Digital SLR Cameras: Reviews

Reviews say that this 12.2-megapixel Canon Rebel digital SLR camera hits the sweet spot for both performance and value. Image quality is excellent using either automatic or manual settings. The camera is loaded with… features, including a 3-inch LCD screen with Live View, which lets you compose your shot and see it on the LCD before you take it. A sensor cleaner and an image-stabilized kit lens help you get sharp pictures more often without a tripod. A spot meter improves backlit exposures, and nine autofocus points plus 3.5-frames-per-second shooting make tracking action easy.

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This inexpensive Nikon digital SLR camera draws praise for its ease of use and excellent picture quality, though it lacks speed, conveniences and resolution compared with the Canon EOS Digital Rebel XSi. The Nikon's… six-megapixel resolution is plenty for prints up to 8 by 10 inches in size. The 2.5-inch LCD screen is bright and clear, and the feature lineup includes a spot meter -- an unusual bonus for a camera in this class. The maximum shooting speed is 2.5 frames per second, and three-point autofocus doesn't track action as well as the Canon EOS Digital Rebel XSi, so it's not the best match for sports or action photography. Focusing in dim light is another shortcoming.

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While this 10-megapixel Canon digital SLR camera costs more than some others, reviews say you get lots for your money. Those extras include a heavy, sturdy magnesium camera body with better water resistance, plus… 6.5-frames-per-second shooting for tracking action (nearly twice as fast as the less-expensive Canon EOS Digital Rebel XSi). You also get Live View and a built-in sensor cleaner, and the optional kit lens is image-stabilized. The Nikon D300 (*est. $2,230 with image-stabilized lens) is a close competitor, but it costs considerably more, as does the newer Canon EOS 50D (*est. $1,600 with lens).

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The new Nikon D90 is one of the first digital SLR cameras to shoot video, giving it a certain "wow" factor that's reflected in reviews. Movies are composed in Live View on a big extra-sharp three-inch LCD. The 720p HD… video format is good, but its features are so limited that reviewers suggest thinking of the movie mode as a fun addition instead of a substitute for a real camcorder. As a still camera, reviews give this 12.3-megapixel SLR camera high marks for excellent image quality and performance, with improvements over the earlier Nikon D80. The four-frames-per-second shooting speed is slower than that of the Canon 40D, and the Nikon D90 body isn't as sturdy or as well sealed against weather and dust, but the precise LCD and movie option mean the choice depends on your priorities.

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