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IMAGE QUALITY
1 Canon EOS Rebel XSi 10 points
2 Nikon D60 8 points
3 Olympus E-520 (tie) 6 points
3 Pentax K200D (tie) 6 points
5 Sony Alpha 350 2 points
You can get superb images with any one of these cameras. Ranking IQ becomes a matter of looking at results at high ISOs. We gave the lead spot to the Canon EOS Rebel XSi for its consistency in resolution and noise control. The Nikon D60 had higher resolution than the Olympus E-520 and Pentax K200D, plus superb noise control. The Olympus' and Pentax's resolution, noise, and color accuracy were so close that we called it a tie. The Sony Alpha 350 at low-to-medium ISOs would have challenged the Canon. But at higher ISOs, noise rated Unacceptable unless heavy noise reduction was applied.
EASE OF USE
1 Sony Alpha 350 5 points
2 Canon EOS Rebel XSi 4 points
3 Pentax K200D 3 points
4 Olympus E-520 2 points
5 Nikon D60 1 point
The Sony Alpha 350 is a pleasure to use. Its live view, while making for a dimmer viewfinder, is the way these systems should work, with no delay in autofocusing and firing. The menus go from folder to folder by themselves, and the function button allows for rapid setting changes.
The Canon comes close behind, with a clear control layout, big menu type, and a bright viewfinder -- the best of the lot. Its live view, however, causes a delay in focusing and firing.
The Pentax shows how you can do more with less, with its logical control groupings under the function button.
The Olympus, for all its buttons, is very menu-dependent. And almost every editor who has used the Nikon D60 has found something frustrating -- try setting Adobe RGB color space without consulting the manual, for example.
CONTROL
1 Sony Alpha 350 5 points
2 Canon EOS Rebel XSi 4 points
3 Nikon D60 (tie) 3 points
3 Pentax K200D (tie) 3 points
5 Olympus E-520 1 point
We decided that the tools for taking the shot should rank higher than postproduction fixes -- you can, after all, fiddle with the image in editing software. On that basis we ranked the Sony first, for things like its fast AF with reliable across-the-frame tracking, and white-balance adjustments galore. Its Dynamic Range Optimizer can be a true lifesaver when shooting JPEGs.
The Canon takes second on the basis of superior autofocus, its Picture Styles menu, and RAW + JPEG capture that works with any JPEG style, including black-and-white. We were very impressed with its white balance shift and bracketing controls. We do wish it had better dynamic-range controls, though.
The Nikon and Pentax are like little Photoshop work stations. With either, you can make adjustments on a RAW file and save it as a JPEG. They both have good dynamic-range fixes and image profile adjustments. We have issues, though, with their respective AF systems -- limited across-the-frame tracking on one hand, slow on the other.
The Olympus' RAW-to-JPEG is far more rudimentary -- you can't preview the effects of your image settings. It has good dynamic-range controls, but its autofocus is the least sensitive of the five.
SYSTEM FLEXIBILITY
1 Canon EOS Rebel XSi (tie) 5 points
1 Nikon D60 (tie) 5 points
3 Pentax K200D (tie) 3 points
3 Sony Alpha 350 (tie) 3 points
5 Olympus E-520 1 point
The more lenses and accessories that work with your camera, the better. Canon and Nikon are undoubtedly at the top of the heap here. Pentax and Sony have a big established base of legacy lenses, and are both developing new optics at a good clip. Finally, Olympus just doesn't have the lens catalog of the other makers, and there are few third-party lenses made for the system.
OVERALL
1 Canon EOS Rebel XSi 23 points
2 Nikon D60 17 points
3 Pentax K200D (tie) 15 points
3 Sony Alpha 350 (tie) 15 points
5 Olympus E-520 10 points
The Canon wins overall on the basis of high marks across all factors.
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