5 Best DSLR Cameras Under $1000 in 2021 [Mid-Range Champs]

DSLR cameras have been around for a while and if you’re looking for one under a thousand dollars, you’re probably an amateur photographer or someone who just needs a secondary camera to shoot B-roll and stuff. In either case, your search ends here as I’ve curated a list with a detailed breakdown of the best DSLR cameras you can buy for under $1000.

Our target price point doesn’t really have cameras that are good at everything. So, you need to make sure that you get the one that suits your needs the best. Getting the wrong camera means a waste of your money and getting stuck with something that doesn’t help you express your maximum creativity.

It is normal to get confused with so many specifications & features considering the heavily flawed and misleading marketing of the companies. So, to get all those confusions out of your way, I’ve tried to pick out the core ingredients and compile them in the comprehensive reviews listed below.

5 Best DSLR Cameras Under $1000

Curating a highly appropriate list of devices required me to evaluate a large number of devices and make eliminations based on their qualities to drawback ratio. Of course, the price was also a key factor in the process. The final selection contains a total of five DSLRs besting out in their respective price segments.

Keep in mind that you don’t even need to spend $1000 as it is possible that a cheaper camera will be more than enough for your workflow. So, read the reviews carefully and check if you can in fact save some more money on your new camera.

1. Best Overall: Canon EOS Rebel T8i

Canon makes some excellent DSLR cameras at a variety of price points and the Canon EOS Rebel T8i is the best they make under $1000. It is packed with modern features 4K video recording, dual-pixel autofocus, flip display, etc., and some really important essentials at a considerably low price.

Design & Build

Canon’s commitment to making high-quality cameras reflects really well with the T8i. The device is extremely well made and it only weighs around 1.17 lbs, so it’s pretty easy to shoot handheld. No, the quality doesn’t really rival their flagship products, but for this price point, the build quality is really good.

As far as design goes, if you’re familiar with the previous EOS T line of cameras nothing much has changed. The most interesting element though is the 3-inch vari-angle flip display which can be used to film yourself or to dig deeper into settings. All the basic controls are available on the body though, but there is no top monitoring display.

Sensor & Capabilities

The device comes with a 24.1MP APS-C sensor and it is really capable. Combined with Canon’s latest Digic 8 processor this sensor can do 7FPS photos and has a crazy ISO range of 100-25600 which can be extended to 51200. Although, in low-light, using super-high ISO values will introduce significant digital noise.

Thanks to the Dual Phase Detection Autofocus (Dual PDAF), shots are always in focus, and Eye-AF is also available. If you’re trying to do sports photography, you can pair a fast lens and start shooting. The camera supports all EF mount lenses from Canon. The shutter speed range varies from 1/4000 to 30 seconds.

If we talk about photo quality in general, the images are high-quality with excellent detail retention, great dynamic range, vivid colors, and low-light performance is really impressive for the price. Canon’s color science and the Digic 8 processor have really come through here and,  needless to say, this is a full-fledged photography weapon.

Video

The video recording capabilities are a real strong suit for the T8i. No, you don’t get super-high frame rates, but it lets you record excellent quality 4K footage at 24 frames per second. That’s the default frame rate for production, so the majority of you are going to use that anyway. If you do need 60 FPS though, you’ll need to drop down to 1080P.

There is no slow-motion, but you can shoot high-quality Time Lapse footage up to 4K 30 FPS or 1080P 60 FPS. Videos turn out great and thanks to that fast autofocus, the subject is always in focus. If you do want to use manual focus though, you’re more than welcome and it also supports manual exposure & custom white balance.

Inputs & Connectivity

The number of inputs is limited, but Canon has provided a USB 2.0 (Micro Type-B), USB Type-C with HDMI out, and a 3.5mm Mic jack. That means you can attach an external display and a microphone to the camera. The SD card slot supports up to UHS-I speeds. As far as connectivity goes, it has Bluetooth 4.2 and 802.11 b/g/n (2.4 GHz) Wi-Fi.

Battery Life

Canon’s LP E-17 performs really well for this camera with up to 1240 shots while using the optical viewfinder or 360 shots while shooting in Live View using the LCD display. This is a huge advantage as electronic viewfinders in mirrorless cameras drain a lot of your battery, so you can shoot a lot more photos with this camera.

Should you get this Camera?

