Your first camera can easily determine your path in the world of photography, so we decided to help you out and list the 6 easiest DSLR cameras to use for beginners. Perhaps you have finally decided to follow your dream and take up photography as a hobby, or you are beginning your professional photography career. Either way, you should have in mind that choosing your entry-level camera shouldn’t be taken lightly.
Those of you who have done their share of googling might ask why we didn’t cover the mirrorless (MILC) cameras as an alternative. We have chosen to list the best Digital single-lens reflex cameras because of one significant feature of DSLR camera – a large image sensor that allows exceptional image quality and the ability to shoot photos in lower light conditions. Furthermore, all DSLR cameras use an optical viewfinder whereas the mirrorless cameras create a digital rendition of what the camera is about to shoot. Not only that the optical viewfinder is user-friendly, but it also gives you a great sensation of shooting directly.
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You will agree that capturing your children’s shenanigans in the backyard and photographing snow leopards in Nepal do not pose the same requirements for the camera. Even though all DLSR cameras are regarded as reliable and consistent, there are quite a few hardware and performance differences considering different brands and models. It is impossible to rate cameras by how easy are they to use as all of them come with a manual, and the performance capabilities are what separates them. The differences are commonly found when looking at the price of a single camera, and if you wish to know how much money would it take to own the best professional cameras, you should consider looking at our list of 11 most expensive DSLR cameras on the market.
Since we cannot predict whether you will be using the camera to capture fast-paced sports events or peaceful landscapes, we have decided to base our inquiry on the general ease of physical usage and the preinstalled automatic modes of pictures that don’t require setting up and adjusting. These specs information on cameras are the courtesy of two camera review sites, DPreview, and Cnet.
We also took some guidelines from similar reviews done at Gizmag, Top Ten Reviews, and TechRadar to help us find you the best available cameras for beginners.
The first factor we considered is the Ergonomics. The overall size and weight of the DSLR camera affect the ease of usage. Bulkier and heavier cameras are more complicated to use. We awarded cameras with points based on the weight systematization:
From 14 to 16 Ounces – 3 points
From 17 to 19 Ounces – 2 points
Over 20 Ounces – 1 point
The second factor is General Ease of Usage (which we awarded with points) and is important because it is directly proportional to the user’s ability to shoot quality images. The number of buttons, programs, modes and functions affects the output. Simply said, if you’re a beginner, too many options will only confuse you. We examined the number of buttons as the relevant factor and graded the cameras based on this point system:
16-18 buttons – 3 points
19-21 buttons – 2 points
Over 22 buttons – 1 point
The third factor we considered is the Dynamic Range (Evs) as it is the one responsible for the volume of bright and shady areas that can be captured by your camera. We chose this, bearing in mind that shooting in a bad light is usually a difficult task to perform, and a camera with higher Dynamic Range has an automatic correction of images in low lights, providing a significant help for the photographer.
We developed the point system for this feature as well:
From 13,5 to 14 – 4 points.
From 12,5 to 13,5 – 3 points.
From 11,5 to 12,5 – 2 points
From 10,5 to 11,5 – 1 point
Let’s go through the list of 6 easiest DSLR cameras to use for beginners as we begin our list with #6.
