Best of the Rest

Are you ready to learn more about the digital cameras professional photographers use on a daily basis? DSLRs in the Best Value professional range have the ability to deliver professional-quality photographs due to better optics, a larger image sensor and often times more MP (megapixels) than the mid-range DSLRs. However, in some of these cameras, the MP count is lowered to improve the amount of photographs that can be taken in one second. Right now the maximum is approximately 10 frames per second! The Professional DSLR Best Value category is dominated by Nikon and Canon.

Primarily sports photographers use fast frame or burst rates. However, all of these professional cameras in the Best Value category will give you more control over the people, places, objects and light. The more control comes with caveats – the size of your camera is going to be larger and you will spend more for the DSLR camera body. There is also going to be more to learn and to remember and the professional DSLR accessories will be more expensive too.

All of the Best Value Professional DSLR cameras listed are dominated either by Canon or Nikon. More professional photographers use cameras from these two manufacturers than from any other brand. The Best Value Professional DSLR Camera is the Canon EOS 5D Mark II with a whopping 21.1 MP. It is extremely well made featuring a ruggedized magnesium body and has a full-frame image sensor. This means if you put a 50mm lens on your 5D, you will get a photograph from a 50mm lens. It also uses a 1x multiplication factor and is small enough for one-handed operation.

The only camera that doesn’t have a full-frame sensor in the Best Value category is the Nikon-compatible Fuji IS Pro. And the new D3 along with the D700 are the first full-frame sensor cameras from Nikon. Also the Best Value price point is ideally suited for those professional photographers who require a high duty cycle (shutter usage and sturdy body) and a backup camera of often the same type.

All DSLR cameras reviewed can take photographs in either RAW or JPEG format, accept the professional CFII (compact flash) cards, have self-cleaning sensors to remove dust, have a hot shoe for an external flash gun or other lighting, can accept rechargeable AA batteries in external (called vertical shutter) grips (for the Canon EOS 5D Mark II, the Nikon D700 or the Nikon D300), and have sophisticated electronics. Also, the vast majority is ruggedized, so there is less of a chance for the camera to be damaged when in use.