For some, tossing around phrases like "live preview" and "flip-out swivel screen" would be enough to sell Sony's Alpha A350, but we know you're more discerning than that, right? Right. Truth be told, Sony's feature-packed Alpha only turned out okay -- not great -- during a review session with the folks over at CNET. Still, the unit did offer a sturdy feel, a fantastically useful LCD monitor and satisfactory color / dynamic range. Unfortunately, the extra $200 or so you pay for 14-megapixels (over 10MP on the A300) wasn't deemed worthwhile, as the extra processing "exacted a performance toll" in real-world use. The bottom line? These critics felt the Rebel XSi would be a better bet if you're just looking for a nice resolution bump, but for the vast majority of folks, you're likely better off snagging the A300 and putting your leftover dough towards a decent piece of glass.

Always looking to one-up its long-standing Japanese rival, Panasonic has gone and beaten Sony's first digital SLR -- the Alpha A100 -- to market with its own premiere DSLR -- the DMC-L1 -- which just became available today. As you'll probably recall, this 7.5 megapixel "Live MOS"-equipped shooter was developed in conjunction with Olympus, thus including that live preview 2.5-inch LCD that got us so jazzed up about the E-330, and ships with an optically-stabilized 14-50-millimeter Leica D Vario-Elmarit lens. And at $1,999, the Panasonic had better throw in a few extras if it wants to remain competitive, because the Sony, while not arriving with a lens in the box, will sport a higher-resolution 10.3 megapixel sensor at half the price of the L1.