Short & sweet overview of the popular DSLRS and which might be best for you . Some of these recommendations are based on prices that fluctuate daily, check in with me @camerarec to get my absolute latest recommendations. All prices in US dollars. UPDATE (11/27)- T2i price has dropped plus a bundled lens deal makes the T2i VERY appealing – Link for bundle and extras The very short & sweet guide- My Recs [<$500 = Canon XS/1000D, Budget($600) = Nikon D3100,  $800-$1000 = Canon T2i,  $1000-$1500 = Nikon D7000,  Above $1500 = 7D] Slightly longer  guide-

Budget (< $600)

Best of the bunch: Nikon D3100 Buy a Nikon D3100 14MP, 1080P video @ 24 FPS, very user friendly with guide mode and full time auto focus in video mode, Very high ISO = good low light performance (~$700) Cheaper but without video functions Buy a Canon XS/1000D – 10 MP megapixels, Live View, 3″ LCD with 230K resolution (~$450) One benefit to buying the XS (or any of canon’s DSLRS)- you can autofocus with a cheap but good lens like the 50mm f/1.8 (~$90)which gives you nice lower light performance and depth of field control, an excellent lens to learn photography with. If you buy the D3100 the cheapest lens that will give you the same ability/control is several hundred dollars more. It might not ever matter to you, you may be happy using the lens that camera comes with, and there are plenty of other lenses that will work with the D3100, but you should be aware. Feel free to ask me follow up questions on this, it can be confusing and intimidating trying to figure out what lens will do what for you. Do you need to go cheaper than $450?  Look for USED Canon XSi or Nikon D40 – These are still fine cameras and have all the features you need to learn photography. Prices are anywhere from $350 – $450. NOTE: More about which lenses will Autofocus with the entry level nikons – if you buy a D40/D60/D3000/D3100/D5000 you need to look at my list of compatible(will auto-focus) lenses Some of the cheaper lenses will not autofocus on this camera and for some that is a reason to buy the XS.

$700 – $1000

Best of the bunch: Canon’s T2i ($699 Deal until Jan 8th) Buy a Canon T2i, Offers excellent HD video (multiple FPS @ 1080p and less), 3″ 1,040k LCD(gorgeous resolution & perfect, 3:2 aspect ratio), 18MP with good low-light performance (~$899) Buy a Canon T1i – if video is less important to you and you are on a tight budget – 15MP camera with decent HD Video, 3″ 920k LCD,  (~$720) Buy a Nikon D90 Gives you a bigger body, brighter viewfinder and excellent low-light performance, HD video(720p limited to 5 min clips), 3″ 920k LCD & viewfinder along w/ built in wireless flash capabilities at just about $1000 –  The D90 body is now $856 and Nikon has stated that it will be discontinued at the end of the year so I expect this price to go up as it gets harder to find and 3rd party schmucks jack up the price.   D90 compared to the T2i: T2i shoots significantly better video(less jello effect, full 1080p with variable frame rates), higher resolution LCD, 18MP vs 12MP.  D90 advantages are size and build quality(magnesium body vs plastic build T2i), viewfinder is bigger/brighter,  built-in wireless flash control and a kit lens with more range 18-105 vs 18-55 with T2i.

$1000 – $1500

Best of the bunch:  Undecided- need hear more field reports from the use of the D7000 Buy a Nikon D7000 ($1499 w/ 18-105 lens) shipping mid-October 16MP, Excellent low-light performance, HD video, 920k LCD , 100% viewfinder, built in wireless flash capabilities, dual SD card slots Buy a Canon 60D ($1399 w/ 18-135 lens) Same sensor as t2i and 7D = same image and video options/quality. What sets 60D apart is articulating LCD, manual audio controls for shooting video and a build that is still plastic and similar to the rebel line but w/ top LCD and a more solid(good) feel.

> $1500

Canon’s 7D 18MP, 100% viewfinder, Dual DIGIC 4 and new AutoFocus are great.  Stellar HD video. Excellent build quality (weather sealed & ergonomics). More here (~$1499) Buy a D300s12MP w/ 18-200mm VR II Lens – Not full frame but excellent quality, low-light performance and video in a much more affordable package (~$2500 w/ very nice 18-200 lens) (~$1800 body only) > $2500 Buy a 5D Mark II 21.1MP Full Frame 24-105mm f/4 L IS USM Lens – Gorgeous giant images and jaw dropping HD video (~$3000) If you buy a Canon take a moment to look at my recommended lens list. This list covers the basics, if you are considering any of these cameras find me on twitter(@camerarec) and let’s talk about which is best for you