There is nothing that can beat the Canon T8i right now. If you need those sweet 4K videos and photos wrapped in Canon’s color science alongside, all the perks available thanks to that Digic 8 processor, get the T8i and you won’t have a complaint.

2. Best Runner Up: Nikon D5600

In case you’re part of the Nikon tribe, then the Nikon D5600 might just be the best option for you under the desired price segment. This camera is more focused on photography, and that is something Nikon has spent years mastering. So, although this is a value-oriented device, you can get some killer performance out of it.

Design & Build

The D5600 is one of the lower-mid rangers from the company and Nikon has provided really good build quality for the device. It feels solid and hefty in the hand and that grip is really nice. The device weighs just 0.91 lbs, so it’s a delight to shoot handheld even if you’re shooting for a long period of time.

As far as design goes, the device has an old-school Nikon look. That means it looks pretty similar to other budget & mid-range Nikon DSLR cameras. It also has a vari-angle flip display, but it is slightly bigger at 3.2 inches. The device doesn’t come with a top monitoring display, but all the basic controls are in place.

Sensor & Capabilities

Nikon has used a 24.2MP APS-C sensor in the D5600 and it performs really well. The device can do up to 5 FPS for photos, the ISO range goes from 100 to 25600, and the Shutter Speed goes from 1/4000 to 30 sec. These numbers are rather impressive for a DSLR of this price.

As far as focusing goes, it is regular Contrast-detection Autofocus which isn’t as good as PDAF. So, the focusing speeds are slower and if the object is moving a lot, the device might just miss the focus a lot. It supports AF-P type E & G AF-S lenses with Autofocus and AI-P lenses without Autofocus.

When it comes to the sheer quality of images, they are excellent with true-to-life colors, a lot of details, good dynamic range, and controlled noise levels in artificial lighting conditions. Low-light photos come out really good too. Of course, you should avoid using extreme ISO values or there will be a lot of noise.

Video

Video recording was never the major focus of budget & mid-range cameras from the company and that reflects on the D5600. The device supports 1080P video up to 60 FPS. The quality of the video itself is good, but if you’re using Autofocus, you’re not gonna have a great experience with that.

Shooting in low light will introduce some noise and the most effective way to deal with it using a wide-aperture lens. You can tinker with the settings a bit, but if you are trying to shoot outdoors at night or indoors without enough external lighting, you may end of with some noise and the focusing will also suffer a bit.

Inputs & Connectivity

The company has provided all the essentials including USB Type-C with HDMI out, Micro USB, and even an external Mic jack. The SD card slot supports SD, SDXC, and SDHC cards with up to UHS-I speeds. For connectivity, you get Bluetooth 4.1, 802.11 b/g Wi-Fi, NFC (Type 3), and GPS.

Battery Life

There is an EN-EL14a battery that can last up to 970 shots while shooting with the optical viewfinder. If you use the display, it goes somewhere close to 300 shots. The battery life is fine, but considering how well Canon is doing in this price segment, I wish it was slightly better.

Should you get this Camera?

A lot of photographers prefer Nikon’s color science over Canon, and if you’re one of them, go ahead and get the Nikon D5600. You can also buy this camera if you’re fine with photos being the main focus and you’d like to save the extra money. If you’re going for the video capabilities, the T8i is a better option.

3. Best for Ease of Use: Canon EOS Rebel SL3

If you liked the T8i and you need Canon’s color science and some of those modern features, but you also want to save some extra money, the Canon EOS Rebel SL3 is a great alternative. It is like a smaller, lighter, and more affordable version of the T8i with a few downgrades here & there.

Design & Build

The EOS Rebel SL3 is one of Canon’s compact DSLRs which is a bit easier to fit in tight spaces and a little easier to shoot handheld with. The device weighs a respectable 0.98 lbs which is a result of its smaller form factor. The build quality is really good though and the reduced size of the grip isn’t really a problem.

The camera looks like every other budget and mid-range camera from Canon, just smaller. It has nice looks and it also has a 3-inch vari-angle flip LCD touchscreen. That means it’s easier to vlog with if you’re into that. You get all the basic controls and the touchscreen allows even more comprehensive controls.

Sensor & Capabilities

Canon has used a 24.1MP APS-C CMOS sensor and even the SL3 comes with Digic 8 processor. That means the set of capabilities is actually very similar, but because of the lower price, some of those are toned down a bit. For example, although the ISO range is still 100-25600 (expandable: 51200), it shoots at 5 FPS instead of 7.

