Pentax K-3 Mark III - Pro/Enthusiast 

For those looking for a DSLR, then the Pentax K-3 III is one of the best APS-C DSLRs available, with a 25.7mp APS-C BSI CMOS sensor and Shake Reduction (SR) system, giving great image quality, with low levels of noise, and excellent colour reproduction. There's a good size 3.2inch touch-screen, and a large 1.05x magnification optical viewfinder.

If you own a Pentax camera already and own Pentax lenses, then the Pentax K-3 III is an excellent option, with the highest resolution APS-C sensor Pentax has ever used, giving you the best image quality possible from an APS-C Pentax DSLR. You also benefit from the new AF system, faster continuous shooting, built-in Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, a larger optical viewfinder, and of course the Pentax Shake Reduction system.

Pros: Shake Reduction System, 26MP BSI CMOS Sensor, 12fps continuous shooting, excellent handling and ergonomics, weather-sealed, updated AF system, 1.05x magnification OVF

Cons: No external charger, no tilting screen, shallow viewfinder relief, small buffer for continuous shooting

Canon EOS 850D - Enthusiast/Beginner

If you're looking for a DSLR, and want to use one of the many EF/EF-S lenses available, then the 850D is a very good DSLR, with good battery life, and great image quality (when paired with a decent lens). Handling and ergonomics is a strong point of the camera, with a large, comfortable grip, and the addition of a second command wheel on the back is a welcome addition which makes the shooting experience better

Pros: Wide EF/EF-S lens range, 7/7.5fps continuous shooting, 800 shot battery life, second command wheel, great image quality, good colour reproduction, 45 AF points

Cons: Strong crop with 4K video and digital IS, doesn't match features/specs of mirrorless cameras

Canon EOS 90D - Pro/Enthusiast 

The Canon EOS 90D features a 32mp APS-C CMOS sensor as well as K and FullHD video using the full width of the sensor, so could be a great choice for videographers. The Canon EOS 90D delivers both high-resolution images, as well as 10fps continuous shooting, making it a compelling option for those looking for a DSLR. The impressive battery life is also another positive, however, you'll need to make sure the lenses you use with the camera are up to the job.

Overall, the Canon EOS 90D shows there are still a lot of benefits to shooting with a DSLR, including high image quality and excellent battery life.

Pros: 32MP APS-C CMOS sensor, 4K video without crop, 10fps continuous shooting, high-image quality, 1300 shot battery life, in-camera RAW editing

Cons: Smaller buffer than expected, focus options are hidden in custom settings, shows the weakness of kit lenses

Canon EOS 250D - Enthusiast/Beginner

The Canon EOS 250D offers Canon's reliable and pleasing colour reproduction in one of the most compact DSLR bodies available with a vari-angle screen. The small size, and easy to use design should make it appealing to beginners, but it's more advanced controls and shooting options should make it appeal to those who want a more compact Canon DSLR. There's also 4K video recording and good noise performance.

Pros: Compact size, 24MP sensor, good noise performance, 4K video, excellent colour reproduction, easy to use menu system and controls

Cons: 9 AF points when using OVF, slow continuous shooting, control access could be quicker, no panoramic shooting mode

Nikon D3500 - Enthusiast/Beginner

The Nikon D3500 is a very compact Digital SLR, and offers DSLR quality images, thanks to a large APS-C CMOS sensor. The 18-55mm kit lens performs reasonably well for a kit lens. It would make a great option for those looking for their first DSLR, however, there are some surprising omissions, and for someone looking for more advanced options, you'll need to look elsewhere. The most impressive feature of the Nikon D3500 is the incredible battery life, with the camera offering up to 1550 shots!

Pros: Incredible battery life, 24MP APS-C CMOS sensor, good noise performance, great image quality, compact size, 5fps continuous shooting

Cons: Small optical viewfinder, controls could be better, no HDR mode, no exposure bracketing, slow live view mode, remote shooting doesn't include live view

Pentax KP - Serious Enthusiast 

The Pentax KP offers an alternative design to the standard DSLR and offers impressive features as well as exceptional image quality. The KP has a number of standout features including 5-axis image stabilisation, pixel shift resolution, a tilting screen, and a removable grip, to name just a few of them. There are numerous external controls and dials, along with the ability to customise the camera so that it's setup up how you want it. 

Pros: Excellent image quality, numerous external controls, grip can be customised, good noise performance, 5-axis IS, Pixel Shift Resolution, Dual-axis electronic level, Wi-Fi

Cons: Slow live view focus and shutter response, buffer small, battery life quite short, central focus points, not the best for video

Canon EOS 800D - Enthusiast/Beginner

The Canon EOS 800D offers an impressive set of features, high-speed performance, and great image quality.  When released, it offered a significant upgrade to the 750D with improvements in handling, design and focus speeds.  

