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The D80 is another superb camera in Nikon’s increasingly impressive DSLR range. It is expensive and complicated, but it is also extremely well made, incredibly versatile and capable of fantastic picture quality. However it is surrounded by some very strong competition most of which is equipped with shake reduction, and although it may be one of the best 10MP cameras so far, it is not necessarily the best value for money.

All in all the D80 is an excellent traveling companion. It has a solid feel and strong body build, yet is not a drag on your shoulder or pack. Just about everything you need for field work is accessible right from the body, with the menu offering other layers of goodies. At 10+ megapixels it certainly delivers enough resolution for large-scale prints, and the color rendition and sharpness out of the box is excellent. The camera is built to appeal to both the step-up and advanced amateur, what with its Digital Vari-Program modes along with as many overrides and rendition options as even the most demanding photographer could require. 

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If you’re ready to enter the world of digital SLRs, the Nikon D40 is a great way to do it. It offers a compact, truly portable body, great performance and photo quality, and a really user friendly interface for not a lot of dough. I can recommend the D40 without hesitation. I would say that the Canon Digital Rebel XTi is a somewhat more capable camera, but it also costs nearly $200 more. With that in mind, try both if you can, but don’t think that you’re giving anything up by getting the D40—you’re not. 

The Nikon Coolpix S9 would make a perfect Christmas gift for the snap-shooter in your family, but if you’re a more serious photographer you probably wouldn’t rush out and buy one for yourself. The two words that best sum-up the S9 are “stylish” and “adequate”. The “S” in Nikon Coolpix S9 stands for “Style”, and this camera certainly delivers on that promise. 

Overall, I’m very impressed with the Nikon Coolpix L6 - the camera is clearly designed to appeal to a specific target audience and it does a very good job of meeting the needs of that demographic. The camera is very user friendly and it consistently delivers surprisingly good images. It’s an excellent choice for busy folks and casual photographers who want a camera that’s compact enough to drop in a pocket and take along everywhere they go…