DSLRs: Shoot to Thrill

Note: Our measure of resolution in tests is lines per picture height, or lpph.

Canon EOS 500D
Canon EOS 500D is a 15.1 megapixel DSLR, available in a kit with a stabilised 18-55mm lens delivering 29-88mm equivalent coverage. Costing around $2,199 with this kit lens, it’s the priciest model on test here, but offers a number of benefits.

Most obviously, the EOS 500D has the highest resolution here, boasting one megapixel over the Sony A380 and three over the rest. The benefit was measurable in our studio tests, with the 500D delivering 2400 lpph when fitted with its kit lens. This gives it a 5-10% advantage over 12 megapixel models, but you’d be hard pushed to notice much difference in real-life. Indeed, to make the most of this sensor, you should upgrade from the kit lens immediately.

The 500D also has the broadest sensitivity range, from 100 to a whopping 12,800 ISO. The camera delivers very clean images up to 400 ISO, although becomes increasingly soft beyond this point. By the time you reach 3200 ISO and above, there’s significant noise and processing artefacts, restricting them to emergency use only.

Continuous shooting is rated at 3.4fps (frames per second), although in our tests it came out a fraction slower at 3.2fps; this is still fairly respectable, though, considering the amount of data being processed. The 9-point AF (Auto Focus) system is the same as its predecessor, the EOS 450D, proving responsive and accurate. The optical viewfinder is also the same as the 450D, although with 95% coverage and 0.87x magnification it delivers the largest view of all the cameras here.

Round the back is the joint largest screen in this group test at a generous 3 inches. It’s the only model here to be fixed in position, although making up for that in some respect are a wide viewing angle and the highest display resolution: with 640 x 480 pixels, images look incredibly detailed, and onscreen fonts are smoothly rendered.

Live View facilities allow you to alternatively compose with the screen, with the 500D offering 100% coverage, a live histogram, alignment grid and 10x magnified view to confirm focus; the full VGA screen resolution is also exploited.

There are two autofocus options in Live View: one temporarily flips the mirror down to take a reading, causing some noise and a short interruption, while the second employs a contrast-based system which is slower, but quieter and with no interruption. Canon continues to force you to use the AE / AF lock button to autofocus during Live View rather than a more intuitive half-press of the shutter release button, but at least it now tells you what button to press as you enter Live View.

While in Live View, you can also use the 500D’s headline movie mode – one of only two models here with the facility. It can capture either VGA or 720p HD video at 30fps, or 1080p HD at a slightly jerky 20fps, all with mono sound recorded using a built-in microphone. Video is encoded in the H.264 format with mild compression, and the 720p mode can deliver some great-looking results. Like all DSLRs with movie modes, it’s no replacement for a camcorder and there are a number of operational caveats (see technology box), but it’s a fun feature nonetheless. There’s also an HDMI port for connecting to an HDTV.

Like all Canon DSLRs, the 500D comes with a great software package including decent RAW conversion and remote control facilities which let you operate it with a PC or Mac over a USB cable. Impressively, this includes seeing the live view from the camera on your monitor and even manually focusing the lens.

The EOS 500D ticks all the boxes with high resolution, Live View, HD movies and a stabilised kit lens. Even without an articulated screen, it’s one of the most powerful models in this group test and comes highly recommended, but compare its features closely against the other
models here.



Olympus E-620
The Olympus E-620 is a 12.3 megapixel DSLR available in a choice of kits with a 14-42mm lens or an additional 40-150mm telephoto zoom; with the camera’s two-times crop ratio, these deliver equivalent ranges of 28-84mm and 80-300mm respectively. Costing around $1,449 or $1,690 in the single or twin lens kits respectively, the E-620 is one of the best value cameras on test here, while also boasting a decent feature-set.

The 12.3 megapixel sensor, inherited from the higher-end E-30, resolved 2350 lpph in our tests, ranking it above average for models with a similar quoted resolution. Considering the sensor in Four Thirds bodies like those from Olympus is a little smaller than those in rival DSLRs, it’s not surprising to find noise levels are a little worse at higher sensitivities, but a hands-off approach to noise reduction avoids the undesirable splotchy artefacts.

