The 450D’s superb sensor makes it the best choice if quality is your priority. It doesn't beat the Sony A200 for value, but for the best quality below $1500 the 450D has the edge.

Good quality optics and lots of storage, but not the most portable of camcorders

Impressive optical quality and storage space, though a touch expensive

Forget budget DSLR, this is for serious photography. Extravagant in almost every way, the D700 is superbly responsive and produces stunning images

A good price for an HD camcorder, but poor design makes it awkward to use

An expensive camera, but one offering superb image quality, features and handling

A fully featured hard disk AVCHD camcorder with plenty of recording space

A superbly easy-to-use and feature-laden compact camera that’s well worth the price.

A superbly easy-to-use and feature-laden compact camera that’s well worth the price. Same titanium shell as before, with a lowlight ability.

A superb camera that takes fantastic pictures, and offers excellent portability and versatility

A fully featured hard disk AVCHD camcorder with plenty of recording space

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

More features than similarly-priced cameras, including weatherproofing. JPEGs are a touch soft, though

A solid entry level DSLR with anti-shake and impressive design.

Superb build quality and performance make this a worthwhile upgrade for serious amateurs.

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

Image quality is reasonable, but there are far better cameras available for less.

Easy to use and capable of good results, the superb range of manual modes makes this a good choice for enthusiasts.

A very slim digital compact that’s capable of taking superb pictures. It only just misses out on a Recommended award.

An attractive, light and well-built camera, but it has average image quality.