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.

The A330 is a competent, fully featured and easy to use DSLR, but a backward step in some respects.

The Canon EOS 500D is capable of great results, but a wallet-draining way of getting HD video on a DSLR.

Pentax enthusiasts will be more than happy, but others may find it overwhelming

A capable enough performer, but it doesn’t offer enough for the money to come out on top.

A good camera but not the most inspiring. There’s better value elsewhere.

The aggressive price and Nikon design know-how mean there’s still a place for the D40

If you need professional-class ruggedness on a budget, this is a real option.

A decent enough addition to the legendary EOS range, but there are too many competitors at this price.

The brand and the price could prove this camera’s downfall. Who’d buy a Samsung when you can get Pentax for less?

Excellent performance and features, but at a price that’s too high

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

Amazing images and great fun, but this quirky cam is way too pricey for most

Even at £900 this is a bit of a bargain for a semi-pro camera but our tip is to wait for the imminent arrival of the Dynax 5D/lens kit package

Good value thanks to a decent 18-70mm kit lens and camera-based anti-shake

Good quality and with a proper li-ion battery, but expensive and bulky compared to the Olympus.

It might look like a DSLR, but it doesn’t handle as well and loses out to others with bigger zooms

Attractive styling and a long lens will tempt some, but we recommend spending more on a real SLR.