Like the E-520 (and most Olympus DSLRs) before it, the E-620 features built-in image stabilisation that shifts the sensor to counteract camera-shake. Like Sony’s Alpha DSLRs, the upside is having anti-shake with any lens you attach, wide or long, new or old, but the downside is not being able to see the reassuring stabilising effect through the viewfinder.

Staying with the viewfinder, Olympus has improved both its size and the AF system behind it from the basic specifications of the earlier E-520, although both still fall a little short of the best models on test here. Continuous shooting is quoted at a respectable 4fps, but in practice fell a little below to around 3.4fps; this remains better than most models here, though, making action photography possible.

Round the back is a good quality 2.7in monitor with 230k pixels, and following-on from the E-30, it’s fully-articulated and able to flip and twist to any angle including back on itself for protection. Like the other fully-articulated models on test here this gives the E-620 great compositional flexibility in Live View.


Live View is delivered by the main sensor and offers 100% coverage, magnified focusing assistance, alignment grids and a live histogram. There’s also the choice of phase-change or contrast-based AF, although the latter is only fully supported on the latest lenses; a hybrid option comes close, though, with older models. Despite pioneering the first Live View implementation and the best anti-dust system to date, Olympus has interestingly not equipped any of its DSLRs with a movie mode.

Olympus does however make a big noise about its Art Filters, again inherited from the E-30, and delivering a choice of in-camera processing effects, like grainy black and white or gaudy pop art. They’re fun, but nothing you can’t achieve with your computer; the only benefit here is generating them in-camera without any effort.

Much more impressive is the E-620’s physical stature: it may be slightly larger and heavier than Panasonic’s Lumix G1, but is easily the smallest and lightest ‘proper’ DSLR here. The grip is small, but surprisingly comfortable, and the overall build quality very good. What makes the E-620’s smaller form factor all the more impressive is that it contains both an articulated screen and built-in image stabilisation.

The size, capabilities and quality at the relatively low asking price make the E-620 hard to resist. It may not feature a movie mode or HDMI port, but costing over 25% less than the Canon EOS 500D or Nikon D5000, they’re acceptable trade-offs for many. Indeed, with built-in anti-shake, Live View, an articulated screen, decent kit lens and effective anti-dust facilities, the E-620 is one of the best-featured DSLRs in its class and wins this year’s group test. But as always, compare it closely with its rivals, which may have a preferable feature-set for your requirements.



Nikon D5000
Nikon’s D5000 is a 12.3 megapixel DSLR available in a kit with a stabilised 18-55mm lens, delivering 27-83mm equivalent coverage. Costing $2,080 with this kit lens, it’s one of the pricier models on test here, but like its arch rival from Canon, it boasts a number of key advantages.

Starting with the resolution, 12.3 megapixels may be an average figure in this group test, confirmed by our studio result of 2250 lpph. But there’s nothing average about its high ISO performance, with some of the cleanest and most detailed results from any DSLR. The best results may unsurprisingly be at 400 ISO and below, but at higher sensitivities the D5000 avoids commonly-seen splotchy artefacts in favour of a fine background grain; by the maximum 6,400 ISO, the quality is obviously suffering but remains more detailed than Canon’s 500D. This degree of performance isn’t surprising when you realise the same sensor is used in Nikon’s higher-end D90 and D300s models.

Continuous shooting is rated at 4fps, quicker than the other models on test, and refreshingly delivering it in practice. Couple this with the decent 11-point AF system (also inherited from the D90), and you’ve got a good option for action photography. The 95% / 0.78x optical viewfinder is smaller than the better models here, but in its favour features an LCD alignment grid which can simply be switched on or off in a menu.

Round the back is a good quality 2.7in monitor with 230k pixels, and it’s the first on a Nikon DSLR to be fully-articulated. The screen can be flipped and twisted to almost any angle, including back on itself for protection. Strangely, though, it’s hinged at the bottom, which means you can’t direct it at the subject in a tripod-mounted self-portrait, but the articulation remains extremely handy when composing in Live View.

