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The Canon EOS-1Ds line has been ruling the roost of high-resolution studio digital SLRs since it was first released six years ago, amidst full-frame competition from the likes of Kodak and Contax. Both of those companies have since left the digital SLR market, leaving the EOS-1Ds as the only full-f…

Top Studio Camera: Canon EOS 1Ds Mark III
Top Safari/Sport Camera: Nikon D3
Top Enthusiast SLR: Nikon D300…

The $700 Olympus E-620 is Olympus newest entry Four-Thirds model. It feels as if it should replace the slightly bigger E-520, bringing a higher-resolution imaging sensor, an ISO 3200 setting, an articulated LCD like that found on the E-30, and support for the HLD-5 vertical grip. It performs similarly to the E-30 in most respects, so preference will come down to either handling or cost for most purchasers.

The comparing the Olympus E-30 to the Olympus E-3 feels like comparing the Canon EOS 5D to the EOS 1Ds. The E-30 is Olympus mid-market camera, coming a little later to market but getting much of the E-3's improvements such as upgraded auto-focus and losing the environmental sealing. With Four Third…

Leica is famous for quality, precision, and rangefinders. It also makes SLRs. Now it makes the medium-format (30x45mm) digital-only S2 which integrates a 37.5MP Kodak CCD. The autofocus-capable 1.41kg system is weather-sealed, supports ISO equivalents from 100-1600, and captures directly to Adobe's digital negative (DNG) format keeping 16-bits per channel. The body itself will cost a seemingly cheap $23,000 but you're going to need to by new S-mount lenses. If you're worried that you haven't spent enough, Leica sells various service contracts or you can spend an extra $5k on the body and get an extra durable and flashy sapphire glass to cover the LCD.

Many saw the EOS 5D as a revolution similar to Canon's original D30 or Nikon's D1. These were cameras that opened a new stratum of digital photography to the masses. Previously, the only full-frame cameras were expensive environmentally sealed professional flagships, but with the EOS 5D, consumers…

The Four Thirds system has some small cameras, like the Olympus E-510, but there physical limits constrain how small you can make an SLR. There needs to be room for the reflex mirror, and lenses are designed to be a set distance away from the imaging substrate (i.e. film or sensor). The new Micro …

The Hy6 is a new medium-format system, cross-branded by a few companies: Sinar, Leaf (as AFI), and Franke and Heidecke (as the venerable Rollei). The body—including the lens-mount—is based on the Rollei 6008, and is compatible with the same manual and autofocus lenses. Unlike the H-series of Hasselblads and the Mamiya 645 camera, the Hy6 is a 6x6 camera (actually a 56mm squared recording area) but the current backs are unfortunately all 6x4.5 making the distinction for the moment academic. With the 21MP e54 back, the Hy6 will cost about $25,900 and the reflex viewfinder will be another $1,750.

The Nikon D90 is making waves in the press for supporting movie recording 720p (1280x720) HD video at 24fps. I'm glad we got that out of the way so that we can can go on to talking about the D90 as a useful device.…

Canon's latest $8,000 bump in the studio-focused EOS-1Ds series has a full-frame competitor for the first time since Kodak left the market. Still, the full-frame Nikon D3 and Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III feel designed for different users, with the 12MP Nikon D3 feeling designed for out-of-the-studio use, and its higher-ISO/faster 9fps supports that. The Mark III version, aside from updated imaging pipeline, also brings anti-dust measures introduced elsewhere in Canon's EOS line-up.

Sony has released a bevy of introductory cameras, from the Alpha 200 ($600) to the Alpha 350 ($900), tempting introductory buyers across the sub-$1000 price points. All three cameras support in-body stabilization and an APS-C sized CCD and use Sony's Bionz image processor (but not the A700's flagship Exmor CMOS chip). Olympus E-420 is still cheaper, and there are now plenty of options for consumers willing to approach the $1,000 mark.

The 10MP, 426g, Olympus E-420 is priced competitively at $500. While reviewers have noted sub-par battery life and dynamic range losing highlights, it's an economical entry point into the Four Thirds system for those looking to upgrade from point and shoots.

The $800 Pentax K200D is the successor to Pentax K100D (and variants). It adds weather sealing and sensor-based image stabilization similar to that found in the mid-range Pentax K20D, but has a lower-resolution (10MP) CCD.

Nikon's two new cameras, the $5,000 flagship D3 and its top compact camera the D300 ($1,800) look surprisingly similar on paper. Both have a 12MP sensor digitizing into 14-bits per channel; but while the D300 is the standard Nikon APS-C the D3 is Nikon's first full-frame camera ("FX" in Nikon's lit…

Over four years ago, Olympus introduced the Four Thirds system with the flagship E-1. In that time, it's released two models in each of two cheaper lines, the E-300, E-500 and their successors; but nothing to follow-up on the well received E-1 until now.…

Canon's Digital Rebel line heralded in the entry-level digital SLR, breaking the $1,000 price barrier. Since then they've been joined by all of the current players: Olympus, Nikon, Pentax/Samsung, and Sony. In the current market, the EOS 450D has stayed comparatively close to the EOS 300D's breakthrough price while others have been able to undercut its price (and sometimes with in-body image stabilization). It's always been tough, looking at Canon's three and two digit lines, to tell the difference in the market. While the two digit lines have always felt more solid, the truth is both lines contained very similar innards.

The latest cross-branded cameras from Pentax and Samsung should retail for about $1,300, and contain a new 15MP APS-C Pentax/Samsung CMOS stabilized sensor. The K20D/GX-20 has leading resolution, but much its continuous drive is slow for its class at only 3fps (it's minimum shutter speed of 1/4000s is less likely to be a problem).