For an explanation of how we rank reviews, see our ratings criteria page.
by Dave Etchells
In addition to providing in-depth reviews of specific camera models, Etchells selects the top-rated cameras in various categories, including consumer SLR cameras. The detailed review of the Nikon D90 is… especially useful, because it compares it with the Canon EOS Digital Rebel XSi, the Canon D40 and the new Canon D50. The Nikon D40, the Canon EOS 450D and the Canon Rebel XSi jump to the top here (named Editor's Choices), and a number of other top performers are named. The full reviews are helpful in matching digital SLR cameras to specific needs. A separate list features top SLR cameras for professionals.
by Dan Richards
We like the reviews at Popular Photography & Imaging for their combination of objective lab tests, hands-on use and ratings that make it easier to compare cameras. The Aug. 2008 review roundup compares five… digital SLR cameras that cost less than $1,000. The Canon EOS Rebel XSi is a clear winner, and finishes no lower than second in any category. Richards tests and reviews digital SLRs throughout the year, and the site includes detailed reviews of just about all of the DSLRs currently available, including the new Nikon D90 as well as previews of the Canon EOS 50D and the entry-level Pentax K2000.
by Editors of DPReview.com
Reviews at this site are comprehensive and illustrated with plenty of photos, plus they're written to appeal to both the beginner and the seasoned pro. The attention to detail is excellent, providing nearly… as vivid an experience as visiting a camera store. Current top picks include the Canon Rebel XS and XSi, the Nikon D60 and the Canon 40D. The review of the Canon 50D is especially useful in noting some aspects in which the 40D performs better.
by Editors of What Digital Camera
This publication is the U.K. equivalent of Popular Photography and offers detailed lab tests and reviews. Out of 25 current digital SLR cameras, eight score high enough in the ratings to earn the editors'… Gold Award, with six in the price range covered in this report. Test reports are detailed but summarized in a numeric rating. Several smaller comparison reports are useful, comparing, for example, the Olympus E-420 with the E-520 along with their preceding models, but these separate reports cost extra, as do reports of the very newest digital SLR cameras such as the Canon 50D and Nikon D90.
by Jeff Keller
These recommendations are conveniently organized by price range, with several top-rated digital SLR cameras in all but the lowest range. This list does narrow the field somewhat, and gives useful notice of… upcoming replacements. Recommendations are based on some of the most thorough reviews we found, with plenty of sample photos, comparison charts, documentation of tests and large sections that compare the camera with other models with similar prices and/or features. Top-rated cameras include the Nikon D40 and D300 and the Canon EOS 40D and Rebel XSi, but the Canon 50D isn't reviewed here yet.
by Editors of CNet.com
CNet regularly reviews digital SLR cameras, and the top entry-level choices appear on this list. Reviews fall short of those at the top enthusiast sites, but products are appropriately and thoroughly… tested. Cameras receive an editor's rating, and the very best are further identified as Editors' Choice selections. The Nikon D80 is top-rated. In separate reviews, editors give the Nikon D90 a slight edge over the Canon 50D and Pentax K20D. The new Olympus E-30 gets a thorough preview here, with useful comparisons with the Nikon D90, Canon EOS 50D and Olympus E-3.
by Editors of Consumer Reports
Consumer Reports ranks 18 digital SLRs based on ratings for image quality, dynamic range, versatility and ease of use, plus some of the most relevant specifications. A May 23, 2008, entry in the site's… Electronics blog notes that editors have refined their testing methods for digital cameras, so these recent ratings are quite useful. You can see at a glance, for example, which cameras have the best viewfinders. The main drawback is that some new cameras aren't covered, including the Nikon D90 and Canon 50D. The ratings are only available to subscribers, but the Consumer Reports electronics blog reports some digital SLR news and tidbits from performance tests -- such as the Nikon D90's video performance compared with that of camcorders Consumer Reports has tested.
by Editors of DigitalCameraInfo.com
This site is more current than it has been in the past (though it still lacks reviews of the Olympus E-3 and E-30), and the reviews and tests here rank among the most complete, and most unflinchingly… critical, that we've seen. An overall rating derived from weighted scores of nearly 50 factors are used to rank the cameras. The differences in score are sometimes so small that they seem almost meaningless, but as soon as you sort the chart by average price, the best buys really stand out.
by Editors of DigitalReview.ca
This is one of several useful head-to-head comparison reviews on this Canadian camera site, which is also a good site to check for the latest camera news. Earlier reviews compare the Nikon D80 with the Sony… Alpha A350, the Nikon D60 with the D40 and D40X, and the Nikon D40 with the Nikon D50 and Pentax K110D / K100D DSLRs. The single-product reviews here are also good, but it's these comparison reviews that make the site exceptional. The new Nikon GPS accessory also gets a thorough test (and recommendation) here.
by Editors of PC Pro
Digital SLR cameras are included in this list of camera reviews, along with their ratings on a six-point scale. No current DSLR earns the top rating, but five DSLRs (including the new Nikon D90) earn… five-star grades (out of six) and two are further singled out as recommended models. Links lead to full reviews that while not overly lengthy, are competent and objective. At the time of our report, the Canon 50D isn't yet reviewed here.
by Editors of PC Magazine
This site keeps updating its summary chart of digital SLR cameras to show the latest reviews, but reviews lag compared with some other sites. Reviews usually include test data and comparisons with at least… a few other models, but once a camera earns a rating here, or an Editors' Choice award, it stays. This makes quite a bit of the digital SLR chart effectively out of date. The most current Editors' Choice is the Canon EOS Rebel XSi, which is praised for its "magnificent resolution and image quality." The Nikon D300 also receives an award, singled out for delivering a complete package in terms of great performance, features and image quality.
