CANON EOS T2i
Camera of the Year Nominee

No individual spec of the EOS T2i represents a breakthrough. But put all the specs together—18MP capture, 1080p HD video with stereo sound input, top ISO of 12,800, very fast autofocus at all light levels—and slap a sub-$900 price tag on it (with image-stabilized kit lens), and you have what might be considered the breakthrough digital camera of the past decade. Who’d have thought that we would see the T2i’s level of imaging power in a camera priced less than the original 6MP EOS Digital Rebel of 2003? The T2i’s Excellent overall Image Quality rating from the Popular Photography Test Lab sealed its nomination as 2010 Camera of the Year.

$900, street, with 18–55mm f/3.5-–5.6 Canon EF IS lens; www.usa.canon.com