6 Best DSLR Cameras in 2023 [Tested and Reviewed]

Canon is the top digital camera manufacturer in Japan. Their EOS Rebel T8i is an entry-level DSLR camera with a top-class autofocus function. We used an EF-S18-55mm F4-5.6 IS STM for our test. It produced beautiful, vivid, and warm colors. There aren’t many color modes to choose from, so it might not be suitable for those who want to change the color based on the environment and conditions, but it captures photos in a high enough resolution to see the complex details of the subject while also limiting the vivid red and purple noise in dark places. Its auto-white balance corrected the white balance very well.

The camera demonstrated superior autofocus performance and rarely failed to follow the subject. The object was in focus about 95 percent of the time, so you can let your camera handle the focus when taking pictures of moving objects. You don’t need to worry about image stabilization during typical photography. We found this camera very easy to use, as the menu can be changed to a beginner-friendly version. It has a touchscreen, which makes it feel like you are using a smartphone.

It has a large grip and is easy to hold for people of all ages and body builds. It’s not especially small, but it’s not too big to be hard to carry. While there are plenty of used lenses to choose from, the majority of first-party lenses have been discontinued. There are a large amount of both new and used third-party lenses, so unless you want new first-party lenses in particular, you’ll have plenty of options to choose from. It’s easy to use even for beginners, and has excellent autofocus, allowing you to enjoy photography to the fullest. This should be the top choice for anyone looking to buy their first DSLR camera.

The EOS Rebel SL3 by Canon, the top company in the DSLR market, is a small, lightweight camera that is easy to use for beginners and an ideal entry-level product. We used an EF-S18-55mm F4-5.6 IS STM in our test. It produces warm colors and a natural ambiance, but the number of color modes is a bit underwhelming. We have no complaints about the resolution in bright areas, but there was some noticeable noise in dark areas, which hurt the image quality. However, it produces natural colors in dark areas and achieves a great white balance.

While it performed well in the autofocus test, staying in focus about 92 percent of the time, it sometimes had trouble when the subject changed its movements. Even still, it didn’t take long to get the subject back in focus, so it probably wouldn’t be an issue in everyday use. It also provided adequate image stabilization for both the wide-angle and telephoto shots. The menu can be changed to a beginner-friendly mode that’s easy to understand, including an interface that uses many icons and illustrations.

The depth of the grip makes it easy to carry as well. It’s compact and lightweight for a DSLR camera, so it’s very easy to carry overall. While there is a vast array of first-party 35mm full-frame lenses to choose from, production has ended for the majority of APS-C lenses. Used and third-party lenses are easy to find, so there are plenty of lens options if you include these. This camera sports easy-to-use menus and comfortable portability, making it an excellent choice for beginners and anyone looking for a lightweight camera.

Pentax, part of the Ricoh Imaging Group, is a famous Japanese brand with many passionate fans. The K-70 is a dust and splash-resistant entry-level camera with a pentaprism finder. An smc PENTAX-DA 18-135mm F3.5-5.6ED AL[IF] DC WR lens was used for this test. This camera produces natural, vibrant colors and has a huge variety of unique color modes that you can’t help but want to try out. It achieves high resolution and excellent white balance in both bright and dark areas. The saturation suffers a bit in dark areas, but not enough to be disappointing.

We had no complaints about the autofocus functionality, as it kept the subject in focus even when it abruptly moved closer or changed direction. It had a success rate of about 87 percent, so you should have nothing to worry about most of the time. It had superb image stabilization of both the wide-angle and telephoto shots, making it perfect if you want to take photos at night or use a telephoto lens without a tripod.

The menu is a typical DSLR interface with a lot of jargon that might be hard for a beginner to understand. It doesn’t have a touchscreen, so you can’t operate it like a smartphone. On the other hand, it does have a classic DSLR grip, making it easy to hold. It’s not exactly lightweight, which may be due to the fact that it’s dust and splash-resistant.

