Buyer's Guide HomeHoliday Buyer's Guide 2009

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DSLR and Micro Four Thirds

The cameras in this section represent some of our favorite interchangeable lens systems from the past year. If you're just moving up from a point and shoot, it's a great time to be in the market for an entry-level DSLR. More features than ever are available in beginner-friendly models (and price ranges).

If your sights are set a little higher, look to the $800 and up bracket. That's where this year's Micro Four Thirds systems found a home. They aren't true DSLRs, since they don't have a mirror box, but they offer comparable image quality with a considerably smaller footprint.

If money is no consideration and it's pro-grade equipment you're after, Canon and Nikon have you covered. Our picks for the "Sky's the Limit" price range will offer the semi-pro to professional photographer all the speed, flexibility, and high-end features he or she could ask for.

Less Than $800

Nikon D5000

The D5000 features the same 12.9 megapixel (12.3 million effective pixels) APS-C (or DX format, in Nikon's nomenclature) sensor and Nikon's latest generation EXPEED processor found in the D90. It also inherits the 11 point AF system with color and distance tracking as well as optional viewfinder gridlines from the D90. There's also a tilt/swivel LCD and 720p HD video recording capability.

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Olympus E-620

The 12.3 megapixel Olympus E-620 sits squarely in the middle of Olympus's current DSLR offerings - high imaging power, but at a lower cost. It features a "Live MOS" Four Thirds format image sensor and 2.7 inch tilt/swivel HyperCrystal III LCD.

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Canon Rebel T1i

The Canon Rebel T1i features both full HD and 720p video capture. The T1i comes packed with pro-quality features like an APS-C sized 15.1-megapixel CMOS sensor, the impressive DIGIC 4 image processor, a high-res 3.0 inch LCD, full manual control over exposure, and easy-to-use scene modes for everything from night portraits to sports.

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$800-$1200

Panasonic Lumix GF1

The GF1 marks Panasonic's first truly "micro" entry in the Micro Four Thirds category. It packs a 12.1 megapixel sensor, a pop-up flash, and 720p HD video recording. For more on Micro Four Thirds, take a look at our brief explanation.

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Olympus E-P1

The Olympus E-P1 was easily the best-dressed digital camera of the year. We liked the image quality and feature set, though we found the auto focus system a bit sluggish. If class-leading AF speed isn't a priority, then the E-P1 may be worth consideration (especially as prices fall in the wake of the E-P2 announcement).

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More than $1200

Nikon D300s

The Nikon D300S is a prosumer digital SLR, updating the D300 with 720p HD video and dual CF and SD memory card slots. Other features include a 12.3 megapixel CMOS sensor, a 3.0 inch LCD and Nikon's EXPEED image processor.

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Canon EOS 5D Mark II

Canon's update to the popular full frame EOS 5D, the EOS 5D Mark II, has a stunning 21.1 megapixel full-frame CMOS sensor with DIGIC 4 Image Processor, an ISO Range of 100-6400, plus EOS technologies like Auto Lighting Optimizer and Peripheral Illumination Correction. It supports Live View shooting, Live View HD videos, and more. It can shoot up to 3.9 fps, has 9 AF points plus 6 AF assist points, a new 98% coverage viewfinder, a 3.0 inch Clear View LCD (920,000 dots/VGA) and a rugged build.

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Buyer's Guide HomeHoliday Buyer's Guide 2009

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