Beefy 21MegaPixel DSLR for the Camera Geeks out there

$8,000 • canon.com

9 out of 10

Pricey 21-Megapixel DSLR Captures Beaucoup Data

Samsung GX-20 $1,400
The love child of the Samsung-Pentax partnership is an easy-to-use 14.6-megapixel charmer.

Pentax K200D $700
Pentax K200D Popular-class 10.2-megapixel shooter with body-borne image stabilization yields clear, sharp pics at a price sure to be, well, popular.

Sony Alpha A350 $800
Sneaking up fast on the major players, thanks to ease of use and feature set. But shoot above ISO 800 and quality retreats just as fast.

The super-honcho of DSLRs at 21.1 megapixels, this baby rivals monstrously pricier medium-format digitals in resolution and pummels them with its portability and ease of use. Dual Digic III processors handle the massive load of data collected by the full-frame CMOS sensor, and the resulting images make stunning large prints. The Mark III's lines approach equine elegance, and the user interface is downright refined.

WIRED Customizable one-touch menus. Outstanding battery life. Biggest, brightest viewfinder on the market. Internal sensor-cleaning system for speck-free pics.

TIRED No HDMI output. Top speed of five frames per second is pokey for the price. Eight grand for a digital camera? Tough to justify to your spouse.

• Camera Resolution: 21 megapixels, with full-frame (35mm) CMOS sensor

• Style: DSLR
• Media Format: Compact Flash, Flash, SD Card
• Manufacturer: Canon
• Price: $8,000