The Olympus PEN E-P1 may look like a throwback to retro photography, but it’s expensive and flawed. However, it's beautiful image quality renders almost impossible to dislike.

Not the pinnacle of image quality, but superbly compact with plenty of neat features

Worth the wait. The E-3 matches pro SLR capabilities with the ease of use of an entry-level cam

A superzoom without stabiliser is like a car without suspension. Prepare for a rocky ride

The E-510 has a barrowful of features and is a joy to use but we miss the size and convenience of the cheaper E-410

Olympus’ Four Thirds imaging system comes of age in a classy compact SLR that makes the rest look ordinary

An older camera, and expensive in its day, but the impressive image quality and choice of optical and LCD viewfinders make it worth a look for DSLR hunters

Due for replacement or some hefty price cuts. The E-300 takes good shots but its rivals take better

An 18x zoom in a compact, well-built body. General handling and image quality are great too.

A completely new digital SLR system has arrived in the shape of the Olympus E-1 and is perhaps the most eagerly awaited professional camera this year.

Digital photography has made enormous strides in recent years, and as a result, the technology is being incorporated into affordable consumer products.

In appearance the Olympus Camedia is rather ordinary, mirroring closely what is standard fare in the conventional SLR field, and perhaps even a little dated. This however belies the superior performance that the Olympus put in this month, which impressed the Labs team enough to award it with the Labs Award for Quality.

Olympus first introduced SLR (single lens reflex) to digital cameras in early 1998 in the form of the Camedia C-1400L.