by Editors of Steve's Digicams
This award-winning photography review site usually stays very current, but at the time of our report, doesn't yet include reviews of the Nikon D90 and Canon 50D. Their researchers spend at least two days… examining every new model before posting a review. Digital SLR reviews are detailed, with lots of accompanying product shots, and include lab tests and sets of images from comparable models. This list of the 10 best digital SLR cameras doesn't narrow the field too much, but combined with your budget, it may narrow it to two or three choices.
by Editors of J.D. Power and Associates
by Jonathan Barkey and Russell Hart
Based on thorough testing, Barkey and Hart rate digital SLR cameras in three different price ranges, and identify "best buy" models as well. Reviews are succinct but cover the most distinctive details.… Though photo quality is not addressed, the Canon EOS Digital Rebel XSi scores as a top entry-level choice and is highly complimented for its ergonomics and ease of use. The Canon EOS 40D and Olympus E-3 share Camera of the Year honors among advanced D-SLR cameras. The Nikon D3 is the top choice for professional photographers.
by Editors of Megapixel.net
by Melissa J. Perenson
This review summarizes the pros and cons of five digital SLR cameras that performed best in PC World's latest round of testing, with links to test reports and numeric ratings. Testing is well explained, but… discussion is briefer than at most sites we rate higher. Results are interesting because Perenson ranks two mid-priced cameras slightly above a more expensive one -- based on actual performance tests and not just price. In response to readers' questions, the editor confirms that two Nikon cameras didn't quite make the cut. The site has a brief preview of the new Olympus E-30.
by Ken Rockwell
While most digital SLR reviewers hem and haw, Nikon photographer Ken Rockwell writes with audacious wit, even warning readers to take everything he says with a grain of salt. He prefers the new Nikon D90 to… the more expensive but older Nikon D300. However, he is less than thrilled with the D90's video capabilities. He downplays high-end features overall, favoring excellent lenses on inexpensive camera bodies, preferring the Nikon D40 to the D60. Another article on this site, "DSLR Resolution and Noise Comparison," uses clever "mouse-over" comparison photos to show that image quality is basically the same among four top digital SLR contenders.
by Michael H. Reichmann
This photography site provides reviews and articles with an interesting viewpoint, and the review of the Nikon D90 describes and tests its video capabilities in more depth than most. This site's review of… the Canon XSi covers its handling qualities in detail (asserting that relatively small image-quality differences among digital SLRs aren't nearly as important). This site's review of the Pentax K10D is also insightful.
by Editors of ThinkCamera.com
The single-camera reviews here include useful comparisons and summarize the pros and cons nicely at the top, adding a numeric rating at the bottom. There's no summary chart to make it quick to compare… digital SLR camera ratings, so you have to wade through the reviews to find the ratings. The main drawback, though, is that the coverage is sketchy; reviews don't cover all the competing cameras. However, the Nikon D90 gets a thorough critique.
by Phillip Greenspun
This excellent guide to selecting and using a digital SLR camera, lenses and other accessories also compares four camera bodies, but it's getting a bit outdated. Experienced photographer Phillip Greenspun… recommends looking ahead to the whole camera system, beyond the usual focus on the camera body. The Photo.net site also has single-camera reviews of digital SLR cameras, featuring useful comparisons with the closest competing models, but some of the newest models aren't yet covered.
by Members of the TIPA
Each year, members of Europe's Technical Image Press Association of Europe (TIPA) vote on what they consider to be the best photo and imaging products. Products are judged on quality, performance and value.… However, selections are based on the results of a secret ballot rather than an open testing process. The Sony Alpha 200 is judged the best entry-level SLR, while the Canon 450D and Nikon D300 are recommended in higher price ranges.
by Editors of NeoCamera.com
by Editors of DCViews.com
This site, which is lagging way behind in updates, is most useful as a launching point for your search for a digital SLR. The summary page for each DSLR includes the main specifications plus links to… reviews and forum discussions on other sites. DCViews also conducts some of its own reviews, and those include lots of photos and are based on actual use, not just features, but are not as thorough as the longer reviews on other sites. A chart of SLR lenses is useful.
by Editors of Shutterbug
by Contributors to Amazon.com
Amazon.com is one of the best places to read owners' impressions of digital SLRs after the sale. Useful tools include a box comparing the most helpful positive and negative review for most cameras.… Sometimes the same camera is reviewed in different places on the site, and review quality varies. Still, the insights shared provide some first-person perspectives that can't be found in even the best professional reviews. At the time of our report, Nikon, Pentax and Olympus digital SLR cameras get slightly higher average ratings than Canon.
by Editors of CameraTown.com
by Editors of DigitalCameraTracker.com
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This is our assessment of the review’s relevance, clarity of testing and thoroughness.
Read more about our Ratings Criteria by clicking the link at the top of the page.
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 Canon Digital Rebel XSi 12.2 MP Digital SLR Camera with EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS Lens (Black)  from Amazon.com New: Too low to display In Stock.
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 Nikon D40 6.1MP Digital SLR Camera Kit with 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G ED II AF-S DX Zoom-Nikkor Lens from Amazon.com New: Too low to display In Stock.
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 Canon EOS 40D 10.1MP Digital SLR Camera with EF 28-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM Standard Zoom Lens from Amazon.com New: $1249.95 In Stock.
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 Nikon D90 DX 12.3MP Digital SLR Camera with 18-105mm f/3.5-5.6G ED AF-S VR DX Nikkor Zoom Lens from Amazon.com New: Too low to display In Stock.
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