Which of these cameras is the best value? Listen to the spirited debate on the Inside Digital Photography radio show (slide forward to the 11 min mark for this segment).

Or do your own comparison with some help from the lists below:

Nikon D90 Key Features:

1. 12.3 MEGAPIXEL CMOS sensor with LIve View
2. Records HD movie clips (720p at 24fps, 1280×720)) up to 5 minutes on fast SD cards
3. 920,000 dot 3-inch screen
4. 4.5 fps burst mode, stores to SDHC card
5. Built-in commander mode for external flash
6. 11 point AF with scene recognition and face detection. Up to 5 faces. Auto zoom to faces in playback.
7. Live view with contrast detection AF.
8. New Expeed processor for fast start up and low noise
9. ISO 100 (normal 200) up to 3200 (expanded to 6400).
10. HD video with VR lenses activates VR during capture.
11. Advantage in movie depth of field control vs most camcorders
12. Built in audio mic (no external input)
13. Kit lens adds 3-stop VR. AF-S DX Zoom-NIKKOR 18-105mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR.
14. New in camera editing and image processing includes distortion control, lens abberation, straighten, and fisheye effect.
15. Shutter tested to 100,000 cycles
16. Up to 850 shots CIPA rating on battery.
17. New Pictmotion slideshow playback feature
18. New optional GP-1 GPS unit.
19. $999.95 MSRP body
20. $1299.95 with 18-105 lens
21. Nikon Capture NX 2 optional ($180), Camera Control Pro 2.0 Software ($149)

Canon EOS 50D Key Features:

1. 15.1 MP CMOS sensor with live view function
2. Built like the 40D, with magnesium alloy frame, weather seals, and 100,000 cycle shutter.
3. Digic 4 processor, 14-bit A/D conversion
4. ISOs from 100 to 3200, enhanced to 6400 and 12800.
5. 6.3fps burst mode, with up to 90 JPEGs in one burst or 16 RAW
6. Takes UDMA Compact flash cards (higher capacities available than SDHC)
7. Automatic Peripheral illumination adjustment: smart term for vignetting control based on library of lenses.
8. Comes with Digital photo pro software RAW converter and other neat programs.
9. Auto Lighting Optimizer control—smart auto levels control.
10. 3-inch, 920,000 dot LCD screen.
11. HDMI video out
12. 9-zone AF system with 9 cross sensors and super sensitive central sensor (works as cross even with f/5.6 lenses.
13. Microadjustment feature for fine-tuning lenses.
14. Creative full auto setting has adjustable controls.
15. Live view mode includes QUICK MODE AF (phase detection)< LIVE MODE AF (contrast detection)< and Face detection live mode AF (contrast detection ).
16. Detects up to 35 faces!
17. Two small RAW formats: 7.1MP and 3.8MP
18. Ultrasonic CMOS sensor cleaning system
19. $1399 body, $1599 with 28-135 f/3.5-5.6 IS USM lens.
20. Canon also announced a new 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6 IS usm lens for $699.

Olympus is a camera company that we all know and respect, but for years it’s lagged behind top tier DSLR manufacturers like Canon and Nikon when it came to advanced-amateur and pro-level DSLRs. The main reason? Sluggish autofocus systems that couldn’t keep up with action, especially in low light. I became acutely aware of the problem when Olympus introduced its first Four Thirds Standard DSLR, the Evolt E-1, back in 2003. After running a production model through AF-speed tests in the Popular Photography lab (where it didn’t do well at light levels below EV 5), I got invited to shoot with the E-1 at an Olympus-sponsored fashion show in NYC. The AF system was so slow and insensitive, despite spotlights illuminating the colorful runway models, that I switched the camera to manual focus—as did several other photographers in the vicinity. But manual focus wasn’t easy considering the tunnel-vision producing optical viewfinder on the E-1.

Olympus tweaked the AF speed and improved the viewfinder experience over the next few years with models including the Evolt E-300, and later models such as the E-510, but no model came close to the AF speed and sensitivity of competitively-priced Canon and Nikon systems until last fall. That’s when Olympus introduced its flagship 10.1MP E-3 (currently selling for about $1450 street price, body only) with a radically new AF engine and dramatically improved viewfinder.

Photo of Olympus E-3 used with permission from Olympus America Inc.

Olympus claimed the E-3 had the fastest AF system of any DSLR when shooting in bright light, and my tests on that camera, published in the December issue of Popular Photography magazine, confirmed Olympus’s claims. In fact, in that test report, I declared that the E-3 was the best camera Olympus had ever produced. But it’s been more than a ½ year since, the E-3 has dropped in price, and nearly every other DSLR manufacturer has introduced new DSLRs in its category—so is the E-3 still a bargain, and a top choice for photographers looking for a pro-level camera and fast AF system? I think so, and Olympus helped solidify my opinion of the E-3 by inviting me to photograph the high speed (and dramatic!) action at this year’s US Open Tennis Tournament in Forest Hills, NY. The best part was that I wasn’t left to shoot the matches from a nice, air-conditioned press suite or box seat, but was given courtside, all-access photo passes to get as close to the action as all those “pro” sports photographers shooting for national and international magazines and newspapers. Wait! Did I say not shooting from an air-conditioned press box was a good thing?

