Digital Camera Reviews & Comparisons
Digital camera reviews and comparisons from our experts will provide you will all the information you need before committing to the equipment.
Panasonic Lumix DMC-G1  Like the Olympus PEN E-P1, the 12.1-megapixel Panasonic Lumix DMC-G1 is a Micro Four Thirds System camera, eliminating the mirror and pentaprism to reduce size. Unlike the E-P1, the G1 does provide an electronic eye-level finder—especially useful in bright outdoor conditions when using the LCD is more difficult. |
Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF1  The newest Micro Four Thirds system camera from Panasonic is similar to the new Olympus E-P1 in its sleek, compact form. These two models are the smallest interchangeable-lens cameras currently available, so if you’re looking for the ultimate in portability, this is it. |
Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH1  Okay, we know it’s not a true SLR (as a Micro Four Thirds camera, it lacks the mirror and pentaprism), but it looks and shoots like one, and takes interchangeable lenses. And it brings to fruition the promise of the original Four Thirds System: dramatically smaller cameras. The GH1 is noticeably smaller than the smallest true D-SLR. The GH1’s 12.1-megapixel Live MOS sensor is the same size as standard Four Thirds System sensors (17.3x13.0mm); it’s the cameras that are “Micro,” not the image sensors. |
Pentax K-7  Pentax’s newest D-SLR builds on the strong points of the K20D and adds lots of new features. The K20D’s 14.6-megapixel CMOS sensor (codeveloped with Samsung) has been revamped to allow Face Detection Live View and HD video recording. A new PRIME II imaging engine works with the sensor to improve image quality, speed operation and enable the new features. |
Pentax K20D  Last year, this excellent model was in the midpriced category. Now, at $699 for the body only, it’s nearly twice as good a deal. |
Samsung GX-20  Another camera that’s dropped in price one category since last year’s Buyer’s Guide, the GX-20 is almost identical to the Pentax K20D, featuring the same 14.6-megapixel Samsung/Pentax CMOS image sensor, but with Samsung’s own image processor. |
Leica M8.2  Leica and the little red dot that serves as its logo are synonymous with a certain photographic mystique—and phenomenal optics. As the name implies, the Leica M8.2 is the sequel to the M8, Leica’s initial foray into digital. The M8 itself, released in 2006, continues the traditional aesthetics and minimalist elegance of the analog M Series, which goes back more than 50 years. |
Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III  While many of the features of the Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III have trickled down to the 5D Mark II, the EOS-1Ds Mark III model still offers photographers professional features and functionality that the 5D Mark II does not. The 1Ds Mark III is the flagship D-SLR of the Canon EOS line, and as such, everything about it is designed to offer top-of-the-line performance, speed and image quality. |
Nikon D3X  Replacing the D3 as Nikon’s flagship D-SLR, the full-frame D3x, now almost a year old, was the eagerly anticipated evolution of Nikon’s solid D3. On the exterior, the D3x is identical to the D3. The build, interface and many of the features so familiar to D3 users have been carried over directly to the D3x. Underneath the hood, however, there are a few substantial improvements that make the $3,000 price hike reasonable, including a brand-new sensor and a 16-bit processing pipeline with your choice of image file capture at 14-bit (16,384 tones) or 12-bit (4,096 tones) for incredibly high picture quality and subtle tonality. |
