The New Digital SLR Cameras of 2009

Page updated: December 2009

The new digital SLRs of 2009 have a lot to offer.

Video capture is the new "it" feature, and the live view LCD is becoming more versatile: "articulated" screens (ones that flip out from the camera body) are more common.

For some, these "latest and greatest" features won't have any impact. For others, it could be JUST the feature they've been waiting for.

The main purpose of this page is a simple one: I don't want you to buy a digital SLR today, only to realize that you could have gotten a better camera if you'd just waited a few months.

If you're on the verge of making a first-time digital SLR purchase, just drop by here one last time to see which cameras will be hitting the shelves soon.

2009 Digital SLR Timeline

Here are the dates of all of the officially announced digital SLRs of 2009:

RELEASE MONTHCAMERA MODEL
JanuaryOlympus E-30
AprilNikon D5000
Panasonic DMC-GH1
MayCanon Rebel T1i (500D)
Olympus E-620
JuneSony Alpha DSLR-A230
JulyOlympus E-P1
Pentax K-7
Sony Alpha DSLR-A330
Sony Alpha DSLR-A380
SeptemberNikon D3000
Nikon D300s
Sony Alpha DSLR-A850
Canon 7D
OctoberSony Alpha DSLR-A500
Sony Alpha DSLR-A550
Pansonic DMC-GF1
DecemberOlympus E-P2

Main Features

Now for a quick introduction to the high-level features available on each new digital SLR of 2009 (cameras are listed in release order).

Olympus E-30

The E-30 rests between the Olympus entry-level cameras (E-420, E-520) and the semi-professional E-3. Incorporating the speed and performance of the E-3, the E-30 also has special "art filters".

Megapixels:12.3
Autofocus Points:7
Continuous Speed:5 photos per second
LCD Size:2.7 inch (flip & twist)
ISO Range:100 to 3200
Crop Factor:2.0x
Lenses:4/3rds
Memory Media:Compact Flash
olympus e-30
Release Date: January 2009
Average Cost (with lens): $950 USD
Nikon D5000

Take a Nikon D60 and blend it with a D90 and you've got the D5000 - it's got the D90's autofocus and speed in the small and lightweight frame of the D60. This is the first Nikon DSLR to include a flip and twist LCD and the second to include a video capture mode.

Megapixels:12.3
Autofocus Points:11
Continuous Speed:4 photos per second
LCD Size:2.7 inch (flip & twist)
ISO Range:100 to 6400
Crop Factor:1.5x
Lenses:Nikon AF-I and AF-S
Memory Media:SD / SDHC
nikon d5000
Release Date: April 2009
Average Cost (with lens): $640 USD
Panasonic DMC-GH1

The DMC-GH1 is the second Micro 4/3rds camera released and it includes a High Definition video capture mode. What's unique is that autofocus works during video capture, a feature that's not available on other digital SLRs with video capture.

Megapixels:12.1
Autofocus Points:23
Continuous Speed:3 photos per second
LCD Size:3 inch
ISO Range:100 to 3200
Crop Factor:2.0x
Lenses:Micro 4/3rds and 4/3rds
Memory Media:SD / SDHC
panasonic dmc-gh1
Release Date: April 2009
Average Cost (with lens): $1,323 USD
Canon Rebel T1i 500D

Always looking to out-do the competition, the new Rebel T1i will include a video capture mode (the first digital Rebel to have it) and a 15 megapixel sensor — all for less than $1,000 USD.

Megapixels:15.1
Autofocus Points:9
Continuous Speed:3.4 photos per second
LCD Size:3 inch
ISO Range:100 to 12800
Crop Factor:1.6x
Lenses:Canon EF and EF-S
Memory Media:SD / SDHC
canon t1i 500d
Release Date: May 2009
Average Cost (with lens): $720 USD
Olympus E-620

The E-620 builds upon the popular feature set of the E-520 with improved live view and an LCD that flips out from the camera body.

