4. Overall Design

Digital SLRs, at least in the prosumer category, are beginning to become fairly well defined, so the two models we have here are quite comparable. Both have a sensor in "APS C" format, with a conversion (or crop) factor of 1.6 for the Canon and 1.5 for the Nikon. This means that both cameras use only a portion of the full 24x36 mm size of a 35mm film frame, due to the smaller size of the APS sensor. For the Canon, you effectively multiply the focal length of lenses by 1.6; for Nikon, 1.5.

Canon uses a very recent 8-megapixel CMOS sensor, whereas Nikon has stayed with the Sony 6-megapixel CCD that it has used on its D100 and D70. In this area, Canon clearly has the advantage, though we should emphasize that the difference will be marginal for most users.

Digital SLRs - regardless of model - turn in a very high level of performance, and if you want to take full advantage of all their capabilities, you need a certain amount of technical knowledge and also high-quality optics. Those are two points purchasers often fail to take into account. Also note that compact digital or "bridge" cameras, though they may seem comparable or even more attractive, have very small sensors that quickly show their limits in terms of control and image quality at higher ISO settings.

Viewfinder

Both models have comparable viewfinder quality, which in our opinion is quite adequate. Viewfinders on digital SLRs are often compared unfavorably to those of film SLRs, and there's no doubt that they're smaller, especially compared with professional models. This is due to the smaller APS sensors. But that doesn't affect the quality of the shots taken, and after all, everything comes at a price. The viewfinders on both models do their job well, at least if you work in auto-focus; manual focusing is a little tricky due to the low magnification.

Canon and Nikon have both provided a rubber eyepiece for the viewfinder that can be removed for mounting accessories such as a right-angle viewfinder or corrective lenses. Both also have a diopter setting for adapting to the user's eyes - be sure you adjust it before use!