Dslr under $600

I'm looking for a new camera in the $600 and lower price range. I have a Panasonic gf2 that I got just to see if it was even something I wanted to get into, but it lacks many features I have found that I need or would find really useful, so I'd say I have outgrown it and it's capabilities. I was looking for a DSLR under $600. My prime candidate so far is the Nikon D5300. If anyone has any recommendations, I'm very interested. I want a DSLR with relatively inexpensive lens options, good resolution and overall color depth and whatnot, a good amount of useful features, preferravlebly a tilting screen, and something that is generally a decent platform that I won't grow out of for a while. I would love a full frame, but that's a  bit out of my price range, however on my experience with forums in the past I have learned that some people know of a product that's really great for the money and nobody else really knows about. Really any reccomendations that meet those criteria would be appreciated.

If you want a fully articulated lens, your options are limited. The Nikon D5xxx series is about it, other than the Canon 70D, which is a bit old.

Nikon bodies allow you to choose any glass. If you select full-frame lenses they will work when you move to a full-frame body. You won't be able to use older lenses that don't have a BIM, since the D5xxx bodies (and D3xxx) don't have a motor in the body. The D7100 and D7200 do, however, so you might consider one of those. (N.B. one of them has AF speed issues, I think, but can't recall which off-hand.)

The glass is what costs money. But there's a healthy used market.

The D5300 is a fine entry-level camera.

No, there are no amazing options that no one knows about.

G'day Steven

Everyone's personal wish-list has both the attainable and the un-attainable

Your desire for an inexpensive but full-featured camera but with inexpensive (but) good-glass is something we all seek - but rarely find. You say that you have outgrown the Panasonic, but you make no mention of what its 'missing' features were, and without that we / you can't go very far

I would surmise that a features list might be needed, maybe prioritised with 'needed' vs 'wanted' and from that you might have a better chance of getting what you desire

Hope this helps
Phil from the great land Downunder
www.flickr.com/photos/ozzie_traveller/sets/

The main feature my gf2 lacks is that when I adjust the shutter speed, iso, or aperature, the display doesn't show the actual exposure but instead compensates to show what it thinks is the proper exposure, so I have to do trial and error to really get the best exposure as I'm not able to see what the sensor sees. It's also just generally an old camera and the video quality is quite poor with an emphasis on the poor. The photo quality is decent but any iso above 800 is pretty noisy. Actually the performance in low light is not that great at all unless I use a tripod, seeing as I have to slow my shutter and open my aperature to take photos in even moderately low light due the excessive grain that occurs at around iso 800+. The autofocus leaves some to be desired as well and there is no mic input, which is something I would really like to have. The thing I mainly use it for is to play around with old Minolta md lense for the pure fun of it, and it's actually better in terms of grain because they are faster lenses so I don't have to crank up my iso, but the lenses produce softer images with decent amounts of chromatic abboration. I am also looking at the Canon t6i as I found that the d5300 is not touch screen (touch screen makes things so much easier, even my gf2 has it) and some people have said it has the same issue my Panasonic has about not seeing the true exposure, but I don't really know if that's true. I like the t6i because it has a touch screen and I don't have to deal with not seeing what the sensor sees in live view, but I hear that the d5300 has better resolution and sharpness due to the lack of an anti alias filter and that it has a better dynamic range. I don't know how to feel. In paper the Nikon seems better, but without touch screen and the true view of the exposure, I really don't know. If anyone can shed some light on these cameras or recommend an entirely different one be my guest.

I need (in no particular order):
Articulating screen
Mic input
Good video quality
Good low light performance
Affordable lense options with image stabilization and autofocus
The ability to see the true exposure in live view
No more than $600 for body and kit lens

I want:
Touchscreen (I might want to even put this on my need list as it's such a great feature that really makes stuff easier)
Wifi (lowest priority)


I think I got it all but If I think of anything else I'll let you know. I don't want to be too picky as this is a low to mid price range for a DSLR and I know I'm not going to get the best of the best, but I want to make my $600 worth it as that's quite a bit of money to spend if I'm not going to be happy with whatever I buy.

Another thing I want to add to my need list is manual control while taking video.