While there aren’t as many used Pentax lenses out there as there are for other companies, they have about four times as many first-party APS-C lenses. Other companies have stopped producing DSLR lenses, but Pentax released five new models in 2021, giving you a vast selection to choose from. We recommend this camera for people looking for the most bang for their buck. It’s an entry model, but has a pentaprism finder and is crafted with extreme attention to detail.

The EOS 90D by Canon is a popular mid-level DSLR camera with the highest pixel count, fastest continuous shooting speed, and best facial recognition with OVF in its class. For this test, we used the EF-S18-135mm F3.5-5.6 IS USM lens. This camera captured vibrant colors and gorgeous gradation with high contrast. The resolution is as great as you would expect from a high pixel model, and although it suffered a bit in the dark, its powerful color reproduction delivered beautiful photos in both light and dark places.

It successfully traced the subject, keeping it in focus about 90 percent of the time during continuous shooting, making it a good camera for taking pictures of objects in motion. It also provides ample image stabilization, preventing the blur that is noticeable in many high pixel models. On the other hand, it has a lot of buttons for operation and setup, so it’s better suited for experienced users. The grip is deep enough to allow even those with big hands to hold it easily.

It includes a touch panel, making screen functions like zooming in and out easier. Weighing in at about one and a half pounds, it's on the larger and heavier side, so it isn’t the easiest camera to carry around. While many of its lenses have been discontinued in recent years, there are plenty of options available on the secondhand market, so you should be able to find the right lens for the job. If you’re looking for new lenses, there are also a plethora of third-party products available.

This camera is produced by Ricoh Imaging, a company that manufactures optical instruments such as DSLR cameras and binoculars. It is a high-spec DSLR camera with best-in-class finder magnification and the ability to take 12 pictures per second in continuous shooting mode. We went with the HD PENTAX-DA 20-40mmF2.8-4ED Limited DC WR for testing. The pictures taken with this camera had lush, natural coloration with beautiful variations. It has high resolution and the pictures appear sharp without needing to magnify them.

While we noticed some noise when using it in the dark, the resolution didn’t suffer. The color reproduction was excellent, although the white balance was a bit biased towards warm colors. The subdued color modes reproduce the colors of film in a refined way that we think professionals would appreciate. Overall, the image quality was fantastic. The autofocus functioned at a high level, tracking the subject even as it moved rapidly from side to side. While the focus sometimes shifted to the background, it corrected itself quickly. With a rate of about 91 percent, this camera performed admirably in this test. The image stabilization was relatively effective, so you can use it normally without worrying about blurry images.

The menus and settings are presented in the typical DSLR style, so they might be hard to understand for beginners or those who aren’t used to it. While it has a good grip, it's a hefty one pound 13 ounces and has many buttons, making it more suitable for people with a bit of experience. There aren’t as many used lenses available as there are for Nikon or Canon models, but there are several first-party lenses still in production. With four times as many APS-C lenses as other companies, this is a good choice if you want new, first-party lenses.

The D7500 is by Nikon, camera makers trusted by professional photographers around the world. It's a popular camera with top-level image quality and continuous shooting speed all packed in a compact body. Our lens of choice for the test was the AF-S DX NIKKOR 18-140mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR. This camera boasts excellent saturation and can produce distinguishable colors, even if they only differ slightly. While the coloration is very natural, the color modes are rather basic and don’t attract interest. It takes beautiful pictures in the dark without noticeable noise and has superb white balance.

The outstanding autofocus allows you to easily take pictures of moving objects as the camera does all the work. While the subject went out of focus occasionally during continuous shooting, it corrected itself right away. Its focus rate of 91 percent is very good. It showed great image stabilization on both the wide-angle and telephoto shots, so blurring is not a concern during typical use. Since the menu is typical of DSLR cameras, there is a lot of jargon that can be hard to understand for beginners. It has a plethora of buttons, as you would expect from a mid-range camera, so it will take beginners a while to get used to, but experienced users shouldn’t have a problem.

 It weighs one pound nine ounces, so it can’t be called small or easy to carry. Nikon’s first-party lenses are being phased out, but there’s no shortage of options if you look to used and third-party products. As long as you don’t insist on using only new lenses, there are plenty of choices available.