The holidays are here! For the B&H shopper, what better way to be ready than to have filled out your B&H wish list? Among photographers who already have, Canons and Nikons currently fill out the top 10 most-wished-for DSLR camera bodies. While they range widely in price, they demonstrate that many shooters are hoping to get, either from someone else or for themselves, a gift that offers tons of great features and creative possibilities.
Canon EOS 5D Mark III
A top DSLR pick since 2012, the versatile Canon EOS 5D Mark III includes a 22MP full-frame sensor, as well as fast six-frame-per-second continuous shooting. 61 autofocus points are available to make sure that even a moving subject stays sharp before the shutter is released. Full HD 1080p video can be captured at 24, 25, or 30 fps and the camera’s magnesium-alloy, weather-sealed body keeps out dust and moisture for use under a wide variety of conditions.
Nikon D750
Featuring the fastest continuous drive on this list for a full-frame sensor, the 6.5-frame-per-second Nikon D750’s 24MP sensor delivers plenty of resolution, as well. An ISO sensitivity that’s expandable to 51200 and 51 autofocus points sensitive to EV -3 make this camera a great choice for action shooters working under low light. Images on the 1,229k-dot LCD are easy to inspect for focus, and its tilting feature further complements its 1080p video capture capability that can be set at up to 60 fps.
Nikon D810
It’s not only photographers who are looking for an SLR—video shooters and cinematographers will want to take a close look at the Nikon D810 with the ability to output an uncompressed signal over HDMI with simultaneous recording to a memory card. Stills are not forgotten, by the implementation of a 36.3MP full-frame sensor that omits the optical low-pass filter to maximize sharpness. ISO settings can be expanded to a range of 32 to 51200, and a RAW Small Size option generates 16MP images that have all the flexibility of an unprocessed file, but conserves memory.
Canon EOS 7D Mark II
The top pick among APS-C DSLRs, the Canon EOS 7D Mark II delivers an excellent combination of image quality, performance, and ease of use for both still photography and video clips. Not only is a 20.2MP sensor combined with a speedy 10 frame-per-second burst rate but its dual-pixel design, along with 65 cross-type autofocus sensors, provide camcorder-like focusing precision and speed when making movies. This is especially true when the 7D Mark II’s Movie Servo AF mode is used along with Canon STM lenses.
Canon EOS 5DS R
Featuring the highest-resolution 35mm full-frame sensor to date, the Canon EOS 5DS R also uses a low-pass filter cancellation effect for maximum sharpness. A 61-point autofocus system combined with a 150,000 pixel RGB+IR metering sensor and an iSA Intelligent Scene Analysis system are there to make sure that this camera’s 50MP are put to good use. Big resolution means big files, so dual memory card slots that allow the use of one CF and one SD, SDHC, or SDXC card help to make sure that you don’t run out of storage space.
Canon EOS 6D
The most affordable full-frame DSLR among any brand offered at B&H, value is built into the Canon EOS 6D. Its 20MP sensor is complemented by an 11-point autofocus system with a center cross-type point that is able to focus to -3EV. The EOS 6D is also the only camera among this top ten that includes a GPS receiver that can embed longitude, latitude, altitude, and time data into images as they are taken. Look back on images taken with the EOS 6D, and you’ll know exactly where the journey has taken you.
Nikon D7200
If you’re looking for a high-resolution DX-format DSLR, the 24MP Nikon D7200, with its omission of the low-pass filter, may be just right—especially if you like to shoot fast, or under low light, or both at the same time. Each of the included 51 autofocus points are sensitive to -3EV and, when used along with this camera’s advanced 3D subject tracking, plus a six-frame-per-second continuous drive that can be raised to seven frames per second when the sensor is set to a 1.3x crop, there is little that can escape you when using the D7200. Further enhancing the overall speediness of the D7200 is a buffer that can handle up to 18 14-bit RAW files, 27 12-bit RAW files, or 100 JPEG files.
Canon EOS 5DS
The Canon EOS 5DS shares the features of the Canon EOS 5DS R, including the EOS 5DS R’s 50MP sensor, except that for photographers who are worried about moiré patterns appearing in their images, the optical low-pass filter is enabled. Neither the EOS 5DS and the EOS 5DS R force the benefit of 50MP on you. Both cameras offer output flexibility with the ability set the sensor to a 1.3x crop that utilizes 30.5MP or a 1.6x crop that utilizes 19.6MP. When using the EOS 5DS or EOS 5DS R to record video, full HD 1080p capture is supported at 30, 25, and 24 fps.
Canon EOS 70D
The Canon EOS 70D provides many of the benefits as the Canon EOS 7D Mark II, including a 20.2MP sensor with a dual-pixel design for silky-smooth video focusing, especially when its Movie Servo AF mode is combined with Canon STM lenses. This camera is capable of capturing seven frames per second and has 19 autofocus points that are each cross type. A fully articulated rear LCD features touch control for fast camera setting changes.
Canon EOS Rebel T5 DSLR Camera with 18-55mm and 75-300mm Lenses Bundle
Built around the Canon EOS Rebel T5, this kit includes everything you need to graduate into the world of DSLR photography. Basic+ and Creative Auto menus are there to guide beginners accustomed to fully automatic point-and-shoot cameras or phones toward greater control over their images. Manual settings are available for advancing or more advanced users who know the rules of shutter speed and aperture or know when to break them. Along with the EOS Rebel T5 are 18-55mm and 75-300mm zoom lenses that together, offer wide-angle to telephoto coverage, plus a filter kit, a memory card, and a camera bag.