Panasonic Lumix GX1 9.3/10
A highly configurable camera that will appeal directly to the more ambitious photographer.
A highly configurable camera that will appeal directly to the more ambitious photographer.
While it’s too large to fit inside a pocket, the P7100 provides all of the functionality and quality that you could need. It’s a shame that its performance is not class beating, otherwise it would easily make a great companion to an SLR or ILC.
This top-end Sony camera ticks all the right boxes from image quality to blisteringly fast shooting. If only it had a better battery and was a little more snappy in everyday use, we would have no qualms in recommending it wholeheartedly.
If you can afford it, and you’re prepared to spend time getting to know the M9 or M9-P, then you’ll be rewarded by some of the best pictures you’ve ever taken.
It’s not quite the ultimate compact megazoom, but it’s pretty close–closer than any others I’ve tested for 2011. And if you want something to do double duty for movie clips and photos with a versatile zoom lens in a pocketable body, you want this camera.
The 70-300mm lens from Tamron offers a lot of zoom in a reasonably priced lens, delivering sharp images.
An improvement over the D5000 in almost all respects, the D5100 acquits itself well enough on enough counts to make it a formidable sub-$1,000 dSLR.
For the money, the Canon EOS Rebel T3i is a great choice for dSLR videographers–though the cheaper T2i can still suffice if you don’t need the articulated LCD–and it’s a solid choice for creative still shooters.
The Canon EOS 60D is in many ways a great camera: fast, feature-packed, and with excellent photo and video quality. Some annoying aspects of its control layout dim its shine a little, however, so try before you buy.
The D3100 is the best entry-level digital SLR currently available. A host of features and excellent image quality sends this camera to the top of the pack.
Though we’d like it to perform better, dSLR shooters looking for a sidekick camera will find the Canon PowerShot S95’s top-flight photos and a full manual feature set worth the tradeoff of its compact size.
The Sigma SD15 couldn’t be described as a good-value all-round dSLR. If that’s what you’re in the market for, then look elsewhere — at the Pentax K-7 to give but one example.
I could list individual aspects where competitors surpass it, including burst performance, high ISO sensitivity numbers, control layout, and viewfinder. But overall the camera is fast, with great photo quality and relatively standout video that help put it over the top.
Reasonably priced for an interchangeable-lens model, with the same high-quality photos of its siblings, the E-PL1 nevertheless suffers from slow performance that makes it a poor choice for snapshooters looking to upgrade.
An excellent midrange dSLR, the Canon EOS 7D delivers for the money.
Its feature set is basic even by entry-level standards, but the Nikon D3000 delivers the photo quality and performance you expect when stepping up to a dSLR, with an optional interface that’s very beginner friendly.
A solid, slightly better-than-basic dSLR, the Canon EOS Rebel T1i delivers photo quality and performance that adequately compensates for most of its annoyances.
It does have its limitations as stated, but for the most part this camera is worth the money and really does deliver a satisfying photography experience for the advanced photographer and semi-professional alike.
As long as you don’t need seriously high-resolution photos, video capture, or machine-gun-fast sports shooting, the Nikon D700 has everything you need in a pro full-frame camera for a reasonable price.
The Panasonic Lumix DMC-G1 is a camera that people will either love for its speed, photo quality, and interchangeable-lens flexibility or hate for its large-ish size, electronic viewfinder, and occasionally frustrating design.
Like the D80 before it, the Nikon D90 delivers an excellent dSLR for the money.
At 825 grams, the Nikon D300 is more than heavy, but if you’re a keen photographer and have an eye for detail, the D300 will prove itself with great image quality shot after shot. However, first time photographers and social-snappers might find this dSLR slightly overwhelming.
The Ricoh Caplio R7 is an outstanding compact camera, with all the features you could want packed into a sturdy, pocket-sized metal frame.
Excellent picture quality; large screen; smart styling; good video.
