Five Best DSLRs

If you're ready to move up from a point-and-shoot to a more advanced camera, and you're ready for the challenges that come with a deeper dive into photography, you'll need a decent DSLR. We put the question out to you: which DSLRs are the best of breed for the budding photographer who's willing to learn but has outgrown a point-and-shoot? Here's a look at five of the most popular models you recommended.

We knew we wouldget a ton of great suggestions when we asked you which DSLRs you thought were the best of breed (excluding high-end professional gear, of course), and you offered up over 200 nominations. There's no way we would dare to say these are the five absolute best DSLRs on the market, and yes?as with every hive?the best depends on what you're going to do with the tool, but there are definitely models you would recommend and models you wouldn't. Here are the five you said were the best for our hypothetical photographer. Let's take a look.

Nikon D800

Nikon's near $3,000 D800 (body only) is certainly at the top of the line when it comes to features and options, and offers unparalleled photo and video quality in a relatively compact and portable frame. It's a 36.3 megapixel model, sports a CMOS sensor, can shoot photos at four frames per second, and can capture full 1080p video at up to 30fps. It uses Nikon's F mount so you can use it with a massive array of lenses, and supports both SD and Compact Flash storage options. Many of you pointed out that it's hard to argue with the top of the line in this case, regardless of your brand loyalties. For more features and specs, hit the link above or read dpreview's extensive review of the D800 here.

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Canon EOS 5D

The Canon EOS 5D series of cameras premiered in 2005, and while we've linked the near $3,500 (body only) Mk III above (which launched about a year ago), many of you may be more familiar with the tried and true $2,200 (body only) 5D Mk II, which has been around since 2008. The Mk II has a 21.1 megapixel camera with a CMOS sensor, shoots photos at 3.9 frames per second, and can capture full 1080p video. It supports CompactFlash for storage, and uses Canon's EF lens mount. The MK III on the other hand is a 22.3 megapixel model with a CMOS sensor, shoots at up to 6 frames per second, captures 1080p full HD video, and supports SD or CompactFlash storage. It also uses the EF lens mount. For a more detailed description of both models, visit dpreview's review of the Mk II and the Mk III.

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Canon EOS Rebel T3i / 600D

The EOS Rebel T3i is a $600 camera (body only), originally launched in 2011. It's part of the "Digital Rebel" line, Canon's line of consumer-friendly, "affordable" DSLRs. The T3i (aka the 600D) is a good example of those strong features at a modest price point (especially compared with other DSLRs.) It packs an 18 megapixel CMOS sensor, offers continuous shooting at 3.2 frames per second, shoots full HD video at 1080p, supports SD storage, and leverages Canon's widely used EF lens mount so you have access to a huge library of compatible lenses. Many of you nominated it as an incredible bang-for-the-buck model, especially for a budding photographer who shouldn't spend thousands of dollars on a camera before they really need it. Also worth noting, the T3i is the last-generation model?the EOS Rebel T4i ($800 body only) is the new hotness (dpreview's score here). Hit the link above for more specs on the T3i, or read dpreview's complete review here.

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Nikon D600

The Nikon D600 is a step down from the D800, but still weighs in at $2100 (body only). It sports a 24.3 megapixel CMOS sensor, offers continuous shooting at 5.5 frames per second, captures full 1080p HD video at 30fps, and uses SD cards for storage. It uses Nikon's F mount, so any lenses you may have for other NIkon cameras should work just fine on the D600. Many of you nominiated it for cramming a number of the D800's better features into a smaller, slimmer body with a considerably lower price tag. For more, hit the link above for tech specs, or head over to dpreview's review of the unit.

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Canon EOS 6D

The EOS 6D will set you back close to $2100 (body only), which makes sense considering it was only publicly announced last September (and hit the market in November)?it's still relatively new on the market. It's a 20.2 megapixel model with a CMOS sensor, and is the first Canon EOS model to support built-in Wi-Fi and GPS, which let you auto-tag your photos and videos with location and instantly upload them to the web (or social networks of your choice.) It supports SD storage, uses Canon's standard EF lens mount, offers continuous shooting at 4.5 frames per second, and records full 1080p HD video. It's a great example of a current-gen camera with a number of features that will be standard on just about every model in the coming years. For more info, hit the link above or visit dpreview to read more, although they haven't posted a full review of it yet. They have, however, posted a hands-on preview.

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Now that we've seen the top five, let's put them to an all-out vote.

Honorable mentions this week go to the Canon EOS 7D, which missed the top five by just one vote, and the new Nikon D5100, which missed by just two. Both earned high praise from their respective fans, and both are worth looking into if you're shopping for a new DSLR. We also have to give a nod to the Pentax K5-II (and indeed, Pentax in general), for offering high quality DSLRs at comparably modest prices compared to the big boys like Nikon and Canon?so much so that one reader penned this 1400 word masterpiece on why Pentax rocks. Now that's dedication.

Have something to say about one of the contenders? Want to make the case for your personal favorite, even if it wasn't included in the list? Remember, the top five are based on your most popular nominations from the call for contenders thread from earlier in the week. Don't just complain about the top five, let us know what your preferred alternative is?and make your case for it?in the discussions below.

The Hive Five is based on reader nominations. As with most Hive Five posts, if your favorite was left out, it's not because we hate it?it's because it didn't get the nominations required in the call for contenders post to make the top five. We understand it's a bit of a popularity contest, but if you have a favorite, we want to hear about it. Have a suggestion for the Hive Five? Send us an email at tips+hivefive@lifehacker.com!

Title photo by Luke Ma.

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/lifehacker/full/~3/xxwJRECMLZE/five-best-dslrs

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