As the twentieth century comes to a close, we take a look at the best digital cameras available today. Ten years ago, Kodak sensors coupled to Nikon cameras were not only the best option available, but at $30,000 they were also the only option available. In the last couple years we've seen the price of professional cameras fall over 80% and the introduction of the first SLR designed specifically for digital. Here we will take a look at the top camera selections for a handful of categories.
Top Studio Camera: Kodak DCS 560/660
Top Safari/Sport Camera: Nikon D1
Top Entry-level SLR: Canon D30
Top Non-interchangeable lens Camera: Olympus Camedia E-10
Top Compact Camera: Canon G1
Top Ultracompact Camera: Casio QV-3EX
Kodak DCS 560/660: Top Studio Cameras
Kodak's DCS 560 (Canon) and 660 (Nikon) have the same imaging components, with one fitted into a Canon EOS camera and the other into a Nikon F camera. They remain, with 6MP, a larger-than-average sensor, and a removable anti-aliasing filter the highest resolution DSLR under controlled lighting.
Nikon D1: Top Safari/Sport Camera
The Nikon D1 is the only DSLR in its class for environmental sealing and durability. It is a high-spec camera with an incredibly fast 1/16,000 of a second shutter speed. The Nikon D1 can capture an exhilarating wildlife shot in the morning while withstanding a dusty, harsh, environment long enough to capture dramatic shot of the veldt at sunset.
Canon D30: Top Entry-Level Camera
The Canon D30 is not quite up to the level of the Nikon D1 but is still a respectable camera. Depending upon your needs, it might even be a better fit: lighter, smaller, and with long-lasting batteries it's easier to lug around when you are in civilized conditions.
Olympus Camedia E-10: Top Non-interchangeable lens Camera
Like the Nikon D1, the Olympus E-10 is in a class of its own. It's an SLR without the reflex mirror, but instead has a high-tech beam splitting prism providing a through-the-lens viewfinder and a matched 4x zoom lens, avoiding any dust concerns. To top it all off, the E-10 has a best-in-class 4MP sensor albeit one significantly smaller than those in the SLR category.
Canon G1: Top Compact Camera
We didn't cover the Canon G1 since it was not a revolutionary. It has the same size sensor as the Nikon Coolpix 990, and both have a 3x zoom lens. The Canon G1 is slightly heavier than the Nikon Coolpix 990, but has a faster lens, high-capacity lithium-ion batteries, and comes with an infrared remote. You can't go wrong with any of the cameras in our 3x3MP article, but the late-to-market Canon G1 which is price $100 higher than the Nikon Coolpix 990's $900 has inched ahead.
Casio QV-3EX: Top Ultracompact
The Casio QV-3EX arrived back in February with a fixed lens and a slightly-wide field of view. The fixed lens and 3MP sensor gives the camera a remarkably pocketable size of 235cm³ and 245g. The QV-3EX supports compact flash, including IBM's Microdrive cards, which makes the QV-3X excellent for being ready-to-shoot whenever the need should arise.