Pros: Excellent image quality, 45 AF points, improved handling, better grip, impressive live view focus performance, 600 shot battery life, 6fps continuous shooting speed

Cons: Strong crop with electronic IS, no front or back control wheel

Canon EOS 77D - Serious Enthusiast 

The Canon EOS 77D offers an impressive set of features, high-speed performance, and great image quality. If you’re an enthusiastic photographer and can see yourself wanting direct control over the shutter and aperture speeds in manual mode, then the 77D was a good choice when released and if you don't want to spend a lot of cash on a DSLR, it could still be.  

Pros: Excellent image quality, 45 AF points, improved handling, better grip, impressive live view focus performance, 600 shot battery life, 6fps continuous shooting speed

Cons: Strong crop with electronic IS

Nikon D7500 - Pro/Enthusiast 

With the Nikon D7500 featuring the same image sensor as the Nikon D500, you are getting the same D500 image quality, at a lower price point, and in a more compact camera body. This means you can benefit from the best-in-class noise performance, giving usable ISO up to ISO25600. If you regularly shoot at high ISO speeds (or want the option to) and want to be able to record 4K UHD video, whilst having the choice of a wide range of Nikon lenses, then the Nikon D7500 will be a great choice, with excellent image quality, and reliable performance. 

Pros: Excellent image quality, excellent noise performance, in-camera RAW processing, Dual-axis electronic level, 8fps continuous shooting, improved ergonomics, 4K video

Cons: Single card slot, no white priority AWB option, slow live view focus, slot to transfer images via Bluetooth

Pentax K-70 - Enthusiast/Beginner

The Pentax K-70 offers the potential for excellent image quality, with impressive noise performance that rivals the competition, and the camera also offers some great features, including a weather-sealed camera body, AA filter simulator, and Pixel Shift Resolution. For those that have a preference for Pentax' range of lenses, the Pentax K-70 is highly recommended. 

Pros: Excellent noise performance, excellent colour saturation, AA filter simulation, Wi-Fi, Pixel Shift Resolution produces detailed shots, Wide ISO range, dual-axis electronic level

Cons: Live view focus and shutter response could be quicker, grip could be improved, kit lens didn't perform very well

Nikon D500 - Pro

The Nikon D500 offers brilliant ISO performance along with connectivity and some truly useful features which include 10fps continuous shooting, a rapid focus system, 4K video, a weather-sealed body, a tilting screen and light-up buttons. The focus system is shared with the much more expensive Nikon D5, and the automated AF fine-tune system can help speed up the calibration of your camera and lenses. All of this combines to deliver excellent image quality. 

Pros: Excellent noise performance, good white balance performance, tilting touch screen, dual-axis electronic level, quick live view response, 10fps continuous shooting with rapid AF, weather-sealed, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi and NFC

Cons: Limited touch screen controls, lacks a built-in flash, photo shooting menus bank/custom settings may not be for everyone

Canon EOS 7D Mark II  - Pro/Enthusiast 

The Canon EOS 7D Mark II has a number of features that will appeal to the Canon shooter, particularly if action and high-speed shooting is important and for those with an investment in Canon lenses, or for those that have a specific range of Canon lenses they would like to use, the Canon EOS 7D Mark II offers extremely fast focusing and continuous shooting. Overall, the Canon EOS 7D MK II offers impressive focus speeds and continuous shooting. 

Pros: 10fps continuous shooting, good noise performance, weather-sealed, quick live view shutter response and focus speeds, dual-axis electronic level

Cons: No Wi-Fi, no tilting screen, separate port covers would be useful, images can appear soft straight from the camera

Nikon D5600 - Enthusiast/Beginner

The Nikon D5600 offers a large screen, built-in Bluetooth, and an impressively compact camera body. As a whole, when combined with the compact AF-P 18-55mm kit lens, the compact camera gives excellent handling, and this is a great entry into Nikon Digital SLR shooting. Like the Nikon D5500 before it, the D5600 provides excellent image quality, with a compact stylish Digital SLR body, with useful features including built-in Wi-Fi, NFC, and Bluetooth, and an excellent 3.2inch touch-screen. With a 24.2 megapixel sensor, with no OLPF, the camera is capable of taking some very detailed and sharp photos, making it a camera you can grow into, and if you are prepared to invest in additional lenses, then you should be able to get the best out of the camera. 

Pros: Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, good ISO performance, large touch-screen, 970 shot battery, 24MP sensor, compact and well-built design

Cons: Slow live view focus speeds, controls could be improved, Bluetooth transfer is slow, no auto pano mode