Affordable DSLR or interchangeable-lens camera with a vari-angle live-view screen
Asked 2/28/2013
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I'm looking for a budget-friendly interchangeable-lens camera with a fully articulating/vari-angle LCD that works for both still-photo live view and video. I like the rotating screen on cameras like the Canon Rebel T3i because it helps when shooting from awkward angles. Are there any consumer-level DSLRs around $500 or less that offer this feature? If DSLR options are limited, are there mirrorless alternatives worth considering?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
13y ago
2 Answers
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This is an expensive hobby. I think we generally consider < $1000 to be consumer level. Margins are actually pretty cutthroat in this segment of the market, and it's expensive to make a strong and reliable articulating screen, which is why you're not seeing it on the lowest-level DSLRs even though it's a very consumer-friendly feature.
That said, you can find all of the current models with a rotating screen with this neocamera search -- and you'll see that there aren't very many, with the Nikon D5200 and the D5100 you point out plus the Canon Rebel T4i as the lower-range options. (You may also want to consider non-DSLR mirrorless interchangeable-lens cameras, as shown in this search; if you're using the LCD most of the time anyway, this expands your options somewhat -- take a look at the Panasonic G5, for example.)
That said, as of right now, with the D5200 coming into the market, the D5100 is actually a hair below $500 body only, from Amazon at least.
Originally by user1943. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user1943
13y ago
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At the low end, DSLR choices with a true vari-angle screen are limited. From the answers, the more affordable DSLR options mentioned are the Nikon D5100/D5200 and Canon Rebel T4i/T3i class of cameras, but these features are less common on entry-level DSLRs because articulating screens add cost and complexity.
If your budget is around $500 or less, you may have better luck looking at used older DSLRs, or considering mirrorless interchangeable-lens cameras instead. Mirrorless models often offer articulating screens, are compact, and are especially well suited to video and LCD-based shooting. One example given is the Panasonic Lumix G3, which has a fully articulating display and can fall well within that budget.
Another workaround is using a camera with video output to an external monitor, which can give even more flexibility than a built-in articulating screen.
So: yes, there are some options, but under that budget mirrorless or used older models are likely the best fit.
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