Digital SLRs
Canon EOS 1000D
Entry Level 10 Megapixels
The EOS 1000D is able to capture photos at a top speed of 3 frames per second for Jpegs. For composing photos there is a 2.5 inch LCD screen. Live view allows you to compose images using the LCD screen if you prefer this method to using a viewfinder. The EOS 1000D offers protection against dust with automatic sensor cleaning. This is none of the more lightweight SLRs weighing 450g. It is compatible with SD and SDHC memory cards.4
Canon EOS 1100D
Entry Level 12 Megapixels
The EOS 1100D is aimed at anyone looking to buy their first Digital SLR. It includes an on screen help to guide you through all the main features. Features include 12 megapixels, a 2.7 inch LCD screen, a viewfinder and High Definition movies, plus Eye-Fi connected features to help you upload your photos to your computer and photo sharing websites.4
Guide Price: £379.95 See latest prices: Canon EOS 1100D Prices
Canon EOS 1D Mark IV
Professional 16 Megapixels
This is a fully featured Digital SLR. It is aimed at top level professionals working in the fields of sports, news and wildlife photography. Key features include 16 megapixels, a 1.3x crop factor, 46 point auto focus, 10 frames per second and the ability to shoot High Definition movies. ISO can be extended between ISO 50 and ISO 102,400. The high specification build quality includes a full magnesium alloy body. It is water and dust resistant through the fitting of 76 rubber seals.4
Guide Price: £3,658.00 See latest prices: Canon EOS 1D Mark IV Prices
Canon EOS 1Ds Mark III
Professional 21 Megapixels
The EOS IDs Mark III sits at the top of the Canon DSLR range. It is aimed at the most demanding professional photographers and offers features such as a shooting speed of 5 frames per second, a full frame sensor and 19 AF cross type points.4
Canon EOS 550D
Entry Level 18 Megapixels
Canon has packed 18 megapixels onto the camera sensor. The EOS 550D is capable of shooting at rates up to 3.7 frames per second. It can also capture High Definition movies at a resolution of 1080p. It has a 3 inch LCD screen and is equipped with a 9 point AF system.4
Guide Price: £488.99 See latest prices: Canon EOS 550D Prices
Canon EOS 5D Mark II
Professional 21 Megapixels
Like its predecessor the EOS 5D Mark II has a full frame sensor. It can shoot at up to 3.9 frames per second when images are stored as Jpegs. The 3 inch LCD screen offers Live View for composing images through the screen. There is also a comprehensive dust prevention system.4
Guide Price: £1,544.95 See latest prices: Canon EOS 5D Mark II Prices
Canon EOS 5D Mark III
22 Megapixels
The Canon EOS 5D Mark III is one of the most advanced Digital SLRs. It offers 61 point Auto Focus, the ability to shoot at up to 6 frames per second and has a 3.2 inch LCD screen. Shooting movies is taken care of by a Full High Definition movie mode, stereo sound and the ability to use manual exposure while recording. There is a socket for an external microphone and one for headphones. Canon have equipped the camera with weather sealing. The body is built around a magnesium chassis.4
Canon EOS 600D
18 Megapixels
The EOS 600D offers full High Definition movies. It has 9 point Auto Focus, an ISO range of 100 – 6400 (expandable to 128,000) and can reel off still images at a top speed of 3.7 frames per second. To help you compose photos from awkward shooting positions there is a 3 inch, vari angle LCD screen. If you are new to this level of camera then you are likely to find the on screen camera guide is very useful. 4
Guide Price: £559.95 See latest prices: Canon EOS 600D Prices
Canon EOS 60D
Intermediate 18 Megapixels
This mid range Digital SLR is capable of capturing up to 5.3 frames per second for up to 58 jpegs. It has a 3 inch vari angle LCD screen and a 9 point cross type AF system. ISO can be set between 100 and 6400. This is expandable to 12,800. In camera RAW processing allows you to adjust settings such as white balance and to correct distortion or chromatic aberration.4
