Nikon's quest for speed spawned the Usain Bolt of DSLRs, keen on showboatin' a full-frame, 12.1-megapixel image sensor that fires up to nine frames per second. Truth is, this pro-level camera's blazing speed is just a start. The 51-point focusing system a...

High-ISO shooting is fantastic, with low noise, even at ISO 3200. In-camera RAW conversion. Live-view function is the best of the top-end DSLRs. Dual CF card capability.

So many functions it could take a lifetime to nail them all. No dust-busting sensor-cleaning system

's season 3 finale if you don't believe me.) And in the world of DSLR cameras, Nikon has been toiling to one day escape from the shadow of a certain photo-manufacturing giant whose name rhymes with "Danon." And with its newest shooter it looks like that d...

Enormous image sensor blows open the door to some of the finest 12.3-megapixel images we've produced yet. Nikon's top-of-the-line high-res 3-inch LCD is prettier than looking at a supermodel with beer goggles. In-camera dust reduction is spot on at removi...

Only manual focus in the video mode. Seriously, this is really the only problem we had with the D90 and even that was a stretch.

Sony came out swinging for the fences with the introduction of its "flagship" DSLR, the A900. Billed as a prosumer digi-snapper, but packed with a panoply of pro-style features, a memory card bursting, 24-megapixel full-frame sensor, crystal clear high-de...

Bright, vivid and spacious viewfinder. Excellent in-camera image stabilization system. Easy no-menu adjustments with Fn button and multi-selector toggle. Killer price for the highest resolution, high functioning, easy to use DSLR.

Focus points not big and bright enough in brightly lit situations. No latch for memory card cover. Pointless postage stamp sized LCD on top of the body. No continuous ISO in viewfinder. Power switch on left side of body.   

So let's suppose you are that person, you know, the one who really likes to take snapshots, but you're a bit disgruntled, because your once beloved point-and-shoot isn't cutting it anymore. You long for bigger, better, sharper images, but you've got issue...

Brightest, sharpest LCD in category. Stop motion movies. Active D-Lighting-fixes shots during processing. In-camera RAW conversion. Fast start-up to shoot.

Compact styling means the controls are a bit cramped for big hands. Only three-point autofocus system. Manual shooting a bit ungainly. Just three frames-per-second in continuous shooting mode.

Last year's Rebel XTi was a massive sales success, but not exactly a technological leap forward for DSLRs. Most critiques of that camera (including ours) came up just shy of disappointment while competing manufacturers of entry level DSLRs toiled to produ...

Switch to SDHC memory. Relatively low noise at high ISO settings. New battery with 50% more endurance.

ISO tops out at 1600. Plastic body seems too plasticy. ISO in only full stop increments. Lacks the useful HELP mode of its major competitors. A tad bit pricey.

Let's get one thing out of the way: Even though it's called the 420, Olympus' latest camera has absolutely nothing to do with illicit drug use. We tried to find a secret compartment for storing your stash: No dice.

Light weight and small size make it far more portable than most DSLRs. Live view lets you compose on-screen instead of peering through the viewfinder. Speedy autofocus. No discernible shutter lag. Paging all photo geeks: RAW format support.

Fewer buttons means it takes more menu-surfing to adjust basic settings like ISO and white balance. Face-detection feature can be slow. Four Thirds lens compatibility is largely moot, as no manufacturers beside Olympus and pricey Sigma support the standar...

Olympus has been the avant-garde of a few notable DSLR trends like dust removal, live view and the articulating LCD. Initially poo pooed, the first two are now seen on nearly all the usual suspects these days. And in those three areas the big "O" still le...

: The comfiest eyepiece. One-touch menu access to nearly 20 functions. The quickest focusing. Articulating LCD makes Live View a real asset, instead of an afterthought.

: The back of the camera is a jumble. The 2.5-inch LCD is smallish compared with competitors. Employs Olympus's XD memory card format, instead of SD, as the second memory card slot. Presently only two super-fast focusing lenses in the quiver.

Big, heavy and laden with features, Nikon's 12.3-megapixel D300 is also the best digi-SLR for under three grand we've seen yet. All told, it comes as close to the highest-end Nikons or Canons on the market for thousands less. The three-inch LCD is the sha...

Brightest, sharpest LCD we've seen. HDMI port for straight-to-big-screen viewing. Most comfortable and ergonomic of the quartet.

CF memory card only. Biggest and heaviest of the quartet.

Olympus may not make the slimmest or sexiest SLRs on the market, but it does manage to pack a lot of photographic oomph into its beefy shooters. And the new 10-megapixel E-510 is no exception. Heir apparent to the E-500, this SLR retains its predecessor's...

Sharp, detailed images. Can use viewfinder or LCD to compose shots. Image stabilization works incredibly well, regardless of lens. Ergonomic case is comfortable to grip. Dual CF and xD slots double on-camera storage. Great wide-angle performance from kit...

Two-finger exposure compensation control requires some co-ordination. Default information display is quite crowded.

Great image quality. Lightweight and pleasing to hold. Bright viewfinder. Lots of in-camera retouching options, including RAW conversion. Performs well across ISO range of 100-1,600. Tons of help options for photo n00bs. Good battery life.

Clunky menu system. Limited lens compatibility. Stripped-down autofocus system misses target sometimes.