Dpreview has recently published their DPreview 2017 Buying Guide: Best cameras for students
If you’re looking to learn more about photography there are some great cameras available. We’ve chosen a handful of models that offer an affordable way into photography, but give you plenty of scope to grow as you develop your skills. We’ve highlighted the two whose level of control and range of available lenses mean you won’t find yourself held back as your photography develops.
Our pick: Nikon D5600
There’s a lot to say for buying into a well-established system if you’re going to be taking your camera to classes or workshops. Nikon is, of course, one of those systems, and we think that the mid-range D5600 will fit a student photographer just right.
The D5600’s 24MP sensor is capable of great-looking JPEGs and excellent Raw image quality in terms of both dynamic range and low light performance. It’s a fairly compact camera, but controls don’t feel fiddly. Autofocus performance for viewfinder shooting is at the top of the class —live view AF is better with AF-P lenses, but generally lags behind Canon’s Dual Pixel system.
Simply put, it’s a highly capable camera that will continue to deliver good results for many years to come.
Also recommended: Fujifilm X-T20
Fujifilm’s X-series cameras are gaining plenty of recognition among photographers, and we think the Fujifilm X-T20 is well worth your consideration.
It offers Fuji’s 24MP X-Trans sensor and all of the wonderful film-like JPEG processing modes that come with it. It uses a version of the X-T2’s very good AF system, offers a high-quality built-in electronic viewfinder and provides decent 4K video capture. Fujifilm offers a fine selection of lenses, so while you might not be borrowing them from Canon and Nikon-toting peers, it’s a good system to grow into when you’re able to purchase more glass.
Oh, and that vintage DSLR-styling is easy on the eyes too.
We considered all of the cameras below when picking our winner, and even though we think the the D5600 is the best all-rounder, the other products on our shortlist are all worthy contenders.
If you’re not convinced by our pick, take a look at the following cameras and read on for a detailed breakdown of their strengths and weaknesses.
Also consider: