Dave's Picks

Canon answers the competition with Live View, image stabilization, and higher resolution... (more)

Canon answers the competition with Live View, image stabilization, and higher resolution
Sporting a new look, the Canon Rebel XSi showcases many new technologies, currently besting the semi-pro camera in the line in several areas. Its 12.2 megapixel sensor exceeds the resolution of the EOS 40D, the new Live View mode uses phase-detect and contrast-detect autofocus modes, and the Rebel XSi's kit bundle comes with a good quality image-stabilized lens. The large 3-inch LCD makes viewing your images easy, and the new Live View mode can help in difficult shooting situations. The Canon XSi's high ISO performance is really impressive, especially for a 12-megapixel camera. The Canon XSi's redesigned body is simple and handsome, and the grip has a little more room for medium-sized hands. The real story is in the Canon Rebel XSi's image quality, and there's plenty to tell. Click here for our full review of the truly excellent Canon Rebel XSi. (minimize)

Latest Rebel rivals more expensive digital SLRs, delivering superb image quality... (more)

Latest Rebel rivals more expensive digital SLRs, delivering superb image quality
Combining the best from Canon's recent digital SLR innovations, the Rebel T1i is a compelling digital camera with a 15.1-megapixel sensor, a 3-inch LCD, and an image-stabilized zoom lens. As a still camera, the Canon T1i has a lot going for it, including an ISO range extending from 100 to 12,800, a 3.4 frame-per-second frame rate, and contrast-detect autofocus in live view mode, for unprecedented ability to fine-tune focus right on the new 3-inch, 920,000-pixel LCD screen. As for image quality, the Canon T1i sets a new benchmark for digital SLR cameras priced less than $1,000, even rivaling more expensive digital SLRs like the Canon 50D and Nikon D90. But that's not all the Canon Rebel T1i has going for it, there's also a new Movie mode for capturing 720p HD video. Though it's important to note that the new mode won't be for everyone, anyone interested in exploring video with the wide range of lenses available for the EOS system will find an amazing bargain in the Canon T1i. Overall, the Canon T1i is a very well-rounded digital SLR camera, with plenty to offer amateur, intermediate, and professional photographers. Click here for our review of the Canon Rebel T1i. (minimize)

A digital SLR for people who are serious about photography.... (more)

A digital SLR for people who are serious about photography.
Nikon's D300 is easily one of the finest digital SLR cameras on the market. Its 12.3-megapixel sensor delivers stunning images up to ISO 6,400, and its 14-bit A/D conversion means you can get better quality in your JPEG and RAW images with the Nikon D300. Out-of-the-box, the Nikon D300 will shoot six frames-per-second, and track a moving subject by combining data from its AF system with information from its metering system. The Nikon D300's big, bright viewfinder is easy to use and its LCD is gorgeous for both menu and photo viewing. Its Live View modes leave something to be desired, but they're nice to have nonetheless. The Nikon D300 feels solid, and is designed with the serious photographer in mind. In fact, being a serious photographer is a requirement with the D300, because there's a lot to learn, and no hand-holding mode to just let you shoot it like an instamatic. You have to think, you have to pay attention; and if you do, the D300 will reward you with terrific pictures. Click here to learn more about the Nikon D300, an extremely capable digital SLR camera. (minimize)

Excellent image quality and greater versatility than any other Nikon digital SLR... (more)

Excellent image quality and greater versatility than any other Nikon digital SLR
Including the same excellent 12.3-megapixel sensor as the D300 and D90, the Nikon D5000 has nothing to apologize for in the image quality department, yet has even more to recommend it. The HD Movie mode stands out as a key feature, offering the ability to use many unique lenses, like wide angle and long telephoto optics, in movie recording for interesting effects. The Nikon D5000's kit lens has optical Vibration Reduction for more stable videos and stills, and a new articulating LCD screen tilts and rotates, allowing you to shoot from overhead, down low, or even around corners. The Nikon D5000's shutter mechanism is rated at 100,000 shots, as well, a first for a consumer digital SLR, so it's durable enough for the most avid photographer. The exposure system can be as simple or complex as you like, with a wide array of options, and Nikon didn't skimp on the editing features, either, offering quite a few post-processing tools to overlay images, add soft-focus, fix perspective problems, and even add a fisheye effect to your images. The Nikon D5000 is a whole lot of digital SLR, and a whole lot of fun. Click here to read the full review of the Nikon D5000! (minimize)

Nikon's flagship prosumer SLR model is the first SLR capable of video recording, but that's just one of its many exceptional features!... (more)