Speaking of which, with the same sensor as the D90, it’s not surprising to find the same Live View facilities here. These deliver 100% coverage, magnified focus assistance and an alignment grid, although, sadly, no live histogram. There’s also only one AF mode, using a leisurely contrast-based system, but at least Nikon starts the process with a familiar half-press of the shutter release, unlike Canon’s 500D which still forces you to press a different button.

The D5000 also features the same movie mode as the D90, making it one of only two models here to offer the facility. Like the D90 it can capture video at 320 x 216, 640 x 424 or 1,280 x 720 (720p) pixels, all at 24fps and with mono sound recorded using a built-in microphone. Video is encoded using the older Motion JPEG format, although this makes it much easier to edit than Canon’s H.264. Video recorded in the 720p mode can look great, although like other DSLRs with movie modes, it’s no replacement for a camcorder and there are a number of operational caveats (see technology box). There’s also an HDMI port for connecting an HDTV.

Nikon’s additionally taken care to ensure DSLR beginners are at home with one of the easiest and most helpful user interfaces around, backed up by almost foolproof metering. It’s hard for a beginner to go wrong, although the body itself is relatively hefty and experts may become frustrated by the relatively convoluted access to some settings. It should also be noted that like the D40, D40x and D60 before it, the D5000 will only autofocus with modern lenses that feature their own AF motors – in Nikkor terminology, AF-S models. Lenses without AF motors become manual focus only.

The earlier D60 may have fallen behind on some features, but the D5000 brings it bang up-to-date with Live View, HD movies, an articulated screen, fast shooting and a helpful interface with one of the best quality sensors around. It’s a compelling combination, but again the feature-set of a rival model may prove more appropriate for your needs.


Sony Alpha DSLR-A380
The Sony Alpha DSLR-A380 is a 14.2 megapixel DSLR, available in a choice of kits with an 18-55mm lens or an additional 55-200mm telephoto zoom (equivalent to 27-83mm and 83-300mm respectively). Costing $1,599 in the single lens kit, it’s the second cheapest model on test here despite boasting some unique facilities.

The sensor – like most of the electronics – is inherited from the earlier A350, so unsurprisingly it resolves a similar 2400 lpph. The sensitivity range is also the same at 100-3,200 ISO, although unfortunately the A380 also inherits its predecessor’s processing artefacts at the mid to upper-end of this scale. Noise subtly creeps in at 200 ISO and becomes quite splotchy by 800. If great quality at high sensitivities is a priority, there are better choices here, in particular Nikon’s D5000.

The sensor is, however, one of only two models here which is mounted on an adjustable platform, delivering built-in anti-shake capabilities. The upside to this approach is enjoying anti-shake with any lens you attach, wide or long, new or old, but the downside is not being able to see the reassuring stabilising effect through the viewfinder.

Speaking of which, the optical viewfinder remains on the small side with 95% coverage but just 0.74x magnification. Sony has, however, swapped the lines indicating the AF point positions in the viewfinder for more conventional squares. The 9-point AF system, also inherited from the A350, is pretty respectable, but continuous shooting lets it down. Sony quotes a relatively slow 2.5fps, but we measured just under 2fps, eliminating the A380 from serious action photography.

Round the back is a good quality 2.7in monitor with 230k pixels, and like its predecessor, it’s mounted on a vertically tilting platform which allows it to tip backwards by 55 degrees or face directly upwards. This may not match the full articulation of the Nikon, Olympus and Panasonic models here, but still helps when composing at low angles or over the heads of crowds in Live View. The shooting information also re-orientates on the screen to remain upright when you’re shooting in the portrait orientation.

Sony employs a completely different Live View system to its rivals, using a secondary sensor in its viewfinder to deliver the feed. This has the key advantage of using the same AF system as normal, so there’s no compromise in speed, while a switch allows you to flick between Live View and the viewfinder in a second.

On the downside, by not using the main sensor you won’t enjoy 100% coverage nor magnified manual focus assistance, and the secondary sensor is also responsible for the reduced size of the optical viewfinder. Sony hasn’t, however, updated the system to offer movie recording.

