The Best Digital SLR Under $600

Page updated: December 2007

What's the best digital SLR under $600? I think it's a pretty tough call. Every year more cameras fall into this price range, and it's becoming a bit of a jumble. One thing's for sure: the digital SLR cameras under $600 fall into two distinct categories: A recently released camera with a budget price tag Older cameras that are still available in retail stores While the budget cameras are brand new - and not last year's technology - they are also aimed at the entry-level market and are sometimes not as feature rich as the older cameras.

Best Digital SLRs Overview By Year Select year... 2005 2006 2007 By Photo Style Select style... Action Landscapes Closeups By Manufacturer Select manufacturer... Canon Nikon Olympus Pentax Sony By Price Select price... Budget SLR Less than $600 Less than $1000 By Skill Level Select level... Beginner

On the flip side, some of the older cameras were quite expensive when first released (due to their advanced features) but have since fallen in price to make them more affordable to photographers getting their first digital SLR.

The Competitors

Here's the complete list of digital cameras that you can get for less than $600.

The price of the cameras that I've listed includes a lens, which means that you can get the camera body by itself (without a lens) for even less - a great option if you've already got some old film SLR lenses lying around the house.

I get all of my prices from Adorama because that's where I buy all of my camera equipment and I trust them to have competitive prices. While I'm sure you can find these cameras for less than what I've listed, please beware of digital SLR deals that seem too good to be true.

MAKER	CAMERA	RELEASED	MEGAPIXELS	U.S. PRICE
Nikon	D40	December 2006	6.1	$ 480.00
Olympus	E-410	May 2007	10	$ 495.00
Canon	Rebel XT (300D)	March 2005	8.0	$ 500.00
Pentax	K100D Super	August 2007	6.1	$ 535.00
Olympus	E-510	July 2007	10	$ 585.00
Sony	DSLR-A100	July 2006	10.2	$ 592.00

Comparative Analysis

The Canon EOS Rebel XT (350D) is the oldest camera on this list (Release Date: March 2005), but you can still find it available in a few camera stores.

Why? It's pretty simple: the Rebel XT was on the top of the digital SLR bestseller list for MONTHS - and the camera that knocked it out of it's number one spot is none other than the Canon EOS Rebel xTi (400D).

If you'd like an immensely popular camera with thousands of positive user reviews then this is going to be the best digital SLR under $600 for you.

What's missing from this camera are all of the new features that have been recently introduced in digital SLRs:

• Dust Control — a dust control system vibrates the camera's sensor to shake off dust particles. Dust particles can get on the sensor when you're changing lenses and appear as big black smudges in all of your digital photos
• Built-in Image Stabilization — stabilization systems help you take clear photos in low-light conditions without having to use a flash. When the stabilization is built in to the camera body, it works with every lens that is compatible with the camera. Canon and Nikon both include stabilization in their LENSES not the camera bodies
• Live View LCD — many digital SLRs won't let you compose photos using the LCD screen - you have to look through the viewfinder. A live view LCD lets you compose photos the same way you do with your compact digital camera

The following table shows which of these special features are available on the sub-$600 digital SLR cameras:

Like the Canon Rebel XT, the Nikon D40 has none of the special features. The camera has an additional drawback - it's not 100% compatible with every Nikon lens. Since the camera doesn't include a focusing motor, autofocus will only work on lenses that use an internal focusing mechanism (called AF-S or AF-I).

The Olympus E-410 is notable because it's the smallest and lightest digital SLR you can get your hands on - a great option for those who want the power of an SLR without having to lug around a small brick.

The E-410 also has a live view LCD, but it lacks the built-in image stabilization of its big brother the Olympus E-510.

The E-510, Pentax K100D Super and Sony DSLR-A100 are the three least expensive digital SLRs you can buy that include both dust control and built-in image stabilization systems.

My Pick

If I really had to choose just one camera as the best digital SLR under $600, I'd go with the Olympus E-510.

First off, I'm ruling out cameras that don't include built-in image stabilization, since this is a feature that I leverage constantly.

Stabilization opens up a world of creative photographic opportunities that are possible with cameras that don't have it, but requires the bulk and burden of lugging around a tripod everywhere you go.

With the Rebel XT, Nikon D40 and Olympus E-410 out of the running, that leaves us with the K100D Super, E-510 and DSLR-A100.

While the Sony A100 doesn't cost all that much more than the E-510, the E-510 costs less yet includes one more feature: the live view LCD.

Even if you don't see yourself using the live view mode all that much, it's nice to have it there for those times when you just don't feel like craning your neck to look through the viewfinder.

The Pentax K100D Super also lacks the live view, but has an advantage in the lens department: it's compatible with virtually EVERY Pentax lens ever made.

The Olympus E-510 is built based on a new system called 4/3, which means that it's only compatible with 4/3 lenses. On the plus side, the few 4/3 lenses that I've had the opportunity to use are exceptionally light and capture incredibly clear, bright images.

Since the price difference between the Pentax and Olympus is nominal, I think that the addition of live view in the E-510 makes it the better choice.

The E-510 comes in three packages: camera body only, camera with one lens or two-lens kit:

Best Digital SLRs

Digital SLR Home

Olympus E-510 Guide