-S2 has 100 seals, making it the most appropriate camera for cold, hot, wet conditions.

This is usually found on cameras that are twice, if not three times the price of the K-S2. Why? Well, Pentax is in not nearly as famous as the two biggest, Canon and Nikon, so they have to try harder in order to stand out. We, as consumers, get lower prices and more unique features.

One of these is built-in Image Stabilization that works with every lens, regardless of its IS capabilities. This means any old or third-party lens you put on will be stabilized. Perfect for low light situations when you need crisp shots.

The K-S2 has a 20 megapixel sensor with no AA filter (like the D5500) and ISO sensitivity up to 51,200 (clean up to 6,400). That’s a full stop higher than what the best cameras above it can reach, with similar if not slightly less visible noise. The fastest shutter speed is also 1/6000 instead of 1/4000. In most situations you won’t need 1/6000, but if you’re shooting with really large apertures in a really bright place, it does help.

Pentax K-S2 Features:

• 20MP APS-C Sensor
• 11 AF Points (9 cross-type)
• ISO 100- 51,200
• 5.4 frames per second
• Full HD Video at 30fps
• 3.0″ Articulating touch-screen LCD
• See all features here

It’s also their first DSLR with an articulating screen. It’s not touch screen, but it’s just as big and sharp as others; 3.0″ and 921,000 dots for previewing your images. The viewfinder also has 100% coverage so you get what you see. You won’t ever find this on any other entry-level DSLR.

Check this out… the lens is also weather sealed (the WR in its name), so you’re ready to shoot in difficult weather situations (as well as sand and dust) with no need to hide from anything. Obviously do not submerge the camera in water.

In terms of image quality, it’s got great colors, contrast, simply what you’d expect from a serious DSLR. Video recording is offered at 30fps in Full HD but we don’t really like the final look of Pentax’s videos. Stick to Canon if videos are super important to you. For everything else, the K-S2 is great, even sports (5.4fps). We also wish it had a few more AF points, but at least 9 of those 11 are cross-type.

You can buy it at Amazon or see more reviews here.

What makes a good DSLR camera?

What’s the point of us giving you the best models if you can’t understand what it is exactly that makes them so good?

1. Megapixels

Megapixels are overrated. In 2017 we have entry-level DSLRs with 18 to 24MP sensors, which is more than you’ll probably ever need. So, no need to worry about anything here!

2. ISO Sensitivity

Ever wondered why small cameras and phones are horrible in low light? It’s because there’s a setting called ‘ISO Sensitivity’ and it defines how well the camera can shoot in dark situations. Because DSLRs have way bigger sensors, this results in cleaner, nicer and high quality images. The higher the ISO of a camera can go, the better it is for low light. Today’s standard range is around 100 to 25,600, anything over that is usually reserved for more expensive models.

Shooting with higher ISO speeds unfortunately also results in more noise. Again, more expensive and bigger cameras perform even better here, but the majority of DSLRs today can handle ISO 3,200 – 6,400 fairly good. This is enough for concerts, indoor parties and even shooting outside at night.

3. Frames per Second

Let’s say you’re photographing a dog running. If your camera had 1fps, you could only take 1 picture per second. If you had 5fps, you could take 5 pictures every single second, leaving you with a total of 20 pictures in 4 seconds.

For sports or any sort of action, you always want more. Not every shot is always perfectly sharp and in focus, but the more pictures you can take, the more chances you have of getting good quality images. 3-4fps is on the slow end but still acceptable for movement, whereas 5fps and higher will make your photography life way easier. Plus, it sounds epic.

4. Auto Focus Points

DSLR cameras are also known for their very fast, accurate auto focus. This makes them ideal for both still and action photography where you can’t afford to have images that are out of focus.

Entry level models typically have 9 to 11 AF points, but some of the models in this guide such as the Canon T6i (19) or Nikon D5300 (39) go way higher.

However, you should also know this; we have regular AF points, and then we have cross-type AF points. The latter are much more accurate, and you’ll usually find only 1-2 in cheap models. We’re not saying the first type is slow or anything, it’s just that cross-type points will focus quicker in difficult conditions (bad light).

What About Lenses?

Your DSLR camera won’t work without a lens. Most under $1,000 come with the 18-55mm kit lens, and it’s a great way to start your DSLR journey. The zoom range is perfect for everyday stuff, indoors, portraits, streets and much more.

Every company has over 60 lenses available and that includes wide, telephoto, fisheye and so on. Once you buy a DSLR you should spend your time and money on lenses, as they’re much more important than the body, especially for overall quality and background blur.

Check out our lens buying guides for Canon and Nikon.

What About Bundles?

There are a lot of great bundles out there that’ll get you a ton of accessories for the same price as buying the DSLR with the kit lens alone.

Unfortunately, there also a lot of crappy bundles, which is why we created guides for every camera available right now.

Check them out -> Best DSLR Bundles

Last Updated on January 17, 2022 by Nick Voorhees