Canon's EOS 50D is the company's latest semi-professional DSLR. It comes one year after the popular EOS 40D, but doesn't replace it - as yet anyway. Both models will co-exist in the market at different price points, at least for the rest of 2008

High resolution which matches 40D's noise., Quick handling and continuous shooting., VGA screen with Live View & HDMI., AF micro-adjust and vignette correction., High resolution which matches 40D's noise., Quick handling and continuous shooting.,...

Needs decent optics to exploit resolution., Face detection impractical due to slow AF., Auto Lighting Optimizer unremarkable., Needs decent optics to exploit resolution., Face detection impractical due to slow AF., Auto Lighting Optimizer unremarkabl...

The Canon EOS 50D is a worthy update to the already excellent EOS 40D, equipping it not just with the latest features, but also a significant boost in resolution without compromising noise levels. The presence of certain specifications, and the fact it's...

The Sony A900 is the flagship DSLR in the Alpha range. Announced in September 2008, it's the first model from Sony to feature a full-frame sensor, and the first full-frame DSLR in the world to boast built-in image stabilisation. The Alpha A900 also become...

Technically highest resolution to date., Built-in image stabilisation., Superb viewfinder with 100% coverage., Quick handling and 5fps shooting., Technically highest resolution to date., Built-in image stabilisation., Superb viewfinder with 100% cov...

More noise than rivals above 400 ISO., No Live View or movie function., Upper information screen very basic., More noise than rivals above 400 ISO., No Live View or movie function., Upper information screen very basic.

Another benefit of full-frame sensors are the large optical viewfinders which go with them. Sony's excelled itself here by delivering 100% coverage which compares favourably against its similarly-priced rivals. Completing the specification are a VGA scree...

The Nikon D90 is the long awaited successor to the company's best-selling D80 Digital SLR. Announced in late August 2008, the D90 follows a similar strategy to its predecessor, aimed at a slightly higher level than many of its rivals. This understandably...

Great handling and ergonomics., Big viewfinder and detailed screen., First DSLR with movie mode., 4.5fps shooting & 11-point AF., Great handling and ergonomics., Big viewfinder and detailed screen., First DSLR with movie mode., 4.5fps shooting...

Motion artefacts in movie mode., Tough rival in Canon EOS 40D., Resolution not a big step from D80., Motion artefacts in movie mode., Tough rival in Canon EOS 40D., Resolution not a big step from D80.

There's no doubt the Nikon D90 is a very impressive DSLR, but like its predecessor, it's more about enhanced features and superior handling, rather than greatly improved image quality. Don't get us wrong, the D90's stills look great, but they're not a sig...

The D700 is Nikon's second full-frame DSLR. Announced on July 1st 2008, the D700 essentially takes the D3's large 'FX' format sensor and squeezes it into a D300-sized body. Along with being smaller and lighter than the flagship D3, it's also comfortably c...

Full-frame sensor with superb high ISO quality., Tough build and great ergonomics., Quick 51-point AF and 5fps shooting., 3in VGA screen with Live View., Full-frame sensor with superb high ISO quality., Tough build and great ergonomics., Quick 51-po...

High price premium of full-frame sensor., No Live Histogram in Live View., Anti-dust not particularly effective in our tests., PC control and RAW software not bundled., High price premium of full-frame sensor., No Live Histogram in Live View., Anti-...

Nikon has been very cunning with the feature-set of the D700, taking the key specifications of the D3, and only leaving those which would affect a small and generally pro audience - who probably already have a D3 anyway. So by keeping the core image quali...

The EOS 1000D, or Digital Rebel XS as it's known in North America, is Canon's latest entry-level DSLR. It's the true successor to the best-selling EOS 400D / Rebel XTi and positioned below the EOS 450D / Rebel XSi which was launched six months earlier

Image quality up with the best 10 Mpixel DSLRs., Accurate Live View with contrast-AF option., Kit includes stabilised lens., PC remote control software supplied., Image quality up with the best 10 Mpixel DSLRs., Accurate Live View with contrast-AF op...

Live View not as fuss-free as Sony A300., Screen fixed in position, unlike A300., Slow RAW continuous shooting., Live View not as fuss-free as Sony A300., Screen fixed in position, unlike A300., Slow RAW continuous shooting.

We tested a final-production Canon EOS 1000D / XS, running firmware version 1.0.3. Following our convention of testing cameras using their factory default settings unless otherwise stated, the EOS 1000D / XS was set to Large Fine JPEG quality, Auto White...

