Nikon D300

It's fair to expect excellent image quality from such expensive hardware, and the D300 doesn't disappoint. Our test shots produced superb colours and fabulously low noise, with a single word of warning reserved for those expecting to use ISO 6,400: images at this level were only intermittently usable.

For those looking to upgrade from a Nikon D40 or a D80, the D300 is an obvious choice; otherwise, its price makes the Canon 40D still worth considering. The 40D's build quality is similar, and it's better at handling long, continuous bursts. You lose the 12-megapixel resolution, but the body itself is £300 cheaper than the D300's, and offers similar handling and body-mounted controls. But if you already have a mid-range Canon DSLR and a decent array of lenses, there's nothing so superior about the D300 that you should choose it over the EOS 40D.

A final word of note also goes to Canon's full-frame EOS 5D (web ID: 80009), which you can now pick up for less than £1,600 including Canon's professional-grade 24-105mm f/4L IS lens. Performance takes a hit (the 5D's maximum continuous shooting speed is 3fps), but noise levels are lower. Unless performance means everything to you, the 5D remains the logical choice for all but the most committed of Nikon fans at this price.

Author: Dave Stevenson