Sony Alpha SLT-A58

The Sony Alpha SLT-A58 ($549 with 18-55mm zoom lens) is perfect for someone making the transition from a point-and-shoot. The 20.1-megapixel DSLR not only takes very good photos, it also captures higher-quality videos than the competition at 1080p/60 fps, using the AVCHD Progressive video format. A variation on your standard DSLR, this camera uses translucent mirror technology. The concept is a mouthful to explain, but the upshot is more accurate and faster focusing than most DSLRs offer. The A58 captures a speedy 5 frames per second (fps) in burst mode. One byproduct of the translucent mirror setup is that you use an electronic instead of an optical viewfinder. A plus of the vivid OLED viewfinder is that you can see the impact of your camera adjustments, such as white balance, before you snap the shutter. The A58 is easy to operate, and the controls are nicely positioned and labeled for fast access. The Sony Alpha mount accepts not only a wide range of Sony lenses, but older Minolta lenses, $499.00 On Amazon