The Dual Pixel AF is still here, but it’s only 9-point cross-type autofocus instead of 45-point on the T8i. This is still faster and more accurate than contrast autofocus, but it is a little bit slower than the one on its more expensive sibling. The Shutter Speed range remains the same at 1/4000 – 30 seconds.

Photos come out great though. There are tons of details, great colors, and good dynamic range. It does have slightly more visible noise in low-light, especially if you’re using closed aperture lenses. Otherwise, the produced images look great considering the price point.

Video

One thing that the company has prioritized in this camera is video. It can shoot 4K footage at 24 FPS or 1080P footage up to 60 FPS. for timelapse, you can go up to 4K 30 FPS. The video looks nice with proper detail retention and good dynamic range. The focusing is comparatively slow, but it’s workable.

This is one of the price points where 4K video in DSLRs is a luxury, so that makes the SL3 one of the best 4K options available under 1000 dollars. However, low-light footage may suffer a bit with some noise, but focusing is actually still faster compared to the D5600 thanks to the PDAF system. Overall, this is a good camera for shooting videos.

Inputs & Connectivity

The number of inputs is actually nice for a budget camera with Mini HDMI, High-Speed USB, and external Mic input (3.5 mm). The fact that you can attach an external microphone to this thing, is pretty amazing for this segment. For connectivity, you get Bluetooth 4.1 and 802.11 b/g/n Wi-Fi.

Battery Life

One area where this camera has a huge advantage is Battery Life. With the optical viewfinder, you can get up to 1630 shots which is huge, and with the display, you can get up to 350 shots. That’s a lot of juice from the same LP-E17 cell. So, unless you’re shooting long videos or going on long trips, you won’t need spare batteries.

Should you get this Camera

If you want to save some extra cash and would rather have toned-down features instead of not having them at all, the Canon EOS Rebel SL3 is the perfect camera for you. It has very little compromise for a lot less money. It’s also a great choice if you’re looking for a smaller camera body.

4. Best DSLR for Beginners: Nikon D3500

If you are looking for something closer to the beginner level, the Nikon D3500 is an excellent choice. It is perfect to start your photography journey and for mastering the skills before you move onto a more advanced & expensive model.

Design & Build

The Nikon D3500 almost looks exactly the same as the D5600 with very subtle differences here and there. It is built well though, so you won’t be having complaints in that department. The device weighs around 0.8 lbs, so it’s easy to shoot handheld with.

Other than the solid build, it also comes with a 3-inch vari-angle display, so that’s really helpful if you’re taking high-res selfies on your camera or filming yourself. Controls are limited as this is after all a budget device, but you do get buttons & dials for the essentials.

Sensor & Capabilities

The 24.2MP APS-C sensor doesn’t go toe to toe with its pricier siblings, but it gets pretty close. It still has 5 FPS shooting, an ISO range of 100-25600, and shutter speeds ranging from 1/4000 to 30 seconds. The burst shooting rate is still good considering this is after all a budget-oriented device.

It only supports contrast autofocus though, so it’s not as fast. That means it’s totally fine when taking photos of still or relatively sluggish subjects, but if your subject moves too fast, you’re gonna end up with out-of-focus images a lot.

The photos turn out to be really good with a nice amount of details, above-average dynamic range, and natural colors. Low-light is a bit messier as digital noise is often visible and that is also true for artificial lighting situations unless you have a lot of external lights in a studio environment.

Video

Just like the D5600, the Nikon D3500 also allows up to 1080P 60FPS video recording. The quality of the video is fine, but because of the slower focusing system, I will recommend using manual focus as much as you can. But, this is an issue when the subject is moving closer or away from the camera.

This is definitely not a video-centric device, but a lot of cameras often skip 60 FPS at this price point, so that gives the D3500 an edge here. Low-light video is actually not that different compared to the D5600. You may get some noise and focusing problems if you’re not shooting on a wide-aperture lens.

Inputs & Connectivity

This is an area where you will get multiple compromises. Firstly there is a High-speed USB, and a USB Type-C port with HDMI out, but there is no 3.5mm Mic jack. On the connectivity side, you get Bluetooth 4.1, and 802.11 b/g Wi-Fi, so no GPS hardware is available in this case. The GPS isn’t really an issue, audio from the internal mic surely is.

