Canon 20D manual DSLRs, Nikon D70

>GEAR GUIDE 2005

DSLRs

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Nikon D70

$ $999 street (BODY ONLY)

$1,299 street

(WITH 18–70MM F/3.5–4.5G DX LENS)

www.nikonusa.com 800-645-6689

This 6MP DSLR packs features well above what you’d expect from a sub- grand camera. Its image quality, body design and construction, fast AF system and startup time, rapid 3-fps burst rate, and custom functions are truly impres- sive. We wish only it included Nikon’s $99 Capture 4 RAW conversion soft- ware, and had better backward compati- bility with older Nikon flash units. 5.5x4.4x

3.1INCHES BODY ONLY • 1.5 POUNDS WITH BATTERY AND CARD • TESTED JUNE 2004

Olympus E-1

$1,300 street, body only www.olympusamerica.com 888-553-4448

The 5MP E-1 makes up in pro features what it lacks in megapixels. The rugged magnesium-

alloy body has splash-proof seals,

and a fast FireWire connector plus USB. Plus, it’s the first DSLR to use a Kodak 4:3 format CCD sensor with ultrasonic dust removal. Image quality is impres- sive, with low noise, extremely high color accuracy, and advanced color- space and white-balance controls. Both Olympus’ E-1 and the upcoming Evolt (see November 2004) use the digital- only Zuiko lenses (with a 2X 35mm fac- tor). Missing: a pop-up flash and strong low-light AF. 5.5x4.1x3 INCHES BODY ONLY •

1.7POUNDS WITH BATTERY AND CARD • TESTED NOVEMBER 2003

Pentax *ist D

$1,240 street, body only www.pentaximaging.com 800-877-0155

“Build it smaller, and they will come.” For now, this 6MP Pentax is the smallest DSLR, but the new *ist DS will soon take that title (see this issue’s “Hands On”). Big fea-

tures, though: extremely high image quality and low noise at higher ISOs, a tough body with stainless- steel frame and magnesium-alloy

components, an 11-zone (nine cross- type) AF system, and a super view- finder. But where are the rechargeable

AAbatteries? 5.4x3.8x2.9 INCHES BODY

ONLY • 1.4 POUNDS WITH BATTERY AND CARD • TESTED JANUARY 2004

Sigma SD10

$1,350 street, body only www.sigmaphoto.com 800-896-6858

This improved (and lighter) version of Sigma’s first DSLR, the SD9, is the only DSLR to use Foveon’s X3 CMOS imaging sensor, which captures light in layers—similar to the way film works. The result is resolution equivalent to a 6MP sensor, extremely accurate color, and extremely low noise. The SD10

also has a fast FireWire connector, and a fast AF system with good low-light sensitivity. But it lacks mul- tiple cross-type sensors and a pop- up flash. Also, there’s no in-camera JPEG storage—all RAW files

must be converted on a computer. 5.9x4.7x3.1

INCHES BODY ONLY •

1.9POUNDS WITH BAT- TERY AND CARD • SD9 TESTED FEBRUARY 2003

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WWW.POPPHOTO.COM POPULAR PHOTOGRAPHY & IMAGING/DECEMBER 2004