The best beginner digital SLR cameras for previous years are listed below. Many of these digital SLR cameras may still be available from various photography shops or secondhand at greatly reduced prices at Amazon or Ebay.
Best digital SLR camera archives for beginners in digital SLR photography 2008 - 2011
Olympus E-PL2 Micro Four Thirds Camera
- Available January 2011 for $599 including MSC 14-42mm lens
- 12.3 megapixel live MOS sensor. Micro four thirds lens mount.
- 3" 460k LCD with live view and face detection.
- Full manual controls. RAW & jpeg. Shoots upto 3 fps.
- Shutter speeds 60 to 1/4000 sec. Truepic V image processor.
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Sensor shift image stabilization. Panorama setting.
- HD videos at 1280 x 720. Art filters. ISO from 200 to 6400.
- Built in flash. Hotshoe. X-sync at 1/180 sec. SD/SDHC cards.
- Size 115.4 x 72.7 x 42mm. Weight 362g. BLS-5 lithium battery Buy from Amazon
Nikon D3100 Digital SLR Camera
- Released in September 2010 for $699 inc. 18-55mm lens.
- Nikon F mount. 14.2 megapixel CMOS sensor. DX format.
- 3" LCD with live view and face detection. Compact body.
- Autofocus supported on AF-S lenses only. Active D lighting.
- Expeed 2 image processor. Dust reduction. Special effects.
- Full HD video at 1920 x 1080 using H.264 codec.
- In-camera image and video editing.
- ISO 100 to 12800. SD, SDHC & SDXC cards.
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Shutter speeds 30 to 1/4000. Built in flash. X-sync 1/200 sec.
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EN-EL14 battery. HDMI. Size 124 x 96 x 75mm. Weight 505g. Buy from Amazon
Panasonic Lumix DMC-G2 (Micro Four Thirds)
- Available from mid 2010 for $799 including zoom lens.
- 12.1 megapixel sensor. Micro four thirds lens mount.
- 3" touchscreen flip out rotating LCD with 460k pixels.
- Shutter speeds 1/4000 to 60 secs. Built in flash.
- Electronic viewfinder with 1.44 million pixels. Eye sensor.
- HD movies at 1280 x 720 in AVCHD lite. Stereo mic option.
- Comes in black, red or blue colors.
- SD/SDHC/SDXC cards. Lithium ion battery.
- Size 124 x 90 x 74mm. Weight 428g. Buy from Amazon
Olympus Evolt E-420 Digital SLR Camera
- Available May 2008. Four Thirds Standard D-SLR.
- 10 megapixel live MOS sensor.
- Smallest DSLR in the world. Wireless flash capability.
- Live view without flipping mirror down. Face detection.
- Dust reduction system. 2.7" HyperCrystal II 230,000 LCD.
- Hot shoe. Full manual controls. RAW format. 3.5 fps jpegs.
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XD & Compactflash type I/II compatibility.
- Fast Truepic III image processor. ISO 100-1600.
- Weight 380g w/o battery. Measures 129.5 x 91 x 53 mm
- Released with new 25mm f2.5 pancake lens for $699. Buy from Amazon
Olympus E-PL1 Micro Four Thirds Camera
- Available March 2010 for $599 including 14-42mm lens.
- 12.3 megapixel sensor. Micro four thirds lens mount.
- 2.7" LCD with 230k pixels. Live view & face detection.
- Built in pop-up flash with guide number 7. Hotshoe.
- Full manual controls. RAW & jpeg formats. Six art filters.
- 3 fps continuous shooting. Shutter speeds 1/2000 to 60 secs.
- HD movie recording at 1280 x 720 using M-JPEG codec.
- SD/SDHC cards. HDMI output. BLS-1 lithium battery.
- Size 115 x 72 x 42mm. Weight 334g inc. batteries. Buy from Amazon
Nikon D3000 Entry Level Digital SLR Camera
- Available late August 2009 for $599 inc. 18-55 VR lens.
- 10.2 megapixel CCD. Dust reduction. Full manual controls.
- Nikon F mount. Autofocus only with AF-S & AF-I lenses.
- 3" LCD with 230k pixels. No live view. RAW. ISO 100 to 3200.
- Optical viewfinder with 95% coverage and 0.8x magnification.
- Stop movie motion mode using still images. Hotshoe.