Battery Life

The EN-EL14a battery cell can provide up to 1550 shots on a single charge. That is more than what the D5600 can do and this is where the D3500 beats it. So, if you’re doing casual photography or even small shoots, one charge should give you enough charge to cover it.

Should you get this Camera

If you’re getting your first camera and you need to get yourself familiar with the controls and get started with DSLR photography, the Nikon D3500 is a nice device to start off with. It is easy to use and the quality of the photos is nice too. If you want to start with a Nikon, this is the model to get.

5. Cheapest Option: Canon EOS Rebel T7

In case you’d prefer a beginner DSLR from Canon instead, the Canon EOS Rebel T7 is currently the best beginner-level camera that the company makes. It has all the essential features, good quality photos & videos, and the price is super compelling.

Design & Build

The budget cameras from Canon don’t really have the same excellent build quality as their upper-mid-rangers. But, for the price, it is still built quite well. The in-hand feel is solid and the grip is great. A weight of just 1.04 lbs makes it easy to use handheld and still makes it feel hefty.

There is a 3.0-inch display on the back, but in this case, it is fixed. So, no tilt, no flip, and you’re gonna have to live with that. If you need a flip display, spend a little more and get the Nikon D3500. The overall design is classic canon though and you do get all the essential buttons and the control dial.

Sensor & Capabilities

Canon is using a 24.1MP APS-C sensor and it has been paired with a Digic 4+ processor. This combination isn’t as powerful as the earlier devices we talked about from the company, but it’s still pretty capable. The ISO ranges from 100 to 6400 which can be extended to 12800. The shutter speed still goes from 1/4000 to 30 seconds.

Unlike some of its pricier siblings, the Rebel T7 also skips on PDAF and depends on 9-point Contrast Autofocusing instead. That means it is slower and less reliable by today’s standards. Low-light is workable, but at this price, we can’t really expect to get noise-free shots. If you’re shooting indoors, good lighting is essential.

Talking about the quality of the photos, this is where Canon’s color science does the magic. Even though it’s a budget device, the images look really great with vivid colors, well-retained details, and a better dynamic range compared to the D3500.

Video

This is one of the few Canon cameras where video recording isn’t really a focus. It only supports 1080P up to 30FPS and 24 FPS is also supported. So, if that’s enough for you, you can definitely shoot some video on it. Keep in mind that the autofocus will be slow and moving subjects can get out of focus at times.

I do not recommend this camera if you’re getting it to mainly shoot videos on it. The footage looks fine, but the super basic capabilities and the fixed display kinda kills the purpose. Also, low-light performance is no prize either.

Inputs & Connectivity

Canon has included one High-Speed USB and a USB Type-C port with HDMI out as far as inputs go. The SD card slot doesn’t support UHS speeds. However, they made a weird choice with connectivity as alongside 802.11 b/g/n Wi-Fi, they’ve included NFC instead of Bluetooth. So, if you want external controls, you’ll need to use the app.

Battery Life

There is a smaller LP-E10 battery and it can shoot up to 600 photos when using the optical viewfinder and around 260 shots with the display. This isn’t a very good battery life, so you should always keep an extra pair of batteries around, just in case.

Should you get this Camera

The Canon EOS Rebel T7 is a great beginner camera and would be excellent to start your DSLR photography journey. If you want to save some cash, you don’t need the better video options, and you like Canon’s color science, then this one is a no-brainer.

Frequently Asked Questions

Verdict

The world of DSLRs has reached its prime state and it is now saturated with good cameras that don’t cost you years of savings. This is the best time to get a DSLR under $1000 and as you’ve reached at the end of this article, I hope you already found the best camera for yourself.

However, in case you’re still confused, this is the short version:

• If you want to use the full budget and need the best camera for photos and videos, get the Canon EOS Rebel T8i. It’s the best canon DSLR to buy under $1000.
• In case you want a similar camera from Nikon instead, get the Nikon D5600.
• For a slightly more affordable option that keeps most of the stuff of the pricier models with an ever so slight downgrade, get the Canon EOS SL3.
• If you want a more beginner-level camera that’s cheaper and does the basics really well, get the Nikon D3500.
•  In case you’d prefer Canon’s color science for your beginner camera, get the Canon EOS Rebel T7.

Still haven’t found the right camera for your needs? Comment below!