Guide Price: £769.00 See latest prices: Canon EOS 60D Prices
Canon EOS 7D
Intermediate 18 Megapixels
Key features include the ability to shoot at speeds of up to 8 frames per second. This is ideal for fast moving subjects. Focusing options include a 19 point cross type AF system. The AF system is customisable to give you fine control over focusing. The ISO range is 100 – 6400. This is expandable up to 12800. 4
Guide Price: £1,159.99 See latest prices: Canon EOS 7D Prices
Canon EOS-1D X
18 Megapixels
The EOS-1D X is a top of the range Digital SLR aimed at high level professional photographers. It is a full frame model. It is capable of 10.3 frames per second and has a 3.2 inch LCD screen. Photographs can be stored simultaneously as Jpg and RAW. There is a 3.2 inch LCD screen in addition to the viewfinder. ISO ratings go up to 512,000 in standard mode and 204,800 in High ISO mode. You can also shoot Full High Definition movies.4
Guide Price: £5,299.95 See latest prices: Canon EOS-1D X Prices
Nikon D300s
Intermediate 12 Megapixels
This is a mid range Digital SLR, popular with both professional photographers and advanced amateurs. Key features include the ability to capture HD quality movies, a Live View mode and a 51 point Autofocus system. If can capture photos at an impressive rate of 7 frames per second. 4
Guide Price: £1,139.95 See latest prices: Nikon D300s Prices
Nikon D3100
Entry Level 14 Megapixels
The D3100 is an ideal starter Digital SLR. It is relatively small and lightweight and has a guide mode to help you get the most out of the D3100. Features include 12 megapixels and a 3 inch LCD screen. There is a range of manual exposure controls and you can record High Definition movies. It is available in kit form with a wide angle lens. 4
Guide Price: £369.99 See latest prices: Nikon D3100 Prices
Nikon D3s
Professional 12 Megapixels
The D3s is clearly a high end Digital SLR. It is able to reel off shots at a rate of 9 frames per second. It has a 51 point auto focus system with 15 cross type sensors. It has a rugged construction based on a magnesium alloy body. Other features include High Definition movies, an ISO range of ISO 200 – 12,800 (expandable to 102400) and a 3 inch LCD screen. The viewfinder offers 100% coverage.4
Guide Price: £3,594.00 See latest prices: Nikon D3s Prices
Nikon D3x
Professional 24.5 Megapixels
The D3x is aimed at the most demanding professional photographers. It has 51 AF points and can shoot full resolution photos at a top speed of five frames per second. The body is made from a magnesium alloy and is resistant to moisture, dust and shock.4
Guide Price: £5,054.00 See latest prices: Nikon D3x Prices
Nikon D4
16 Megapixels
The Nikon D4 is a top of the range Digital SLR. This full frame model has a 51 point AF and can shoot up to 10 frames per second. Full 1080p High Definition movies can be captured with stereo sound. You can even take 2 megapixel stills while shooting video. It has a 3.2 inch LCD screen, dual memory card slots and a built in HDR function. The body is based on a magnesium alloy chassis and there are seals to protect the D4 from moisture and dust. Amongst the optional accessories is a wireless transmitter.4
Nikon D5100
Entry Level 16 Megapixels
The D5100 has a vari angle, 3 inch LCD screen, the ability to shoot 1080p High Definition movies and an 11 point Auto Focus system. Other features include a High Dynamic Range setting and a series of in camera effects include low key and high key modes.4
Guide Price: £599.99 See latest prices: Nikon D5100 Prices
Nikon D700
Intermediate 12 Megapixels
The D700 comes with some of the features more recently introduced to Digital SLRs such as a Live View mode and a cleaning system that automatically removes dust from the sensor. It has a 3 inch LCD screen and can shoot at a maximum of 8 frames per second with the optional battery pack. A wireless transmitter is available for wireless communication with Ethernets and LANs. 4
Guide Price: £1,779.40 See latest prices: Nikon D700 Prices
