For at least a little while it appears the Canon 40D is king of the hill. While the Nikon D80 and D200 both provide reasonable alternatives for enthusiasts, and the Nikon D40x and Canon EOS 400D are both more suitable options for amateurs, the 40D's blend of great pictures, rugged construction and speedy operation make it a great purchase.

Another wonderful entry-level camera from Canon, the 1000D combines all the latest features — including Live View, dust reduction and lens-based stabilisation — with superb picture quality to produce an extremely appealing package.

The Nikon D50 is a bargain in the under $2000 range with image quality comparable to 8 megapixel models, brilliant battery life and a reasonable set of features.

The D2X offers a fine upgrade for Nikon pros and is competitively priced

Another brilliant entry into the SLR range, Olympus' E-500 provides everything one could want in an advanced camera, with a competitive RRP and patented dust reduction to boot.

Simply put, Nikon's D300 is one of the finest cameras on the market. Its image quality matches competing models, and while you pay a premium, you get such features as live view, dust reduction, D-Lighting and a bevy of others in return. Perfect for enthusiasts and professionals.

The best entry level SLR we've used, the D40x narrowly edges out offerings by Canon and Sony. It combines extremely speedy operation, great quality images and an excellent design to make a wonderful, all purpose camera.

One of the best value for money products available in the digital SLR range.

A solid improvement on the EOS 400D, Canon's EOS 450D adds a bucket-load of new features, including 14-bit A-D, a faster burst mode and Live View. Sitting in between the 400D and 40D in price, it offers a compelling option for users looking for the middle ground between the two.

Sony's Alpha A350 is another great SLR offering a combination of incredibly high resolution pictures, a robust list of features and a simple easy interface.

Nikon's D60 is a fantastic entry-level SLR that takes brilliant pictures and offers a robust feature set. It is ideal for users looking to take the plunge into more creative photography.

The Alpha A700 puts Sony firmly in contention with the other big SLR players with its combination of great image quality, a robust feature set and a sturdy design.