Megapixels:12.3
Autofocus Points:11
Continuous Speed:4 photos per second
LCD Size:2.7 inch (flip & twist)
ISO Range:100 to 3200
Crop Factor:2.0x
Lenses:4/3rds
Memory Media:Compact Flash
olympus e-620
Release Date: May 2009
Average Cost (with lens): $600 USD
Sony Alpha DSLR-A230

The most basic camera in Sony's 2009 lineup is for those looking for a straightforward SLR without a lot of additional features (and a lower price tag to match).

Megapixels:10
Autofocus Points:9
Continuous Speed:2.5 photos per second
LCD Size:2.7 inch
ISO Range:100 to 3200
Crop Factor:1.5x
Lenses:Sony and Minolta
Memory Media:SD Memory
sony dslr-a230
Release Date: June 2009
Average Cost (with lens): $450 USD
Pentax K-7

The Pentax K-7 has emerged as a real contender for the Nikon D90 and the Canon T1i. It's got live view, a fast continuous shot rate and HD video capture. What it adds is the ability to use these features in almost any type of weather, even extreme cold.

Megapixels:14.6
Autofocus Points:11
Continuous Speed:5.2 photos per second
LCD Size:3 inch
ISO Range:100 to 3200
Crop Factor:1.5x
Lenses:All Pentax
Memory Media:SD Memory
pentax k-7
Release Date: July 2009
Average Cost (with lens): $1,115 USD
Olympus E-P1

When it comes to looks, the E-P1 is a throwback to old Olympus PEN film cameras - but packed inside are a lot of modern features including the ability to capture High Definition video. This is the first Micro 4/3rds digital camera from Olympus.

Megapixels:12.3
Autofocus Points:11
Continuous Speed:4 photos per second
LCD Size:3 inch
ISO Range:100 to 3200
Crop Factor:2.0x
Lenses:Micro 4/3rds and 4/3rds
Memory Media:SD Memory
olympus e-p1
Release Date: July 2009
Average Cost (with lens): $750 USD
Sony Alpha DSLR-A330

Very similar to the A230, this camera includes the addition of an LCD screen that flips out from the camera body.

Megapixels:10.1
Autofocus Points:9
Continuous Speed:2.5 photos per second
LCD Size:2.7 inch (flip)
ISO Range:100 to 3200
Crop Factor:1.5x
Lenses:Sony and Minolta
Memory Media:SD Memory
sony dslr-a330
Release Date: July 2009
Average Cost (with lens): $550 USD
Sony Alpha DSLR-A380

Sharing a lot of features with both the A330, this camera sets itself apart with a higher megapixel count.

Megapixels:14.2
Autofocus Points:9
Continuous Speed:2.5 photos per second
LCD Size:2.7 inch (flip)
ISO Range:100 to 3200
Crop Factor:1.5x
Lenses:Sony and Minolta
Memory Media:SD Memory
sony dslr-a380
Release Date: July 2009
Average Cost (with lens): $750 USD
Nikon D3000

The D3000 is an entry-level camera designed for beginning DSLR users. Unlike the D5000, there is no video mode - this is a basic camera designed to take better pictures than a compact point-and-shoot.

Megapixels:10.1
Autofocus Points:11
Continuous Speed:3 photos per second
LCD Size:3 inch
ISO Range:100 to 3200
Crop Factor:1.5x
Lenses:Nikon AF-I and AF-S
Memory Media:SD / SDHC
nikon d3000
Release Date: September 2009
Average Cost (with lens): $470 USD
Nikon D300s

Action photographers take note - you can leverage the 51 autofocus points and 7 photo-per-second capture speed to freeze just about any moving subject. Aspiring videographers will be interested in this camera's HD video mode, external stereo microphone jack and the ability to autofocus during video capture. Dual memory card slots let you use both SD memory and Compact Flash cards.

Megapixels:12.3
Autofocus Points:51
Continuous Speed:7 photos per second
LCD Size:3 inch
ISO Range:100 to 6400
Crop Factor:1.5x
Lenses:All with Nikon F-mount
Memory Media:SDHC and Compact Flash
nikon d300s
Release Date: September 2009
Average Cost (no lens): $1,500 USD
Sony Alpha DSLR-A850

The A850 is a follow up to Sony's A900, and the new camera also includes a full-frame sensor with a massive megapixel count.