Nikon D7000
16 Megapixels
The D7000 is a mid range Digital SLR. Key features include the ability to capture still images at speeds of up to 6 frames per second for 100 images. The camera can also record Full High Definition movies with a maximum resolution of 1080p. You also have the option of adding a stereo microphone for recording sound. There is a 3 inch LCD screen in addition to the optical viewfinder. For focusing Nikon have equipped the D7000 with 39 Auto Focus points including 9 cross type points.4
Nikon D800
36 Megapixels
The Nikon D800 is a high quality Digital SLR aimed at professional photographers. The D800 is a full frame Digital SLR. It is capable of shooting Full 1080p High Definition movies with stereo sound. It has a 51 point AF and an ISO 100 to 6400 range that can be expanded to 25,600. Burst mode can reel off shots at up to 4 frames per second. There is also a HDR function to increase the dynamic range of high contrast photos.4
Nikon D90
Entry Level 12 Megapixels
The Nikon D90 is a 12 megapixel Digital SLR. This SLR is aimed at serious photography enthusiasts. The D90 is compatible with Nikon’s NIKKOR range of lenses. It also includes a movie mode. For composing photos there is a Live View Mode.4
Guide Price: £549.95 See latest prices: Nikon D90 Prices
Olympus E-5
Professional 12 Megapixels
The E-5 is a professional level Digital SLR. Key features include 12 megapixels and an 11 point Auto Focus system. The body of the camera is made out of magnesium alloy and is both splashproof and dustproof. Image stabilisation has been built into the body and the 3 inch LCD screen pulls away from the body so that you can twist it round to a comfortable shooting position. A depth of field preview button is available and you can shoot High Definition movies.4
Guide Price: £1,529.95 See latest prices: Olympus E-5 Prices
Pentax K-5
Intermediate 16 Megapixels
The K-5 is a mid priced Digital SLR. It is waterproof, dustproof and can handle temperatures down to -10 degrees centigrade. It has a 3 inch LCD screen and a burst mode that can shoot at 7 frames per second. Image stabilisation has been built into the body and the K-5 can also shoot Full High Definition movies.4
Guide Price: £729.00 See latest prices: Pentax K-5 Prices
Pentax K-7
Intermediate 14 Megapixels
This Digital SLR is aimed at the top end of the enthusiast market. It has a larger number of waterproof seals helping to make the K-7 weather resistant. It is capable of capturing High Definition movies and has an 11 point auto focus system. Live view and dust removal are available too.4
Pentax K-r
Entry Level 12 Megapixels
The K-r is a 12 megapixel Digital SLR aimed at hobby photographers. It is a step up from the most basic Digital SLRs. Features include a 3 inch LCD screen, an 11 point Auto Focus system with 9 cross type sensors and image stabilisation. A viewfinder provides an alternative option for composition. The viewfinder has a 96% field of view with 0.85x magnification. One feature that other brands do not tend to offer is the ability to use either a lithium ion battery or a set of AA batteries.4
Sony A290
Entry Level 14 Megapixels
The Sony A290 is a starter Digital SLR. It is aimed at someone looking for their first Digital SLR. It has 14 megapixels. Features include a 2.7 inch LCD screen and a viewfinder. It has image stabilisation built into the body. For lowlight shooting you can increase ISO levels to a maximum of ISO 3200. If you are planning to shoot fast moving subjects you can switch to a burst mode that is able to fire off shots at a rate of 2.5 frames per second.4
Sony A33
Entry Level 14 Megapixels
The A33 has a number of features that you would normally expect to find on a more expensive Digital SLR. These include Full High Definition movies, shooting at 7 frames per second, a vari angle LCD screen and 15 point Auto Focus. Other features include a High Dynamic Range mode to add extra detail to you high contrast photos. A noise reduction mode and handheld twilight mode also aim to increase picture quality in tricky shooting conditions.4
