Father's Day gift ideas: mid range digital SLR cameras ideal for Father's Day presents for the photography enthusiast

  • Wed, 5 May 2010

Mid-range digital SLR cameras, (£600 - £800) that would make ideal Father's day gifts for the photography enthusiast.

Canon EOS 550d digital slr camera

Mid-range DSLRs ideal for Father's Day presents for the photography lover...

Pentax K7 digital SRL cameraPentax K-7

Price: £850 (body only)

Pentax's highest-spec model is dust & weather-sealed for any situation.

What we like: 35 years worth of compatible Pentax lenses, good viewfinder, intuitive camera layout, weather-sealing, best Pentax autofocus system to date
What we don't like:  Kit lens is a let down, underexposure of images can be an issue, autofocus is a bit slow, not great in low light conditions

Read our Pentax K7 review

 

Canon EOS 500D digital SLR cameraCanon EOS 50D

Price: £700 (body only)

This 15.1MP DSLR is not only resolution-packed, but has a hard-wearing body to boot too.

What we like: LCD screen has been upgraded from the previous model (Canon EOS 40D), extra resolution, fast autofocus
What we don't like:  No real groundbreaking change from the Canon EOS 40D, unintuitive menus, metering issues in difficult light 

Read our Canon EOS 50D review

 

Canon EOS 550d digital slr cameraCanon EOS 550D

Price: £690 (18-55mm kit)

A refined, high-performing DSLR with HD video and sensitivity up to a heady ISO 12,800.

What we like: High resolution LCD screen, HD Video, compact build
What we don't like:  Autofocus motor noise in Movie mode, no update to autofocus, current high price 

Read our Canon EOS 550D review

 

Nikon D90 digital SLR cameraNikon D90

Price: £750 (18-105mm kit)

The first HD video DSLR to hit the market, a long-standing winner for many looking for that bit extra.

What we like: viewfinder, image quality, speed
What we don't like:  Movie mode has its limitations, fiddly acess to autofocus modes 

Read our Nikon D90 review

Sony Alpha a550 digital slr cameraSony Alpha A550


Price: £600 (18-55mm kit)

Sony's best-of-the-bunch mid-range DSLR with a tilt-angle screen on the rear to always capture the action

What we like: Tilt-LCD, improved image quality, excellent 'live view' What we don't like:  Build quality a bit ‘plasticy', noisy autofocus with kit lens, no video mode 

Read our Sony Alpha A550 review

 

These cameras too expensive? See also:

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