Digicamreview.com have produced their list of the best affordable DSLR-s of 2008. Let’s have a look!

1. The Canon EOS 450D / Digital Rebel XSi - a 12.2 megapixel update to the 400D. It features 3.5fps shooting, live view shooting, 9 point AF, 3″ screen, SD memory card support, and Canon’s dust reduction system. The Rebel XSi has just about everything you want from a semi-pro camera in a smaller package.

2. The Nikon D60 - a good camera with some great features that are in a cost effective small package. Some of the things you can look for in the D-60 are the built in sensor, cleaning and filter and the very same features that made them a watchword in cameras, such as the Active D Lighting and the Color Matrix metering from their D3 and D300.

3. The Pentax K20D. It is the product of the collaboration between Samsung of Korea and Pentax Japan; the K20D is almost identical with the Samsung GX-20 with just a few differences. The Pentax K20D is the first DSLR that uses the image sensor that Samsung and Pentax created the CMOS image sensor. With a sensor that has a maximum resolution of 14.6 megapixel and a higher sensitivity of ISO 6400 that ensures high quality images.

4. The Sony DSLR-A200. It is a relatively lighter and smaller model than the A100 which makes it easier to use. This camera measures 5.2 x 4.0 x 2.9 inches (131 x 99 x 71 millimeters) and weighs 22 ounces (625 grams) including the lens, battery, and memory card. It is equipped with a 2.7-inch LCD monitor. The Sony A200’s 10.2 mega-pixel sensor helps to reduce noise and capture pictures with greater detail.

5. The Olympus E-520. Its Image Stabilization technology is built into the camera body to produce clear, sharp and blur-free images. This camera weighs just 7.5 ounces and measures 5.35×3.6-x2.68-inches. Its Autofocus Live View brings subject into sharp focus. Olympus E-520 offers users faster continuous shooting speeds.

What’s more this year:

* Top Cameras of 2008

* The Top 5 Pocket Zoom Digital Cameras of 2008

And, actually -  Happy New Year!

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Stroboframe, a division of The Tiffen Company, a Hauppauge, New York camera accessory company, announced the introduction of the U-Pro, the universal professional flash bracket for Digital SLR and 35mm cameras,  say imaging-resource.com The U-Pro offers new Stroboframe design features with the same quality and engineering as its predecessors.

The Stroboframe U-Pro professional flash bracket is a fully-functioning bracket right out of the box. No need for additional accessories. The U-Pro has been specifically engineered to fit almost every digital SLR camera on the market today and in the future.

The ultra-smooth camera rotating system, featuring a stainless steel roller bearing design, locks firmly into place while providing a smooth and virtually silent 90 degree rotation. The exclusive TiltTrigger™ lets you adjust the flash up or down with click-stop precision.

The flash arm is reversible and can be mounted on either side of the rotation device to accommodate “left” and “right” handed users. Sliding vertical support provides rapid control of flash height. Oversized control knobs provide a sure grip.

The Universal Camera Mounting Plate comes with a customized scale, and can adjust to fit any DSLR. The removable support arm for setting the bracket on a table or floor offers extra stability. The U-Pro offers significantly improved access over any professional bracket on the market. It can be mounted directly to a tripod, or attach the QR plate and mount to the Stroboframe QR Receiver (300-BASE).

About Stroboframe®
Since 1976 Stroboframe flash brackets have evolved into a comprehensive system known for innovative features and outstanding quality. Stroboframe brackets provide perfectly centered, overhead flash, eliminating side shadows and “red eye.” Stroboframe brackets are backed by a 5-year warranty for quality assurance.

For more information visit www.tiffen.com.

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Already extremely popular, the Sony Ericsson Cybershot C905 takes 8 megapixel photos, features a real flash, and is available without breaking the bank.:-) The Sony C905 could make a useful second camera and shows that camera phones are catching up in quality and usability.

The biggest appeal of this camera has to be the built in 8 megapixel Sony “Cybershot” camera with “Xenon” flash. Well, the flash definitely helps with photos of people. But one area where camera phones have always been behind in image quality is noise - the basic facts are that the more pixels you cram into a small image sensor, the more noise you’re going to get, and mobile phone cameras have the smallest sensors you can get. So, at ISO400 you’ll be able to see the noise, and lack of detail. There are no manual ISO settings on this camera, so it’s basically pot luck as to how much noise will show up in the photos.

However, saying all that, the C905 is possibly best camera phones you can get at the moment due to it having a proper flash (rather than just an LED), and no doubt Sony’s experience with Cybershot cameras has played a role in producing a camera that can produce good photos.

The shutter release works in the usual way, half a press focuses the camera, pressing fully then takes the photo. The only problem is that the full press doesn’t feel like a proper shutter on other cameras - this is a bit disappointing.

Sony Ericsson Cybershot C905 - features

• Face detection
• Smart contrast (a bit like increased dynamic range)
• A real “Xenon” flash
• Red eye reduction
• autofocus lens
• 2.4″ VGA screen
• GPS (with photo tagging) and WiFi

Have a look at sample photos at digicamreview.com.

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