For some people, the biggest obstacles to buying a digital SLR camera are the bulk and weight--who wants to carry a couple pounds of camera around everywhere? The Panasonic Lumix DMC-G1 may provide a solution: It's smaller and lighter than any digital SLR, and it has features that will make point-and-shoot users feel comfortable. But it's expensive compared with low-end SLRs, and in my hands-on tests it didn't produce the same image quality as true SLRs do.

The Olympus E-30 has a well-rounded feature set that should appeal both to consumers upgrading from lower-end DSLR cameras and to buyers looking for something of a more semipro caliber. The E-30 is sold as a kit ($1350 as of 7/7/09, including a 14mm-to-54mm lens) and as the body only ($950 as of 7/7/09).

The Nikon D5000 ($850 with an 18mm-to-55mm f3.5-5.6G VR lens, as of 5/15/09) strikes a great balance between price and features. It deviates from the nomenclature of its closest siblings, the Nikon D60 and Nikon D90, but no matter: It combines many of the best aspects of both while adding its own extras to the mix.

The Olympus E-520 digital SLR camera evolved from its predecessor, the Evolt E-510--but only just. Olympus has added a larger, more ergonomic grip, for one; the company has also increased the size of the LCD to 2.7 inches (from 2.5 inches), added a bigger battery and image stabilization, and tossed in some additional in-camera features to round out the package. The E-520 sells for $700 (price as of 11/15/08) with its sharp 14mm-to-42mm lens (the body-only price is $600).