James Blake returning a serve from Steve Darcis at the US Open. A hard shot to get with older, slower-focusing Olympus DSLRs, but the top ranked E-3 was up to the challenge. Note the photographers in the “pit” behind Blake, and see more photos taken during this match and several other matches (copyright 2008 by Michael J. McNamara) in the gallery below.

I might have to rethink that decision next time I go to the US Open. After shooting from the sidelines, the pit, the roof, and on several of the surrounding courts, I now know why the pro photogs shooting these events always seem so grumpy and intolerant—especially if you happen to block their view with your lens or big head for even a split second. It’s really not as much fun to shoot one of these events as you might think. In fact, it’s a combination of grueling, hard labor—combined with a chance to get wacked in the face with a tennis ball moving faster than the eye can follow. The prize for all this? Incredible action shots of top ranked tennis players!!

Despite a relatively cool August day in NYC (only in the 80’s) sitting through a tennis set in direct sunlight while trying to capture the action can lead to heatstroke if you’re not careful or hydrated. When possible, I found myself moving out of the press shooting area on the sides to take shelter in the “pit”. That’s the area behind where the players serve the ball. In the pit, you are actually below ground shooting out an open window from about ankle-level. You face a much higher risk of getting hit by a serve (or having a ball bounce off your telephoto lens—as happened to a guy sitting next to me during a Venus Williams volley) but at least it’s protected from direct sunlight.

Because I didn’t want to get my camera bag searched every time I passed a security checkpoint (or police sniper patrol on the roof), I only took two zoom lenses and the E-3 with me. And since all of my shots were outdoors in bright sunlight, there was no need to carry an extra flash either. The two lenses were among my favorites: the Olympus Zuiko Digital 12-60mm f/2.8-4.0 SWD, and the Zuiko Digital 50-200mm f/2.8-3.5 SWD. Together, considering the 2X lens factor, I had equivalent lens coverage from 24mm to 400mm.

Photos and description of Olympus lenses used with permission from Olympus America Inc.

Here’s what I discovered. The AF system on the E-3 is super-fast, especially in this kind of environment. It captured tack sharp images and rarely locked on the background audience once I had focus on the tennis player. Set to ISO 400 to 800, I was able to freeze most action using a 1/1600 to 1/2000 sec shutter speed, and didn’t even turn on the built-in image stabilization since at those speeds it’s not going to help (and just uses more juice.) The resulting JPEG and RAW images speak for themselves, with great color, contrast, exposure, and low noise throughout. I shot over 1100 images during my courtside experience, and didn’t need to swap out the batteries (2 in the optional battery/vertical grip) till I was nearly finished shooting.

The large, bright viewfinder made it easy to track the players during volleys, but it was so bright out at the court that I rarely used the LCD monitor to chimp my shots or adjust exposure settings. It wasn’t till I got back to my home office that I wished I had done some chimping, and that was only during the shots I took of players serving the ball. Why? Apparently, the E-3’s 5 frames/sec burst mode isn’t fast enough to always capture the point in a serve where the ball comes in contact with the racket. In fact, the overhead swinging part of the serve happens so quickly that in the first frame the racket can be seen behind the head of the player as it begins its forward motion, but in the next frame the racket is nearly at waist level in front of the player. By starting the burst at a slightly different moment, I was able to capture several shots where the racket came in contact with the ball, but now I know why several pros at this event relied on Canon and Nikon DSLRs capable of capturing 8-10 frame per sec in burst mode.

The bottom line? The E-3 is a great bargain and a great performer, with sought after features such as built-in image stabilization, live view, a super-fast AF, ultrasonic dust removal, a pro body with weather seals, and excellent image quality at most ISO settings. It also has a unique rotating LCD monitor. (By the way, since it utilizes a 10.1MP sensor with a 4:3 aspect ratio, it’s capable of delivering resolution equivalent to Nikon and Canon DSLRs sporting 12.3MP, 2:3 ratio APS-C format sensors.) Now if only the E-3 had a slightly faster burst mode it would rule on the tennis courts, but for most other purposes, 5 fps should do the trick.

Photos taken with the Olympus E-3 at the US Open 2008 (Click on the View Thumbnail Images to see individual photos. Then click on the thumbnails to view larger format images.)

[View with PicLens]

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It happened again, just when most photographers had been lulled into thinking we had seen the last new RAW file format. But noooo! Nikon surprised us by giving birth to a new one called .NRW that’s found exclusively in the high-level COOLPIX P6000 (This hot $500 compact boasts a 13.5MP CCD, 28-112mm f/2.7-5.9 stabilized zoom lens, built-in GPS, and up to ISO 6400.) Unfortunately, the Nikon engineers forgot something when they created this new RAW format—and it’s called Mac compatibility! Guess we should have seen that coming with a file extension called .NRW (Nikon Raw Windows).
So while photographers with PC’s running Microsoft Vista (and nothing prior to Vista) will be able to open and adjust .NRW files, the rest of the world is out of luck—unless popular RAW workflow programs like Apple’s Aperture, Adobe RAW converter, and Adobe’s Lightroom come to the rescue as they have in the past.

