Mirrorless cameras are great, but don't believe the headlines – they did not kill DSLRs. In fact, not only is there a lot of life in these cameras, there has never been a better time to be a DSLR owner or to invest in your first DSLR system.
You see, while mirrorless models didn't kill DSLRs, they did make them a whole lot more affordable. Crucially, they made the lenses cheaper as well – so whether you're a practicing professional who makes money from photography, or an eager enthusiast just graduating from your smartphone, your money goes way further with a DSLR.
The fact that they're cheaper doesn't mean that they're any less capable, either. Take the mighty Nikon D850, for example – not just one of the best DSLRs ever made, but one of the best cameras ever made.
Its 45.7MP full-frame sensor is virtually the same one that's in the latest Nikon Z7 II mirrorless camera. Plus, as is the case with all DSLRs, you get the benefit of far superior battery life. The Z7 II can only eke out 360 shots per charge, while the D850 can shoot for days on end and smash out 1,840 shots. That's 411% more photos without having to change your battery!
By buying your camera from a trusted pre-owned reseller, you can get this premium performance at an astonishing price. KEH, for example, offers certified gear with professionally graded gear that comes with a 180-day warranty – and at prices up to 40% off retail. You can pick up a Nikon D850 for just $1,230 at KEH, saving yourself over a thousand bucks on the $2,495 price brand new.
Pro performance, without the price tag
This canny combination, of buying a DSLR at a pre-owned price, enables you to put together an incredible bang-for-buck bundle that would be impossible if buying a mirrorless camera brand new. Not to mention the lenses to go with it!
Let's look at the Canon EOS 5D Mark III, an absolute workhorse camera that was the tool of full-time pros and weekend warriors for years. This rugged, full-frame DSLR with a 22.3MP sensor can be had for just $309 at KEH – and you can pick up a pro lens, the Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L Macro, for as little as $531.
That's a full-frame, trinity lens, tag team toolkit for professional work at just $840 – utterly unreal value for money.
Not enough resolution for you? You can pick up the 50MP Canon EOS 5DS (the highest-resolution camera Canon has ever made) for $969 – almost half the price it costs brand new. And a heck of a lot cheaper than the $4,299 it'll cost you for a new Canon EOS R5 Mark II, which only has 45MP.
Best bargains for beginners
It's not just professionals and advanced users who get a great deal out of DSLR cameras and lenses; they might just be the best option for newcomers to photography as well.
A great example of this is Pentax, a company whose DSLRs are so good that it doesn't even bother making mirrorless cameras – to this day, it still specializes in DSLR bodies and glass.
While Canon and Nikon make some of the best cameras for beginners, a fantastic entry-level camera is the Pentax K-S1 – a 20MP APS-C body that boasts in-body image stabilization (something that Canon and Nikon DSLRs don't offer) and an anti-aliasing-free sensor for sharper shots.
The Pentax K-S1 $223 can be had for just $223 at KEH, with a Pentax 18-55mm kit lens for only $21 – giving you a more advanced beginner camera than anything offered by the "big two" for less than $250!
So, the DSLR may not be the new kid on the block that mirrorless is – but you can get better performance for a better price. And again, by shopping at a reputable pre-owned dealer like KEH, your money goes even further still.
You might also like…
Take a look at the best full frame DSLRs, the best Canon lenses for DSLRs, and our guide to DSLRs vs mirrorless cameras.
