The question I’m being asked on a daily basis at the moment is – ‘what camera should I buy?’ Obviously cameras are on many people’s wishlists this Christmas!

I’m planning to update our Popular Digital Cameras and Gear page here on DPS in the coming week to help answer the question but thought I’d do a quick post looking specifically at what’s hot at the moment when it comes to DSLRs (as this is what many of those asking questions are focusing upon).

Note: it’s a particularly good time to buy a digital camera. Most online stores have Black Friday sales on at the moment. Here’s Amazon’s Camera sale (they’re updating it every day) and B&H also seem to have a lot of specials on at the moment.

What’s Hot in DSLRs?

Note: The following DSLRs are the most popular with our readers in their purchases over the last month. We’re listing them in the order of popularity in terms of sales and in the configuration (ie with or without lenses bundled) that they’re selling in best.

1. Canon EOS Rebel T1i

This camera has topped our best selling list for the last few months.

It’s a 15.1 megapixel DSLR which comes with an 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 Image Stabilised Lens.

It has a 3.0 inch LCD, full HD video capture, live view framing of images, face detection autofocusing and a good range of features.

The T1i is currently priced at $718.56 at Amazon with the lens or $631.89 body only and is a great choice if you’re looking for an entry level DSLR.

2. Nikon D90 DX

The Nikon D90 DX is a 12.3 megapixel DSLR which comes bundled with an 18-105mm f/3.5-5.6 ED AF-S VR lens.

While not Nikon’s newest camera it has many fans in our forums and it is no wonder when you see its feature set including 3.0 inch LCD (high res), Live View framing, Face Detection, Video recording Image sensor cleaning, 4.5 frames per second shooting and a lot more.

The Nikon D90 with it’s 18-105mm lens comes in at $1031.89 or you can grab it Body Only for $794.95. It’s probably one of the best cameras in the ‘enthusiast’ range of cameras and in most reviews I’ve read of it gets a very high rating.

Note: Updated Review – The editor of this amazing Web site has kindly allowed me to revise my review of the Panasonic FZ35 camera. In hindsight, it needed a bit of a brush up!

Some people, using a digital SLR, find it a hassle to continually change lenses when shooting a wide variety of subjects. Frankly, it goes with ‘SLR-territory’ (digital and film) and is the price you pay to enjoy the improved image of an interchangeable lens, reflex camera.

In reality, unless you’re very demanding and continually shoot magazine quality pictures, most times you’re better off with a fixed lens digicam with an extended zoom range … like this one.

This Panasonic model has a modest 18x optical zoom that runs from 4.8-86.4mm or, in 35 SLR equivalence, 27-486mm. For many people this is

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This guest post on wedding photography equipment was submitted by F.C. from Camera Tech.

Image by man's pic

So you’re desperately keen to go into wedding photography — or maybe you’ve made a start. The only problem you’re faced with is the equipment: and there are a lot of choices.

Firstly, the most important thing to realize is that the camera and/or lens isn’t going to cut it on its own; you’re not going to see a magical difference. Your equipment can limit you, but at the end of the day it boils down to the photographer.

Cameras

Now, when considering a camera in wedding photography, you need to measure up your needs and your means. It all depends on your budget, but what if you can get it all? Pro-grade cameras aside, let’s consider prosumer models.

For Canon and Nikon, full frame bodies are readily available for not-too-expensive prices. Full frame bodies are extremely useful in wedding photography because of their low-noise capabilities, the sensor being larger. 2-3 stops can normally be gained in a full frame body as compared to a normal APS-C dSLR. This means that ISO 3200 can be used instead of ISO 800 and still have about the same amount of noise, and the shutter speed can be raised two whole stops: necessary, as weddings are normally conducted in not very bright light. If you only have one camera, it should be a full frame body.

A short note here: you should always get two bodies. There are two main reasons, these being 1. backup and 2. not having to change lenses (as much). So you could have a 24-70mm on one body, and a 70-200mm on the other, thus covering the whole field should you need to alter your field of view. You may not be able to buy a second body, but you can rent one. Make sure, however, that if you’re renting equipment, be they lenses or cameras, that you also rent them beforehand to get the feel and experience with them first, before the actual day.

Occasionally Ricoh has delivered cameras to the market that are innovative, ingenious and unique. Like the Ricoh GR Digital III.

But who ever heard of a camera with a fixed lens and no zoom?

To answer, you have only to look at the major companies with their DSLRs. Fine cameras you say. But what makes them even finer is the availability of a fixed focus ‘pancake lens’.

The advantages are a small form factor along with high optical quality, a lack of aberrations in a no-zoom lens and reduced internal flare.

It was a touch too cold to dunk this camera — and its operator! — in the surf, so I resorted to a dip in the pool. And, to my surprise, I found that not only did the camera perform successfully but I fell upon a magic way to create stunning new pictures.

But back to the aquatic Canon. Via Olympus.

The latter company has made much of its success with the Tough digicams, successfully operable down to 10 metres underwater. I recently had great fun with the Olympus Tough 8000 and felt it was ideally suited to the Australian lifestyle: outdoors, wet and wild.

Belatedly, Canon has picked up the scent of this success and launched its own go-anywhere digicam: PowerShot D10.

CANON POWERSHOT D10 Features

It’s all there: waterproof down to 10 …