- SD/SDHC memory cards. EN-EL9a battery for 550 shots.
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Nikon D3000 body size 126 x 97 x 64mm. Weight 536g. Buy from Amazon
Pansonic Lumix DMC G1 - Micro Four Thirds
- Available November 2008. Micro Four Thirds lens mount.
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World's first Micro Four Thirds digital camera.
- Full manual controls. Interchangeable lens camera.
- Lens adapter available for attaching standard 4/3 lenses.
- 12.1 megapixel 4/3-type Live MOS sensor. Dust reduction.
- Live View on 3" rotating 460,000 pixels LCD. 60 fps.
- EVF viewfinder. 100% view. 1,440.000 pixels.
- HDMI output. No movie mode. RAW & Jpeg formats.
- SD/SDHC memory cards. DMW-BLB13 lithium-ion battery.
- ISO 100 to 3200. Shutter 60 - 1/4000. Flash X-sync 1/160 sec
- Size 124 x 84 x 45mm. Weight 380g. Price unavailable. Buy from Amazon
Olympus E-P1 Micro Four Thirds Camera
- This is not a digital slr but it gives results equal to a DSLR as the sensor is the same size as in a four thirds DSLR. Great for beginners moving up from digital compacts.
- Available July 2009. $750 body. $799 with 14-42mm lens.
- Smallest interchangeable lens camera in the world.
- 12.3 megapixel Live MOS sensor. Micro four thirds lens mount
- HD movies at 1280 x 720 with stereo sound. 5 minute limit.
- Shutter speed 60 - 1/4000. ISO from 200 to 6400.
- X-sync speed 1/30 to 1/180 s. No built in flash.
- Sensor shift image stabilization. Dust reduction. Live View.
- 3" LCD with 230,000 pixels. TruePic V image processor.
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Art filters. Multiple exposure. Exposure bracketing.
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Full manual controls. Hotshoe. RAW + Jpeg. SD/SDHC cards.
- BLS-1 Li-Ion battery. Size 121x70x36mm. Weight 335g. Buy from Amazon
Nikon D60 Digital SLR Camera
- Availabe with new 18-55 mm VR lens in February 2008.
- 10.2 megapixel CCD. Active D-lighting. 2.5" 230k LCD.
- Compatible with all Nikon F mount lenses. Autofocus on AF-S.
- Full manual controls. ISO 100 to 1600. Shutter 30 - 1/4000.
- Bright viewfinder with 0.8X magnification & 95% coverage.
- Fast operation from EXPEED image processing engine.
- JPEG & RAW support. Shoot jpegs at 3 fps. X-Sync 1/200.
- Dust reduction system using 'Airflow Control System' .
- New stop animation facility. Create movie from upto 100 jpegs
- Weight 522g inc. battery. Size 126 x 94 x 64mm.
- K200D Available March 2008 with 18-55 Mk II lens.
- 10.2 megapixel CCD.
- CCD-shift image stabilization for all Pentax K mount lenses.
- Unique Weather & dust resistant body for this class of camera.
- Hotshoe. Full manual controls. Built in flash. RAW format.
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Compatible with all Pentax lenses.
- ISO 100 to 1600. Shutter speed 30 sec - 1/4000 plus bulb.
- High resolution 230k 2.7" LCD. No live view.
- Weight 690 g inc. batteries. Size 133 x 95 x 74mm. Buy from Amazon
Olympus Evolt E-410 Digital SLR Camera
- Released May 2007. Four Thirds Standard D-SLR.
- Smallest D-SLR in the world. 10 megapixel live MOS sensor.
- Live view with 2.5" 230,000 TFT.
- Supersonic wave filter for sensor dust removal.
- Hot shoe. Full manual controls. RAW format.
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XD & Compactflash compatibility.
- Fast Truepic III image processor.
- Weight 435 g w/o battery. Measures 130 x 91 x 53mm. Buy from Amazon
Nikon D40x Digital SLR Camera
- Released April 2007.
- 10.2 megapixel CCD.
- Hotshoe with X-1/250. Full manual controls. RAW format.
- Nikon F mount but autofocus only on AF-S & AF-I lenses.
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ISO 100 to 1600. JPEG shooting 3 fps unlimited. 2.5" LCD.
- Small & light body. Weight
471g w/o battery. Buy from Amazon