The Pentax K200D is an affordable 10 Megapixel DSLR with built-in Shake Reduction that provides stabilisation facilities with any lens you attach. Announced alongside the K20D in January 2008, the K200D may be over-shadowed by the feature-packed 14 Megapi...

Tough and weatherproof body., Built-in Shake Reduction., Convenient AA battery power., Broad degree of customisation., Tough and weatherproof body., Built-in Shake Reduction., Convenient AA battery power., Broad degree of customisation.

No Live View facilities., Anti-shake not as effective as rivals., Disappointing continuous shooting., Tendency to underexpose., No Live View facilities., Anti-shake not as effective as rivals., Disappointing continuous shooting., Tendency to undere...

We tested a final production Pentax K200D. The K200D was set to 10M *** JPEG quality, Auto White Balance, Multi-Segment metering, High ISO NR off, and the Custom Image setting at the default Bright option with +1 for Contrast and Sharpness. Shake Reductio...

The Olympus E-520 is a lightweight 10 Megapixel DSLR with built-in Image Stabilisation and Live View facilities. Announced in May 2008, it's the successor to one of the best-selling models of last year, the popular E-510

Built-in stabilisation which works with any lens., Very effective anti-dust system., Live View with contrast AF and face detection., Quick handling and broad customisation., Built-in stabilisation which works with any lens., Very effective anti-dust...

Smaller viewfinder than rivals., Can't see stabilisation in optical viewfinder., Relatively basic 3-point AF system., Screen doesn't flip-out., Smaller viewfinder than rivals., Can't see stabilisation in optical viewfinder., Relatively basic 3-point AF...

Testing notes: we tested a final production Olympus E-520 with the standard 14-42mm kit lens, both of which were running firmware 1.0 when supplied; we updated the lens firmware to v1.2 in order to support the E-520's contrast-based 'Imager' AF in Live Vi...

The Olympus E-420 is an unusually small and light 10 Megapixel DSLR aimed at point and shoot owners looking to upgrade, along with enthusiasts who want a camera they can use in situations where a traditional DSLR would be too cumbersome

Small and light without compromising comfort., Very effective anti-dust system., Live View with contrast AF and face detection., Quick handling and broad customisation., Small and light without compromising comfort., Very effective anti-dust system.,...

Very limited anti-shake options., Small viewfinder with basic 3-point AF., Body may be too small for bigger hands., E-520 a tempting alternative with anti-shake., Very limited anti-shake options., Small viewfinder with basic 3-point AF., Body may be...

Note: where features are identical to the E-410, we've reused some sections of our E-410 review

The Alpha DSLR-A300 and Alpha DSLR-A350 are Sony's fourth and fifth DSLRs, launched together at the annual PMA show in late January 2008. Since the original A100 was replaced by the A200 in early January, Sony now has four models in the Alpha range: the e...

Built-in anti-shake - works with any lens., No-fuss Live View with quick AF., Tilting monitor., InfoLithium battery gives accurate feedback., Built-in anti-shake - works with any lens., No-fuss Live View with quick AF., Tilting monitor., InfoLithiu...

Relatively small optical viewfinder., Noise levels not much better than A350., Live View not 100% accurate., Relatively small optical viewfinder., Noise levels not much better than A350., Live View not 100% accurate.

The Sony Alpha A300 is a feature-packed DSLR with a compelling price tag. With built-in stabilisation, Live View and a flip-out screen, it ticks the boxes of most new DSLR buyers. Sony's fuss-free Live View is also arguably the best implementation yet for...

The Pentax K20D is a 14.6 Megapixel mid-range DSLR which packs-in a broad range of features many of which are normally reserved for semi-pro models. Announced in January 2008, it's the successor to the popular K10D, from which it inherits an impressive co...

Highly detailed images across ISO range., Built-in Shake Reduction., Dust and weatherproof body., Broad degree of customisation., Highly detailed images across ISO range., Built-in Shake Reduction., Dust and weatherproof body., Broad degree of cust...

Basic Live View system., Anti-shake not as effective as rivals., Semi-pro pricing, but not as quick or tough., Tendency to underexpose., Basic Live View system., Anti-shake not as effective as rivals., Semi-pro pricing, but not as quick or tough.,...

Pentax has certainly made a number of improvements over the already very capable K10D, which in turn makes the K20D a powerful and feature-packed DSLR. The biggest and most important is of course the sensor, with the K20D delivering the most detailed imag...