Bookmark

Top 5 budget dSLRs

By Leonard Goh
August 3, 2009

The competition between electronics giants to see who can dish out the most affordable dSLR just got hotter with Olympus sub-S$1,000 E-420 and Canon's announcement of the EOS 1000D's price tag. It's going to be tough to make decisions on which model to buy.

So before you plonk down your dough for these shiny shooters, find out what brands of cameras your shutterbug mates are snapping with. It is advisable to get the same so lenses and accessories can be shared.

Meanwhile, these five entry-level units are not just packed with features--at less than S$1,500--they go easy on your wallet, too. Check out our top five picks.

Click here for a feature comparison table.

Canon EOS 1000D

First take
It's difficult to distinguish Canon's latest dSLR--the EOS 1000D--from the EOS 450D. In many ways, the new member shares a lot of similar features like the body structure, Live View function and the use of the DIGIC III image processor. Which leads us to wonder, will the new shooter eat into the EOS 450D's market?

Price:S$1,099 with EF-S 18-55mm F3.5-5.6 IS kit lens

First take | See full specs | Rate this

Olympus E-420

CNET Asia rating: 7 out of 10

The good: Small form factor; Live View with autofocus; scene modes to help beginners get started; Super Sonic Wave Filter.

The bad: No image stabilization system; autofocus sluggish in dim environment; no dedicated focusing mode switch.

The bottom line: The Olympus E-420 is a good beginner's dSLR with an extremely compact footprint that should go well with travelers. Just don't expect any fancy features for this budget model.

Price:S$999 with 14-42mm F3.5-5.6 kit lens

Review | See full specs | Rate this

Nikon D60

CNET Asia rating: 7.5 out of 10

The good: Optically stabilized kit lens; convenient onscreen user interface; compatible with a wide variety of lenses and accessories.

The bad: Pricey for what it offers; lens-based image stabilization is less flexible than sensor-shift offered by some competitors.

The bottom line: Despite modest improvements in performance and a couple of new features, Nikon's D60 fails to impress and costs more than some competing models.

Price:S$1,188 with AF-S DX 18-55mm F3.5-5.6 VR lens

Review | See full specs | Rate this

Canon EOS 450D

CNET Asia rating: 7.8 out of 10

The good: Excellent photo quality for its class; better-than-average speed.

The bad: Maximum ISO 1600; huge spot-for-spot metering.

The bottom line: It doesn't stand out for its feature set or design, but the Canon EOS Rebel XSi delivers on performance and photo quality.

Price:S$1,499 with EF-S 18-55mm F3.5-5.6 IS kit lens

Review | See full specs | Rate this

Sony Alpha DSLR-A350

CNET Asia rating: 7.2 out of 10

The good: Sensor-shift image stabilization; useful Live View implementation with flip-up LCD.

The bad: Kit lens could be better; mixed performance; small viewfinder; interface annoyances.

The bottom line: Unless you're prepared to spend a disproportionate amount of money on a really good lens, the resolution bump offered by the Sony Alpha DSLR-A350 isn't worth the price.

Price:S$1,399 with DT 18-70mm F3.5-5.6 kit lens

Review | See full specs | Rate this

« Back to Digicams