Digital SLR Cameras

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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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