[PCWorld]

Post your comments for The Best Digital SLR Cameras here

[almostgem]

Two of the cameras you select as "The Best Digital DSLR's" are made by Olympus. These are 4/3rd's cameras. A check of Sigma4less shows that there are 15 lenses available for these cameras. For Nikon, the number is 280 lenses. For Cannon the number of available lenses is 213. While it's important to get a good deal on the camera, your readers will find that it's much more important to have a good selection of lenses to select from. The camera is nothing without the lens. Personally I like Nikon, because they support the customer by maintaining the camera mount so that old lenses can be used on new cameras. Your readers will find that the camera is only a asmall part of the cost for owning a DSLR, especially when using it to shoot nature where long telephoto lenses are required.

[KurganSPK]

Really, how can you even begin to take this seriously when there are two Canons, two Olympus cameras, and NOT ONE NIKON? Really? The D300 at the high end and the D60 at the entry level don't make the list?

[KurganSPK]

For $1500-1700 there is no better digital SLR out there right now than the D300 -- just had to add that...

[davidstark429]

I feel I have to look to other sources and magazines to learn about DSLR cameras. PC World seems to have little interest in digital photography for the serious inclined. Your articles are aimed more for the hobbyist. I did build my own computer relying on your mag. I am grateful to you for that, but feel disappointed about the digital camera/ photography material available here. How can you leave out Nikon?????

[mcbarker]

Agreed... There's a more informative "Top 5 DSLR" story at POP PHOTO Magazine's website.

[davidstark429]

I just suscribed July 1 to Popular Photography, 1st issue October. I go to their online site already. Have you also checked out:PhotographyBB Digital Photography Community - Photoshop Actions, Photoshop Tutorials, Photography Forums, and Photography Magazine they are into their 6th online edition or others associate with NAPP> PixelPerfect with Bert Monroy (from Revision3)

Discussion Forums @ Nikonians - Listing topics with unread messages This interest in digital photography is the most fun I have had on computer since I left gaming (The original reason for building up a computer in the first place MAX Petaflops)
Discussion Forums @ Nikonians - Listing topics with unread messages

[mcbarker]

Hi David. Hope you enjoy Pop Photo. Their magazine has improved a lot over the last couple of years, as have their testing methods. Unfortunately, I no longer have as much time to spend on the hobby as I once did, but I hate to see people swayed by shallow reviews, which is why I mentioned the Pop Photo review as an alternative to PCW's.
If you use Photoshop, you might also be interested in the PanosFX website. They have some nice free Actions that you might find handy. I'll check out the sites you recommended. Thanks.

[willin55]

Hats off to 'Almostgem'! There's the truth of the matter, "the camera is nothing without the lens". It should also be said that when you buy a DSLR be prepared to LEARN at least a little about photography. These cameras will open a whole new world to you. I purchased the Nikon D40 when it was first available,
"when I pull the trigger I want the gun to go offhttp://forums.pcworld.com/legacyimages/"[/i][/b] !http://forums.pcworld.com/images/emoticons/laugh.gif [i][b](Now if I could only get it off my shoulder faster) Nikon also has plenty of LEARNING material for every aspect of photography for the 'novice'.

[mperenson]

For those questioning Nikon's absence from the Top 5 list, the D300 fell just outside the Top 5. As did the D60. We will continue to test Nikon cameras in the future.

For those looking for advice beyond the hobbyist realm, I'd be interested in knowing what other feedback you're looking for in digital SLR coverage.

Thanks,

Melissa Perenson

Senior Editor, PC World

[mcbarker]

The following is just my opinion, so take it for what it's worth...
Click on the Pop Photo link I provided in one of my previous posts and look at the difference in their article vs yours. It supplies more useful and detailed information about the choices, and is written in a way which can be understood by both serious hobbyists and interested beginners. For professional and semi-professional photographers, more detailed and in-depth technical tests and reviews are available. Of course, being a dedicated photography magazine, they (and other photography magazines and websites) have the resources (including real photographers and proprietary test equipment) to put these cameras and lenses through their paces, so in that respect, you're not going to be able to compete with them. To be honest, I find your digital camera reviews to be too subjective and lacking in actual useful information.

[davidstark429]

Thank you for Pano tip. I have downloaded about 6 of their actions. I have already had fun with the 3" cube sending it to my son to put on his desk at the BMW agency. Right now I am having difficulties with Compact Flash and the cheap reader that came with the no name CF card. The D300 is a beauty.

[davidstark429]

I agree with you. I would love to see PC World move in the direction of an enthusiast and away from consumerism. Half the mag these days are about HDTV iPhones super small laptops. How about articles that serve the passion of photography or a review of online Photoprinting (Mpix) vs. a shootout of the $500 to $1000 large format Photoprinters. In other words: If I know I will spend $1000 in the next year or two, What will be the "Sweet Spot"?????????????????

[Jay42]

I know this is an old article but for anyone else who stumbles across it I wanted to point something out regarding a knock against Olympus.
The very first comment says there are only 15 lenses for Olympus and over 200 for Nikon and Canon. This is very misleading. Most people don't realize that when Nikon and Canon went digital they made it so that their old lenses would mount on the new digital bodies. However this does not give you image stabilization, and on many of them the image is so cropped they lose clarity as well as auto focus. Olympus built their system from the ground up and if you were to compare DIGITAL only lenses Oly has more than Canon and Nikon both. Better glass and more affordable too.