The last Pentax SLR we reviewed, the K100D, is pleasing enough but disappointing in certain respects. The main issue is that it's cosmetically and technically hard to distinguish from all the Pentax cameras that have gone before

Sony's first digital SLR looks like one of the most exciting and innovative newcomers to arrive on the scene for some time. With ten-million pixels, built-in anti-shake and 20 new lenses on the way, Sony has hit the ground running.

The 400D, according to all the hype, is set to become the world's most popular digital SLR. In terms of looks, build and sheer usability, this tiny powerhouse of a camera borrows heavily from its acclaimed forerunner.

There are going to be those who think that Nikon is at best foolish and at worst mad to launch a new digital SLR with only 6 megapixels. But that may just be a measure of how caught up we've all become in the megapixel war

Olympus has obviously been listening to our gripes, with the E-500 looking like the camera the E-300 should have been all along. With more of a resemblance to the E-1 and a 'proper' digital SLR design, it also comes packed with clever photographic features

The EOS 30D is designed for keen photographers who've outgrown entry-level models like the EOS 350D or Nikon D50, but who don't quite have the budget for a professional digital SLR

The FinePix S3 is definitely a camera that will stay the course. If you're looking for a digital camera for sports or action photography look elsewhere, but if it's portraits or weddings you're into, then this could be the one

Still haven't switched from a film SLR camera to a digital SLR, and you believe you can't be persuaded? Well prepare to be swayed, for you may well change your mind once you see the EOS 20D

Sony has shied away from the DSLR market thus far

Welcome to the only really new SLR this year. The Nikon D80 is so similar to the D50/D70s that it doesn't really count as a 'new' design, while the Canon EOS 400D is essentially a revamped 350D and the Sony Alpha 00 is a heavily revised Dynax 5D.

Upping the ante from the original EOS 300D, the newer 350D ushers in a8Mp CMOS sensor, along with Canon's excellent DIGIC II image processingengine. The 350D is also smaller than the 300D...

Ever since Canon introduced the EOS-300D in 2003, the lower end of the SLR market has been one of the most profitable camera sectors. Canon and Nikon continue to dominate the market, making Sony rather late to the party.

How many pixels are enough? That's the question that's most often asked by photographers contemplating the purchase of a digital camera. And can you ever have too many?

Things had become pretty static in the entry-level SLR market. We'd all got used to 6Mp cameras or 8Mp in the case of Canon and Olympus) and the trend seemed to be towards lower prices rather than higher specs.

The K100D is the latest in a very long line of 6-megapixel Pentax DSLRs, which doesn't seem physically that different from the *ist D. The surprisingly compact body is built around a metal chassis and finished off with tough, matt-black plastics.

It's hard not to like the EOS 400D. Yes, it does feel small in your hands when you pick it up, but the finish, weight and the precision ofthe controls win you over. It's ready for action in an instant.

To some, Panasonic's first-ever D-SLR might appear as though it's been cobbled together from the entrails of an Olympus E-330... but it would be wrong to draw such a conclusion.

So, what would the perfect digital SLR give us? How about a substantial jump from the 6-megapixel resolution standard for low-cost SLRs, right up to 10 million pixels? Now, what about an anti-shake system built into the camera body?

The innards and guts of the Lumix DMC-L1 may have been transplanted directly from an Olympus E-330, but the heart and soul of this brand-new, 4/3 digital SLR is definitely pure Panasonic

When Canon introduced the 12.8-megapixel full-frame EOS 5D with its new print-ready Picture Styles options, we knew the follow-up to the hugely successful 8.2MP EOS 20D was on its way

Koreans can buy Renault-Samsung cars, cover them with Samsung insurance, fill them with Samsung-refined petrol and take a trip to the Samsung Everland amusement park. But up until now, you couldn't buy a Samsung digital SLR.

How would you like to profit from photography? Maybe start selling your pictures through an online library or getting them published in magazines, calendars or greetings cards?

Pick up the EOS 5D and you'll be surprised by its large size and heavymetal body. Although the shell is made from lightweight magnesiumalloy, the casting is more in-line with the maker's pro 1D series.

The Canon 350D was a big improvement over the old 300D in terms of itssize, finish, responsiveness and controls. However, size isn'teverything. In fact, if anything, the 350D is a bit too small.

The new Canon EOS 5D could, in many ways, be the first true 'dream' SLR. It doesn't have the highest resolution - Canon's own EOS 1Ds Mk II beats it at 16 million pixels - but the latter is so far out of most users' price range that it hardly counts.