Gear

This is the second macro lens for Olympus's Four Thirds digital system, and while it lacks the 1:1 magnifying power of the earlier 35mm f/3.5 macro Zuiko, at f/2.0, it's much faster. Given the 2X 35mm lens factor on all Olympus DSLRs, the 50mm macro has a 100mm equivalent field of view -- more traditional in macro.

Sony has finally entered the digital SLR game with its new 10MP Alpha 100, and it's full of surprises. Does this newcomer stand a chance against veteran DSLR players Canon, Nikon, Olympus, and Pentax? Some might have said, "No way!" before Sony acquired Konica Minolta's DSLR division earlier this year. But now, by combining some of KM's best DSLR features with Sony's advanced sensor technology and design innovations, the Alpha 100 makes it a whole new game.

If we had to pick a single American Photo camera of the year, the Nikon D200 would take that honor. Its combination of high-quality image capture, durability, speed, technology, and handling makes it best of class, and it can be had for way less than a "professional" model. This digital SLR defines its category: Advanced.

The philosophy around Nikon these days seems to be verging on "Too much ain't enough!" The latest example is the D2xs ($4,699 estimated street, body only), the upgraded replacement for the already tough-enough 12.4MP D2x.
The new camera packs improvements to its High-Speed Cropped Image mode, greater burst capacity, an easier viewing LCD screen, a higher-capacity battery, and several more tweaks to controls and connectivity.