Megapixels:24.6
Autofocus Points:9
Continuous Speed:3 photos per second
LCD Size:3 inch
ISO Range:100 to 3200
Crop Factor:1x
Lenses:Sony and Minolta
Memory Media:Compact Flash, Memory Stick
sony dslr-a850
Release Date: September 2009
Average Cost (no lens): $2,000 USD
Canon 7D

There isn't much that's left out of the Canon EOS 7D: it's exceptionally fast, has a new advanced autofocus system, extreme ISO range and it can capture movies at Full High Definiton (1080p) quality. It also has a built-in level and can act as a wireless trigger for external flash units. In short - if you're able to afford it - this really is a "do it all" digital SLR.

Megapixels:18
Autofocus Points:19
Continuous Speed:8 photos per second
LCD Size:3 inch
ISO Range:100 to 12800
Crop Factor:1.6x
Lenses:All Canon EOS
Memory Media:SD Memory
canon eos 7d
Release Date: October 2009
Average Cost (no lens): $1,700 USD
Sony Alpha DSLR-A500

The A500 is one of Sony's entry-level models, but you can't really tell by looking at the feature set. The A500 comes with features that have been on other Sony DSLRs - built-in image stabilization, dust control and live view. In addition, the continuous capture speed is increased to 5 photos per second, and you get an LCD that flips out from the camera body for high and low angle shots.

Megapixels:12.3
Autofocus Points:8
Continuous Speed:5 photos per second
LCD Size:3 inch (flip)
ISO Range:100 to 12800
Crop Factor:1.5x
Lenses:Sony and Minolta
Memory Media:SD Memory, Memory Stick
sony dslr-a500
Release Date: October 2009
Average Cost (with lens): $800 USD
Sony Alpha DSLR-A550

The higher megapixel sibling to the A500 also comes with a speed increase: 7 photos per second. This is surprisingly fast for a camera in this price range, and should make the A550 appealing for action photographers who don't want to miss any definitive moments.

Megapixels:14.2
Autofocus Points:8
Continuous Speed:7 photos per second
LCD Size:3 inch (flip)
ISO Range:100 to 12800
Crop Factor:1.5x
Lenses:Sony and Minolta
Memory Media:SD Memory, Memory Stick
sony dslr-a550
Release Date: October 2009
Average Cost (with lens): $1,000 USD

The Extras

In 2008, the big new features being included in cameras were built-in image stabilizers, dust control systems and live view LCD screens.

All three of these are pretty common fare on any new digital SLR, so now the manufacturers are looking for new ways to stand out.

The new "extra" features of 2009 are:

Extended Dynamic Range

Imagine you're taking a photo of someone wearing a white jacket standing next to someone wearing a black jacket on a bright sunny day.

There is a wide range of contrast from black to white and digital SLRs can't capture the entire range: either the white jacket will lose detail (appearing as pure white) or the black jacket will (appearing as pure black).

Some DSLRs have a feature called "extended dynamic range" — this limits the brightness of highlights or increases the brightness of shadows to create a more balanced image.

Learn About Dynamic Range

Video

For a long time, there wasn't a single digital SLR camera that could capture video.

This surprised many consumers, since video capture is a common feature on most compact digital cameras.

In 2008, Nikon broke this trend with the D90 - the first DSLR that could capture both stills and video. Now many other cameras are following suit.

And the video captured by digital SLRs isn't just regular old VHS quality - now it's High Definition (HD), designed to be played back on modern flatscreen televisions.

Learn About Digital SLRs with Video

Flip and Twist LCD

Many digital SLR LCD screens are fixed onto the back of the camera - if you want to see the image on them, you have to hold the camera right in front of your face.

Now that live view LCDs are quite common on all digital SLRs (they didn't used to be) you don't have to always look through the viewfinder to compose images.

To take this even further, some LCD screens flips out from the camera body and rotate so that you can clearly see them with the camera above your head or below your waist.

This type of LCD screen is also called an articulated LCD.