Nikon's flagship prosumer SLR model is the first SLR capable of video recording, but that's just one of its many exceptional features!
Nikon rocked the DSLR world when they introduced their D90 SLR early this Fall, the first SLR that can record movies. Its video capabilities won't replace dedicated camcorders, but will provide welcome relief for photographers tired of carrying along a pocket digicam just for taking "video snapshots". Its movie recording is only one of the many exceptional features the Nikon D90 has to offer. It also incorporates the chromatic aberration correction capability first introduced in the D3 and D300 high-end models. This feature works regardless of the brand lens you're using, so the D90 promises to improve the quality of most any lens you use it with. Speaking of lenses, the Nikon D90 ships with one of the nicest kit lenses we've seen yet, a 18-105mm VR (vibration reduction, Nikon's name for Image Stabilization) model that delivers very good sharpness, and (thanks to the aforementioned CA-reduction capability of the camera) very little chromatic aberration. The Nikon D90 brings much, much more to the table, though, far more than we can go into here. If you're in the market for a high-end prosumer digital SLR camera, the Nikon D90 deserves to be near the top of your list for consideration. Read our Nikon D90 review for all the details! (minimize)

Small, refined, and capable, the Panasonic GF1 is hard to resist... (more)

Small, refined, and capable, the Panasonic GF1 is hard to resist
SLR quality in a digicam-size package comes to the enthusiast digital photographer in the form of the Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF1. Packing a larger sensor into a small body, the Panasonic GF1's images are impressive, rivaling today's best digital SLR cameras, with excellent detail and low noise. To rival SLR digital cameras properly, of course, the Panasonic GF1 needs interchangeable lenses, and Panasonic delivers some of the finest optical performance we've seen from the Lumix GF1's two available kit lenses. In addition to 12-megapixel stills, the Panasonic GF1 can record HD movies of pretty high quality. Coming in at about the same weight and size as its main rival, the Panasonic GF1 is nonetheless faster than the Olympus E-P1; though what the two cameras share is a lens mount and adapters that allow mounting of quite a wide range of Four Thirds and other lenses. There's a lot to cover with the Panasonic Lumix GF1, so click here for our full review of this exciting Micro Four Thirds digital camera. (minimize)

Excellent optics and image quality combine with HD video capture to make a compelling choice.... (more)

Excellent optics and image quality combine with HD video capture to make a compelling choice.
While it's technically not a digital SLR, the Panasonic GH1 kept us quite busy going over the myriad features of this refined interchangeable-lens digital camera. With live view, fast autofocus, a swiveling LCD, a 12-megapixel sensor, optical image stabilization, several video modes, and impressive printed output, there's a lot to cover on the Panasonic Lumix GH1. Image quality has improved dramatically from the G1, making the Panasonic GH1 worth the extra money not only for its video mode and 10x lens. The Panasonic GH1 even does well pixel-for-pixel up against competing SLRs from Canon and Nikon. But it's the video mode that makes the Panasonic GH1 unique, capable of HD video capture in both AVCHD and Motion JPEG. What's more, you can shoot video in Program, Shutter-priority, Aperture-priority, and Manual exposure mode, a first for any digital camera, SLR or otherwise. Then there's that intangible feeling of satisfaction we got after a day of shooting with the Panasonic GH1 that leads us to give it such a strong recommendation. Click here to read our full review of the Panasonic GH1. (minimize)

The Pentax K-7 is a strong contender in a field of good quality SLRs, with many features found nowhere else... (more)

The Pentax K-7 is a strong contender in a field of good quality SLRs, with many features found nowhere else
There are so many improved and unique features to cover that defining what's great about the Pentax K7 takes an entire review. We also run out of superlatives less than halfway through the Pentax K-7 review, what with excellent build quality, a great user experience, and impressive image quality to report. Some of the more interesting features of the Pentax K7 include an auto-leveling feature that actually rotates the sensor by up to one degree to straighten horizon lines in your images, or the Composition Adjustment feature that allows you to move the sensor around behind the lens to fine-tune your image before capture. One of our favorite features is the 100% viewfinder coverage, available only on considerably more expensive digital cameras. Of course, the Pentax K7 includes a new video mode, in addition to Live View, which we cover extensively. An absolute pleasure to use, the Pentax K7 impressed us from every angle. Click here to read the Pentax K7 review. (minimize)

The Sony A850: 24.6 megapixels of full-frame goodness for under $2,000... (more)

The Sony A850: 24.6 megapixels of full-frame goodness for under $2,000
Sony's Alpha A900 rocked the full-frame SLR world when it was announced, delivering the highest resolution in the DSLR market for an unprecedented price. Since then, the competition caught up a little, but now the Sony A850 lowers the boom on prices again, with a list price of under $2,000 for a full-frame camera with the same 24.6 megapixel resolution. The Sony A850 is a near-clone of the earlier Sony A900, giving up some shooting speed (3 frames/second vs 5) and a little viewfinder coverage (98% vs 100%) in exchange for a $700 drop in price. The Sony A850 retains the unique SteadyShot body-based image stabilization, so all your lenses effectively become image stabilized when attached to it. While it produces very usable images up to about ISO 1,600, this camera (again, like the A900) is really about maximum resolution at low ISOs. As such, it's a superb choice for landscape, studio, and portrait photographers, but wouldn't be the tool of choice for those shooting a lot of available-light work. At only 3 frames/second, it also wouldn't be a first pick for the sports photographer, either. All that said, though, the Sony A850 will open up the world of full-frame digital photography to a whole new host of users, thanks to its market-leading $2,000 price point. Read our Sony A850 review for all the details on this amazing beast, including full image analysis and 4.4 gigabytes of sample images! (minimize)