So far, so similar to the earlier A350, but Sony has not stood still. The major changes are with the physical design and the user interface, with both aimed at DSLR beginners. The latter works well with graphical representation of aperture and shutter effects, along with help pages at every turn if required. The redesigned body shape is less successful, though, with a sawn-off grip that provides less to hold onto than most. Sony may have also reduced the size and weight from the A350, but there are still smaller bodies which feature built-in stabilisation and an articulated screen. There is, however, an HDMI port, but interestingly Sony’s dumped the old standard TV output.

Ultimately, while a number of aspects let the A380 down, it remains ideal for beginners and the fuss-free Live View is appealing for non-technical photographers; the price is also very competitive. If you’re hooked on the presentation and style, though, do consider the $200 cheaper A330 which is identical other than its lower resolution 10.2 megapixel sensor.


Panasonic Lumix DMC-G1
Panasonic’s Lumix DMC-G1 is a 12.1 megapixel camera available in a $1,499 kit with a 14-45mm stabilised lens, delivering 28-90mm equivalent coverage. Technically speaking, the G1 isn’t actually a DSLR, but we’ve included it here as it’s sure to appeal to the same buyers.

The Lumix G1 is the first model to be based on the Micro Four Thirds standard, developed by Panasonic and Olympus. It eliminates the mirror and optical viewfinder of a traditional DSLR to reduce size and weight, while maintaining a large sensor and removable lenses. As a 100% electronic system, composition is with Live View only, although Panasonic has gone to great efforts to deliver a good experience.

The 3in / 460k pixel screen is large, detailed and fully-articulated, allowing you to easily compose at unusual angles. The electronic viewfinder (inheriting technology from pro video cameras) is a triumph, being both larger and considerably more detailed than typical EVFs. The view may become noisy in low light and not offer a live view between continuous frames, but no optical viewfinder can offer super-imposed colour graphics like a live histogram or 1:1 magnified focus assistance.

Another concern successfully deflected by Panasonic concerns the contrast-based AF system. These may be painfully slow on DSLRs with Live View, but the broad 23-area system is very quick here, and certainly on par with the phase-change AF system of rivals. This also makes face detection practical on the G1, whereas it’s simply too slow on the contrast AF modes of normal DSLRs.

The 12.1 megapixel sensor is the same size as full-sized Four Thirds bodies like the Olympus E-620, and so is slightly smaller than the Canon, Nikon and Sony models here, but noise only becomes really apparent at 800 ISO, and the resolving power is a very respectable 2450 lpph.

Continuous shooting is quoted at 3fps, although fell slightly below in our tests. This, coupled with the viewfinder issues, mean the G1 isn’t suited to action or low light photography, but it’s a joy to use in other situations. The mirror-less body is small and light without compromising comfort, the Intelligent Auto exploits the best of Panasonic’s compact technologies, and the superb screen, viewfinder and AF performance banish concerns from DSLR traditionalists. There’s also an HDMI port for HD slideshows on an HDTV.

The supplied kit lens is also decent quality and there’s an affordable twin lens kit which includes a 45-200mm telephoto zoom. Obviously, as a new standard, the native lens selection is currently limited, although Panasonic offers a neat 7-14mm ultra-wide zoom and adapters are available for full-sized Four Thirds lenses (albeit with some focusing restrictions).

Olympus has also joined the standard with its E-P1 compact which also offers a couple of new lenses.
The only thing that’s really missing here, especially for a full-time Live View system, is a movie mode. For that you’ll need the otherwise identical GH1, which additionally boasts both 720p and 1080p recording with auto-focusing and stereo sound (not to mention an external microphone input), along with a 14-140mm super-zoom kit lens, although at an understandably much higher price.

You’ll have gathered by now we very much enjoyed using the Lumix G1, and its video-equipped sibling, the GH1. As mentioned earlier, technical limitations with its 100% Live View system mean it’s not ideal for anyone who regularly shoots in low light or wants decent continuous shooting, but for everyone else it’s a real contender: small, light, easy to use and packed with technology, the G1 is an impressive debut for the Micro Four Thirds standard.