Also after checking my camera the images actually start getting super noisy after about iso 1250. Even at lower isos, the images just aren't that sharp. My Moto z phone takes sharper photographs. I don't know if it's just poor focus or if the lens is just naturally soft.

in case you don't understand the way I said it, I think we can all agree that with the aperature at f5.6, the SS at 1/4000, and iso 100 this image would be completely black, which it is if I take the picture and view it.

in case you don't understand the way I said it, I think we can all agree that with the aperature at f5.6, the SS at 1/4000, and iso 100 this image would be completely black, which it is if I take the picture and view it.

in case you don't understand the way I said it, I think we can all agree that with the aperature at f22, the SS at 1/4000, and iso 100 this image would be completely black, which it is if I take the picture and view it
 

I'm very sorry I have no clue why that post sent 3 times or why the picture was attached two times to each post. I couldn't find a way to delete or edit a post (I'm on mobile). I'm just going to stop talking and let someone respond.

garyrhook wrote: If you want a fully articulated lens, your options are limited. The Nikon D5xxx series is about it, other than the Canon 70D, which is a bit old.

Nikon bodies allow you to choose any glass. If you select full-frame lenses they will work when you move to a full-frame body. You won't be able to use older lenses that don't have a BIM, since the D5xxx bodies (and D3xxx) don't have a motor in the body. The D7100 and D7200 do, however, so you might consider one of those. (N.B. one of them has AF speed issues, I think, but can't recall which off-hand.)

The glass is what costs money. But there's a healthy used market.

The D5300 is a fine entry-level camera.

No, there are no amazing options that no one knows about.

Considering the budget is $600, the Canon 70D is going to be their best option.  The Canon 6D would be a great option, but that is way out of budget.  UNLESS the OP would consider something like the Canon PowerShot G7 X, you can find just a tad above budget.  

My error, re-read things.  Go with the D5300.  You can probably get a good deal used.  Try these guys -  www.natcam.com/

Thanks. The 6d is definitely too much, but the 70d is also a bit too high. I couldn't find it any less than $850 with no kit lens. I want to have budget for a better lens when I buy this so I don't really want to go that much k er $600 maybe $700 if the difference is worth it. The PowerShot is of course a point and shoot, but I'm looking for a dslr. Thank you for you assistance if you know where I can get a 70d for less than $700 hit me up. Also, I was looking at this Nikon d5500 now and I'm confused. People say the whole d5xxxx series has poor live view focus and I wouldn't be able to control aperature in live view. If you know anything about that can you elaborate? Thanks. I would head to the t6i immediately if it weren't for the fact that it doesn't shoot 1080 60p. It shoots 1080 60i though, and so does my gf2. With my gf2 footage, 60i can be played at half speed and will still be smooth. Is it this way with the t6i?

Steven-Bene wrote: Also, I was looking at this Nikon d5500 now and I'm confused. People say the whole d5xxxx series has poor live view focus and I wouldn't be able to control aperature in live view. If you know anything about that can you elaborate? Thanks. I would head to the t6i immediately if it weren't for the fact that it doesn't shoot 1080 60p. It shoots 1080 60i though, and so does my gf2. With my gf2 footage, 60i can be played at half speed and will still be smooth. Is it this way with the t6i?

I can't comment on a t6i, but I can say that 1080i 60fps footage is going to be the same no matter where it comes from. Video format has nothing to do with the equipment from whence it comes.

As for live view, what does that even mean? Define "poor focus"? Does that mean it doesn't have focus peaking? That's correct, it doesn't. But you move the focus square and half-press the shutter, and it locks in beautifully. How much low-light, manual focus are you planning on doing? Even for stars  you don't need focus peaking. So I don't see a problem here, other than...

I get the impression your expectations need a bigger budget. Your looking at an entry level DSLR, which is going to be far better than what passed for a pro body not too long ago (e.g. D90). Buy what you can afford, learn to work with it, especially with its limitations, save your pennies for the future, and accept that this is not a one-and-done type of thing.

I sold work using a D5100, which funded my D750. That shoud tell you something.

Thank you. I stumbled across the Canon EOS sl2. It seems to be exactly what I am looking for, and at a decent price as well. I fully understand the whole buy what you can afford and work with it, but in my experience (not with photography) I often find exactly what I'm looking for after doing a metric ton of research. For instance, I found the Canon sl2, which to my knowledge seems to be the best value to me personally, but on the after doing dozens of ours of research. I will lower my standards and keep looking, but I don't think I'm going to find anything better for my needs than the sl2 in my price range. Thank you all for your help.