The following table helps you see how the new digital SLRs of 2009 differ in terms of these features:

 DYNAMIC RANGEVIDEOFLIP LCD
Olympus E-30 
Nikon D5000
Panasonic DMC-GH1
Canon Rebel T1i (500D) 
Olympus E-620 
Sony DSLR-A230  
Pentax K-7 
Olympus E-P1  
Sony DSLR-A330 
Sony DSLR-A380 
Nikon D3000  
Nikon D300s 
Sony DSLR-A850  
Canon 7D 
Sony DSLR-A500 
Sony DSLR-A550 

The Summary

In this section, I'll provide a brief description about the interesting features of each new digital SLR of 2009.

I'll focus on what makes each camera unique and what separates it from the rest of the competition. These won't be in-depth guides, just general summaries to help you decide if you'd like to buy a camera that's available now, or wait a few months for a camera that will be released soon.

Olympus E-30

The E-30 is designed for photographers with creative "flair".

It includes a variety of different "art filters" that can be applied to your images in-camera (no computer required).

The art filters can make your images look like everything from pop art to photos taken with a pinhole camera.

In addition to the art filters, the E-30 also lets you take multiple exposures (layering 4 separate images) and you can select the aspect ratio of each image you capture.

For example, if you want to make 8x10 prints of your photos rather than 4x6 you can change the aspect ratio from 3:2 to 5:4.

Nikon D5000

The D5000 generated a lot of buzz prior to its release since it's the first Nikon DLSR to include an LCD screen that flips out from the camera body.

It's also the second to include a video capture mode (after the Nikon D90).

The D5000 packs all of this functionality into a small and lightweight frame, which makes it easy to take on the road.

What's most impressive about this camera is the price tag: the body only retails for less than $800 - a great value considering the versatility of this camera.

Panasonic DMC-GH1

While not a "true" digital SLR, the DMC-GH1 is the second model in a group that are now called "Interchangeable Lens Digital Cameras" (ILDC).

The DMC-GH1 is quite hard to tell apart from a DSLR - it's got a flip LCD, video capture mode and interchangeable lenses.

The main difference is the lack of an optical viewfinder - instead this camera has an electronic viewfinder (or EVF).

Despite this, the DMC-GH1 has a rather notable feature: other digital SLRs that capture video can't autofocus in video mode - the DMC-GH1 can.

For those who want to capture video, the ability to autofocus can be a make-or-break feature.

Canon Rebel T1i (500D)

Not wanting to get left out of the video party, the new Canon Rebel T1i (500D) also has a video mode.

Of note is that the T1i does NOT have a flip and twist LCD - unlike all the other digital SLR cameras released at the beginning of the year.

However, it makes up for this shortcoming with a huge ISO range (from 100 to 12800) along with a high-resolution 15 megapixel sensor (for giant prints).

Plus, the T1i is compatible with a huge number of lenses from Canon (old and new) and from third party manufacturers — the competition drives down costs and means you can find more used Canon lenses available for re-sale.

Olympus E-620

The E-620 is really just a lesser E-30.

It's not quite as fast, doesn't have the same number of autofocus points and doesn't have quite ALL the features of the E-30 (compare the E-30 and E-620)

Besides this, the cameras are hard to tell apart since they share the same built-in stabilization, dust control and live view LCD (with flip and twist).

If you don't feel you need the functionality of the E-30 along with its higher price tag, consider the E-620 as an alternative.

Pentax K-7

Like the Olympus E-P1, the K-7 has built-in image stabilization which can be leveraged when capturing High Definition videos (unlike the Canon T1i and Nikon D5000 where stabilization is in the lens not the camera body).

The Pentax K-7 stands out from the crowd by being the only camera that is designed to withstand the elements: water, sand and cold.

It also takes dynamic range control in DSLRs to the next level: the K-7 offers an in-camera HDR (High Dynamic Range) mode that takes three separate images and blends them together to create a photo that reduces the effect of extreme contrast.

Sony DSLR-A230

The DSLR-A230 is the low end of Sony's latest trio of digital SLRs.