I really don’t expect the development teams at Apple to fret over this new format. After all, few professional photographers–the core base of Aperture users–will be rushing out to get the P6000. And with the plugin architecture of Aperture I would expect a third party (perhaps even Microsoft? Nah!) to develop a plugin that could convert .NRW files into something Aperture and other Mac-based imaging programs could handle.

Funny thing about the Coolpix P6000 though. It has some incredible features and advanced technologies that are being overlooked by the vast majority of the press reports I’ve seen due to the controversy of the Windows RAW format.  For a compact camera, it offers a great deal, including a dedicated hotshoe that works with Nikon’s advanced flash system, a sharper LCD monitor than just about any other camera in its class, and built in GPS for tagging photos by location.

On August 5, 2008 the new Micro Four Thirds camera and lens standard was announced by currently behind-the-scenes partners Panasonic and Olympus. (Unlike the original Four Thirds system team, Kodak isn’t a partner in this venture, having left the DSLR landscape for good.)
Featuring a decreased lens-to-sensor distance, 6mm smaller lens diameter, and two more electrical contacts between the lens and body, the goal of the new Micro Four Thirds system is to offer a lower calorie alternative to the current crop of DSLRs. There’s also potential for higher performance lenses (especially wide and ultrazooms) and a promise of backward compatibility with existing Four Thirds Standard lenses. But are photographers ready for another interchangeable lens standard in the crowed arena of Canon, Leica, Nikon, Pentax, Olympus Four Thirds, Sigma, and Sony lens mounts?

Time will tell, but the development of this new system didn’t surprise me–in fact I’ve been predicting it for quite some time. At the 6Sight conference in November, 2007 I made this prediction (among several others), and even got the players right:

COMPACT EVF CAMERAS:

On the high end of compact camera design there’s still lots of room for improvement. Compared to DSLRs, electronic viewfinder (EVF) cameras currently enable thru-the-lens viewing, lighter and more compact forms, and image-stabilized lenses up to 18X all at a price below comparable DSLR systems.

Currently, there is little after-market profit with these cameras in terms of lens accessories or flash, and electronic viewfinders are course and jumpy. However, as the EVF improves in sharpness and processing systems enable the ability to track motion without screen blackout, I expect the following:

1. An EVF camera with a new Interchangeable lens system. And I expect it will be developed by one of the a major Four Thirds System player such as Olympus or Panasonic. (But even Sony could pull it off.) This direct DSLR competitor would maintain a smaller, lighter form factor, and feature a vastly improved electronic viewfinder.
2. Sensor resolution would be 12MP or less, and the sensor will be slightly larger in size than current sensors used in this category. Perhaps it will be called a Two Thirds System instead of a Four Thirds system camera.
   
3. It will allow for the use (and sale) of true ultra-wide angle, bright aperture zooms that are not available in any current model. These, and other lenses in this system, will be much smaller and lighter than current DSLR lenses.
   
4. Vacuum dust removal and ultrasonic dust removal will keep sensor clean.
   
5. Image stabilization will be sensor-shift based, keeping lens prices lower.

We’ll have to see if vacuum dust removal will show up in Micro Four Thirds cameras or elsewhere, and I was wrong about these new cameras using a smaller sensor. Instead, the sensor remains the same, giving much desired backwards compatibility with existing Four Thirds Standard lenses (via an optional adapter.)

Believe it or not, the recently announced Leica DC VARIO-SUMMICRON f/2.0, 24-60mm equivalent lens is now available for under $500! That’s 8X less than the price of the 28mm f/2 SUMMICRON-M ASPH and 5X less than the LEICA Elmarit-M 24m f/2.8 ASPH. And it’s also the first 24mm f/2.0 Leica lens with optical image stabilization built it!

There’s only one catch—at that price it also comes permanently affixed to the new Panasonic 10.1MP Lumix LX3 compact digital camera. Is this black-bodied digital camera the only one pro photographers won’t be embarrassed to carry in public? Sure looks like it.

Now available in the more desirable black body–-

similar to the Leica Digilux III (made by Panasonic) without the RED Leica logo

To listen to this topic discussed on the Inside DIgital Photo show, August 2, 2008, click the play button

The D700 is priced 2G less than the D3, but why did Nikon introduce it now when the D3 was in such hot demand? There’s not much more that the D3 offers over the D700 for the price, and the D700 is lighter and even has a pop up flash to control wireless SB-800s and the new SB-900. Was Nikon trying to shoot down any remaining sales of the much older, but full-framed Canon 5D? I don’t think so—in fact, I think the D700 is just a distraction for a big Nikon coming attraction at Photokina in September.