When many people hunt for a DSLR they get as far as Nikon and Canon and stop dead in their tracks. That’s too bad. Both companies make great DSLRs, no question. But Pentax, always the underdog in the DSLR pack, has been producing solid units for years. The new Pentax K-7 and K-x are two great examples. I’m lumping them together because they share many of the same leading-edge features. The K-7 is certainly the superior camera for pro shooting. The K-x is a terrific value if you’re just getting into DSLRs and want a full-featured, small camera to cut your teeth on.

K-7 ($1,500) is a solid, super-sealed workhorse with a bright, hi-res, 3-inch monitor. It has a magnesium-alloy body and the heft and balance of pro gear. It sports a 14.6 megapixel sensor, can shoot true 1024p HD video and has on-board HDR (high dynamic range), which works surprisingly well. It also sports a slew of other filters that I think you should ignore. Just shoot RAW (DNG or Pentax PEF format) and do your post-processing on your computer. The camera is a pleasure to shoot with, the autofocus is responsive (less so in Live View mode) and spot-on. Best of all, because all vibration-reduction is done in-body Pentax lenses not only tend to be cheaper, but you can also use any Pentax lens on the either the K-7 or K-x. So, the lens bargain bin is now your friend.

K-x ($649) is the K-7’s little brother. It’s a more plastic construction, lighter and certainly not as robust as the K-7. Still, it’s nicely balanced with its serviceable kit lens and is responsive and accurate. With a price less than half of the K-7s you’d expect some trade-offs and they show up in the smaller, lower rez monitor, 720p video and lack of LiON battery. Oddly — but perhaps wonderfully if you camp — the K-x only uses AA batteries. In general, both cameras are gems. Certainly, the K-x is a real winner. With a base price under $650 and its ability to accept great second-hand Pentax lenses it’s an ideal way to get a solid, feature-packed DSLR inexpensively. Then again, I’m a sucker for the underdog.

It’s very true that, even at the entry level, most DSLRs take better pictures than many photographers deserve. So, for all but the pros, picking a DSLR has less to do with image quality and more to do with the feel, features and user interface of the gear. Take the $800 Nikon D5000. There’s no question it produces clear, sharp, well-metered images. So, what sets it apart? First up, it feels great in the hand — balanced and ergonomically well-considered. Next, the articulated monitor. This is a bright, 2.7-inch screen that pivots out and around from the camera body — handy when the camera is in awkward positions. The D5000 monitor has a clean user interface but is not nearly as hi-res as the monitor on the higher-end Nikon D90. It can also display a Live View — an actual image of what you’re about to photograph. In principle, a good idea; in practice, a nuisance. The focus system on the D5000 suddenly get sluggish and brain-damaged and isn’t worth using except for static objects. Finally, the D5000 shoots HD video. That video, however, suffers from the “jelly effect”, a wobbling from top to bottom when you pan. The camera also only has a built-in mono mic and has no external mic jack, so don’t expect it to sub as a camcorder. And, actually getting to the video mode is a kludgy combo of button presses that make this feature feel like an afterthought. In short, the D5000 is a solid, entry-level DSLR with a handy monitor, great hand-feel and images, but with kludgy video.

Like many Micro Four Thirds format cameras, the Panasonic GH1 is a master of compromise. Its body isn’t as big as a Digital Single Lens Reflex camera, but neither is its sensor size. So, it sits in between a high end point-and-shoot (say the Canon G11) and a full DSLR (say, a Nikon D90) in terms of size and performance. This camera is Panasonic’s second foray into the Micro Four Thirds world. Its first effort, the G1, won raves for its innovative lack of pentaprism and mirror (hence the small body, and smaller lens). But, that camera lacked the ability to shoot HD video, which is becoming a standard for DSLRs these days. The GH1 delivers, stunningly, on that front. It shoots solid HD video — up to AVCHD format 1080p at 24fps — and crisp audio from the camera’s built-in stereo mics or via an external mini-jack mic. The camera produces sharp, well-saturated images up to about ISO 800, then noise artifacts and desaturation rear their heads in low light. Although the GH1 can go to ISO 3200, it isn’t pretty or very useful. With a telephoto lens on it, it’s hard to tell the heft of the GH1 from a smaller DSLR (e.g. Pentax K-x). And, given that the list price (about $1900 with a kit lens) of a GH1 is more than many DSLRs, you’d really have to prize its portability to make it your first choice. If the format intrigues, but size is an issue, consider its smaller brother, the GF1, which has the same sensor and takes the same lens, but is more in scale with a prosumer point-and-shoot.