The main feature that it lacks compared to the more expensive A330 and A380 is an LCD screen that flips out from the camera body for high and low-angle shots.

Otherwise, it bears a lot of similarity to other Sony digital SLRs: built-in image stabilization, live view, dust control and dynamic range control are all included.

Notably lacking from this camera and the A330 and A380 is a video capture mode.

Olympus E-P1

The E-P1 has its own unique style thanks to the Micro 4/3rds standard that it uses (like the Panasonic DMC-GH1 listed above).

While the E-P1 does have a DSLR-size sensor and the ability to change lenses, it has NO viewfinder - you get to use the LCD to compose all your photos.

This provide the E-P1 with some of the advantages of a digital SLR - namely, better image quality in low light - but keeps the camera extremely small and light.

What's notable about the E-P1 is that it has built-in image stabilization (which works with all compatible lenses) and a High Definition video capture mode.

Sony DSLR-A330

The A330 is virtually an A230 clone, with the addition of the articulated LCD screen.

Otherwise, this camera matches the A230 feature for feature.

Sony DSLR-A380

The A380 increases the megapixel count from 10 (on the A230 and A330) to 14 and it has an articulated LCD like the A330.

However, this is where the feature differences come to an end - the A380 shares a lot with its less expensive siblings.

Nikon D3000

The D3000 is a basic SLR designed with those making the transition from compact point-and-shoot in mind.

There's no video mode and no flip LCD, but the camera does include an 11-point autofocus paired with a 3 photo-per-second capture speed.

A new "guide mode" helps beginning SLR photographers get a grasp on how to change camera settings to maximize image quality.

Nikon D300s

The D300s is a real beast of a camera, with a price tag to match.

Designed with semi-professional and advanced amateur photographers in mind, the D300s offers blazing speed and performance: instant start-up time, 51-point autofocus and a 7 photo-per-second top speed.

The high-quality LCD provides the ability to shoot in live view mode, and is also used to capture High Definition 24 frame-per-second video.

The addition of autofocus during video capture and a port for an external stereo microphone should make this camera more appealing to more advanced video enthusiasts.

Dual card slots allow the 300D to use both SD memory and Compact Flash cards.

Sony DSLR-A850

The story behind the A850 is all about the sensor: it's full-frame (no crop factor) and captures a whopping 24 megapixels per image.

Since the images are so large, this is not the speediest camera that you can get your hands on and is better suited for non-moving subjects.

It's also a camera for those who want to make huge prints - if you have no such desire, then save your money and get an SLR that isn't full frame.

Canon 7D

The Canon 7D is really designed for the photographer/videographer who wants it all in one neat package.

While the video mode on the 7D isn't anything new, the ability to adjust exposure settings and autofocus during movie capture is.

Portrait photographers can use the 3 inch live view LCD to compose while maintaining eye contact, and can select high ISO settings and individual autofocus points to make images that are sharp and clear.

Action photographers can push the 19-point autofocus to its limit and change the focus lock as subjects move past specific autofocus points. At the same time, they can rip through 8 photos a second, up to 126 consecutive JPGs if that's really necessary.

Landscape photographers can leverage the large megapixel count to make super-size prints, a built-in level to keep horizon lines flat and a new metering system for accurate exposures even with challenging available light.

In short - regardless of what you want to take pictures and video of, the Canon 7D should be up to the task.

Sony DSLR-A500 / DSLR-A550

In a head-to-head with the Sony A550, the questions you really have to answer are "how many megapixels do you need?" and "how fast do you want your SLR to be?"

That's because these are really the two main differences between the A500 and the A550.

The A550 has 2 more megapixels than the A500 (14 instead of 12) and it can capture 7 photos per second (instead of 5 on the A500).

Besides this, the two cameras are relatively identical: they both have dust control, live view, flip LCDs and built-in image stabilization that works with all Sony lenses.

They also both have a rather interesting feature - the ability to capture true High Dynamic Range (HDR) images in camera.

For a long time, you could only create HDR images by taking several different images and then using photo editing software to blend them together. With the A500 and A550, you can take the multiple shots and at the same time have the camera blend them together into one image file.

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