Guide Price: £529.00 See latest prices: Sony A33 Prices
Sony A390
Entry Level 14 Megapixels
The A390 is an entry level Digital SLR. It has 14 megapixels. The 2.7 inch LCD screen can be tilted at an angle to help you in awkward shooting positions. Sony have built image stabilisation into the camera body. There is a burst mode that can shoot at 2.5 frames per second. 4
Sony A55V
Entry Level 16 Megapixels
The A55V has a great range of features for a mid priced Digital SLR. These include 16 megapixels, shooting at 10 frames per second, Full High Definition movies, GPS tagging, a 3 inch vari angle LCD screen and a sweep panorama mode. The sweep panorama mode has a 3D option. There is also setting to increase the dynamic range of your photos. This brings out extra detail in the lightest and darkest areas of your photos.4
Guide Price: £549.99 See latest prices: Sony A55V Prices
Sony A57
16 Megapixels
The A57 is aimed at advanced amateur photographers. Key features include the ability to capture shots at a rate of 12 frames per second. It can also capture Full High Definition Movies at a top speed of 50 frames per second. Manual exposure controls are available in movie mode as well as when you are taking still shots. There is a 15 point AF system with 3 cross type sensors.4
Sony A580
Entry Level 16 Megapixels
The A580 is a mid range Digital SLR with a few more advanced features. Features include 16 megapixels and the ability to shoot Full High Definition movies. Other features include a 3 inch LCD screen with Live View. There is a 15 point Auto Focus system with 3 cross sensors, plus the ability to fire off up to 7 frames per second.4
Sony A850
Intermediate 24 Megapixels
The A850 is a 24 megapixel, Digital SLR. It has a full frame sensor and is aimed at the professional photographer. It has a rugged construction with magnesium alloy body panels over an aluminium chassis. Features include image stabilisation, a burst mode capable of capturing images at a rate of 3 frames per second and a 10 point auto focus system.4
Guide Price: £1,849.95 See latest prices: Sony A850 Prices
Sony A900
Professional 24.6 Megapixels
The Sony A900 is a full framed Digital SLR. It has a 24.6 megapixel CMOS sensor. The camera body is made from magnesium, while the chassis is made from an aluminium alloy. Image stabilisation has been built into the body and there is also an anti dust system.4
Sony SLT A35
14 Megapixels
The SLT A35 is an entry level Digital SLR. It is capable of shooting short bursts at 5.5 frames per second and has a 3 inch LCD screen in addition to an electronic viewfinder. Other features include a 15 point Auto Focus mode and a High Dynamic range mode to help you inject extra detail into photos of high contrast scenes. Image stabilisation has been built into the body and the SLT A35 is able to shoot Full High Definition movies.4
Guide Price: £394.99 See latest prices: Sony SLT A35 Prices
Sony SLT A65
16 Megapixels
The SLT A65 has a range of manual exposure controls, is capable of shooting at up to 7 frames per second and a 15 point AF system. Image stabilisation has been built into the camera body. You have access to an electronic viewfinder for composing images as well as a 3 inch LCD screen that tilts and swivels away from the body. The SLT A65 can record Full High Definition movies.4
Guide Price: £799.95 See latest prices: Sony SLT A65 Prices
Sony SLT A77
24 Megapixels
As well as having a very high number of megapixels the SLT A77 offers shooting at speeds up to 12 frames per second. It also has GPS tracking. Other features include a 3 inch LCD screen, an electronic viewfinder, image stabilisation, a depth of field preview button and a digital tele converter that can increase the magnification of your lens by up to 2x. A 19 point Auto Focus system is available and the SLT A77 is able to record Full High Definition movies. 4
Guide Price: £1,149.00 See latest prices: Sony SLT A77 Prices
