Form and function: DSLRs offering more features at affordable price points.

The SLR camera has been the mainstay of the photo specialty channel for decades. Now, in its digital incarnation, this venerable format has spawned new life and interest. For many hobbyists who want fully manual control of their photography, the DSLR was worth the wait. For some, the DSLR was the

One of the biggest changes in DSLRs in recent months is the introduction of advanced features and capabilities at sub-$1,000 price points. While more affordable than the early DSLRs, the current crop doesn't skimp on features like weather-proofing and dust control.

The DSLR-A100 from Sony has quickly gained notoriety among enthusiasts: Popular Photagraphy and Imaging magazine awarded the A100 its coveted "Camera of the Year" award. In addition to its under-$900 price tag for the body, the 10.2-megapixel A100 is distinguished by new features, including Dynamic Range Optimizer image analysis technology, providing natural color reproduction, and the new Bionz image-processing engine for fast shooting capabilities.

Like many digital cameras today, the A100 includes image stabilization technology; unlike others, this feature is built into the camera body, not the lens. It also has a built-in dust-control mechanism.

Since breaking ground with affordable DSLRs, Canon Inc. continues the trend with its next-generation model: the 10.1-megapixel EOS 400D/Rebel XTi. Similar to the EOS 350D/Rebel XT, this sub-$900 model features a 10.1-megapixel CMOS sensor, a new integrated cleaning system, a larger and brighter 2.5-inch LCD, and 9-point AF. Another big change in this model is the boosting of continuous shooting modes, including burst shooting of 27 JPEGs or 10 RAW images.

Pentax Imaging rolled out the new Pentax K10D on the last day of PMA Canada Exposition 2006. The K10D features a newly developed 22-bit A/D converter designed to convert large volumes of data more quickly and faithfully.

The camera comes with a new dust removal system to keep dust off the CCD surface. According to the company, the new DSLR features a Pentax-designed shake reduction system "effectively offers a 2.5- to 4.0-stop advantage for sharp, blur-free images even under difficult shooting conditions, such as macro and telephoto photography or low-light settings without a flash."

The K10D has a dust-proof, weather-resistant body construction featuring 72 seals throughout the camera to allow photographers to continue shooting even in dusty or rainy environments.

Samsung Camera introduced the GX-10, a new 10.2-megapixel DSLR designed for advanced amateur and professional photographers. Based on its cooperative development agreement with Pentax, the $899 GX-10 offers optical image stabilization and a dust resistant CCD sensor automatically vibrates the CCD sensor when the camera is turned on.

Among the technologies employed to help GX-10 is a mechanical stabilization feature minimizing blur in situations where the camera is unstable or in lowlight conditions. Like the Pentax K10D, the stabilization feature is built into the body, not the lens. Therefore, the feature can be used with a wide range of lenses, including the Schneider D-XENON lenses sold with the body in kits, as well as the full range of Pentax, KAF2, KAF and KA mount lenses.

This summer, Nikon Corp. introduced the new D80 DSLR camera, a full-featured, high-performance camera that incorporates the latest Nikon digital and photographic technologies, and offers advanced features, as well as automated operation, says the company. With a new 10.2-megapixel DX Format CCD image sensor and a high-resolution color processing engine inherited from the latest Nikon professional DSLR cameras, the D80 can render images with incredible resolution, sharp detail, and vibrant color, says the company. And it can shoot images at speeds up to three frames per second for up to 100 consecutive shots (in JPEG Normal mode).

The latest addition to the Olympus E-System, the E-400, won't be coming to the United States. (Olympus America executives say the best-selling Evolt E-330 and Evolt E-500 models are continuing to sell well in the U.S. market.) This Four-Thirds standard DSLR features a 10-megapixel sensor and high-performance circuits for better performance, as well as the Olympus Supersonic Wave Filter to reduce dust accumulation. The camera can shoot up to three frames per second with a five-image RAW buffer in burst mode. Despite its near-pro features, the camera still offers 31 scene modes, including Underwater, Macro, High Key and Low Key.

The Four-Thirds format got a boost earlier this year with the Lumix DMC-L1, as Panasonic joined the ranks of supporters. The 7.5-megapixel camera features a live-view function, letting users see on the LCD screen the same image seen by the sensor. This camera is priced just under $2,000, and is aimed more at professionals.

Accessory spotlight: ExpoDisc

Photographers who care about color know the value of a white balance adjustment. Expolmaging Inc., Morgan Hill, Calif., has a simple solution for photographers who don't want to carry gray cards, white cards, or other targets. ExpoDisc Digital White Balance Filters use the built-in digital camera white-balance capability to act as an incident meter. The snap an filter is designed to receive, scramble, and transmit light from a wide angle down to the camera sensor. This allows for a fast and easy white-balance correction, even under mixed lighting conditions, the company says.

Accessory spotlight: Lensbaby

The Lensbaby selective-focus tens has become a useful toot for photographers to use to capture unique focus effects. Now in its third generation, the Lensbaby has additional capabilities to bring "repeatability" to its feature set.

For the uninitiated, the Lensbaby selective focus tens takes photos with one area in sharp focus, with that "sweet spot" surrounded by graduated blur. Photographers can move the sweet spat of sharp focus anywhere in the photo by bending the flexible lens tubing. The newest version lets the user lock the lens in position, once the desired focus is achieved.

"Studio photographers told us they want to repeat Lensbaby photos exactly the same each time," says Craig Strong, the inventor of the Lensbaby and co-founder of Lensbabies LLC, Portland, Ore.

Lensbaby 3G features the same low-dispersion, high-refractive index; multi-coated optical glass doublet; and the same flexible tubing as Lensbaby 2.0. It adds three focusing rails that emerge from the camera mount and pass through the focusing collar. A trigger button on the focusing collar releases three pins engaging the focusing rails and locking Lensbaby 3G in a bent position.

Prior Lensbaby tenses stay in the line-up, as they have different capabilities. Company executives say the earlier models are suitable for impromptu shooting.