One of the best value for money D-SLRs available on the market, the 400D combines great picture quality with a comfortable build and plenty of features.

The Canon PowerShot Pro 1 is a well-featured 8Mp semi-professional camera that should suit users wanting digital SLR performance in a compact package.

Its uncommon antishake mechanism, large LCD panel, and well-arranged controls make the Dynax 5D a good choice for someone seeking a consumer-friendly SLR.

If features like live view, image stabilisation and dust reduction appeal to you, then the Olympus E-510 might be just what you're looking for. While its pictures are a little on the soft side compared to competing models, they are perfectly adequate for most uses and the feature set is certainly enticing.

Olympus's E-410 isn't the best digital SLR on the market in terms of image quality, but its combination of live view, dust reduction and a small build make it a reasonable competitor to the giants Canon and Nikon.

The *ist DS is certainly a great camera, combining 6.1 megapixel resolution, decent build quality and great controls for beginners.

While it has its share of flaws, the combination of rugged, waterproof design with GPS capabilities and an 8 megapixel sensor makes the Ricoh Caplio 500SE an attractive proposition for outdoors photographers.

The Pro815 is a good first attempt by Samsung, but it is missing a few things that would allow it to compete with the big guns. The most practical feature is the 15X zoom, and if that is important to you then this may be a consideration

While it has a comfortable, solid design and performed quite well in most of our imaging tests, the default lens is a big let down.

While its pictures are a little softer than those produced by some competing models, there is no denying the A200 is a great overall camera, with particular appeal to novice users who may be afraid to take the next step.