Buying

Many photographers use the Internet and photographic magazines when researching a digital camera purchase. To ensure you are getting the right advice, it’s worth checking how each publication or website carries out its camera reviews. Since April 2005 all cameras and lenses tested at Photo Review have been subjected to Imatest evaluation, which uses a test target/software evaluation system developed by Norman Koren in Boulder, Colorado (USA).

With the recent announcement of the new Nikon D5000 entry-level DSLR we’ve put together a table to compare the D5000 specifications with those of the Nikon D90 and Nikon D60.

Over years of equipment testing we have sought to provide readers with objective information on the performance of the cameras we evaluate. Until recently, the only quantifiable data we could capture was related to capture lag, burst mode and camera response times. But that has changed. From June 2005 we have implemented a new, more objective testing system called Imatest that allows readers to compare the performance of similarly-featured cameras quantifiably.

Tripods are often quoted as photography’s most hated accessory but it’s hard to see why so many photographers view them so adversely. It may be because of the bulk and weight they add to a photographer’s kit – or perhaps because the high ISO capabilities of many recently-released cameras allow camera users to feel a tripod isn’t necessary. But shooting with high ISO settings incurs a cost in the form of increased noise and compromised sharpness. Furthermore, using a tripod can dramatically improve shots like portraits and low-light scenes. Finally, there are situations where you simply can’t take the shot unless the camera is on a tripod.

Letter to editor: I am considering purchasing a DSLR camera, and want to check how compatible are camera bodies to non-brand lenses?