1. Canon Digital Rebel XTi
2. Nikon D40
3. Canon EOS 40D
4. Canon Digital Rebel XT
5. Nikon D80

The new Canon Rebel XTi has a 10.1 megapixel sensor, a 2.5 inch LCD screen, and a new dust cleaning system. The Rebel XTi works with a vast system of over 50 lenses and a wide array of accessories.

Nikon's D40 is a digital SLR with the spirit of a point-and-shoot camera. It has a 6.1 megapixel sensor and a 2.5 inch LCD screen. It is the smallest Nikon DSLR to date and has the Nikon 3D matrix metering technology that produces very accurate flash exposures.

The Canon EOS 40D has a 10.1 megapixel sensor, a large 3 inch LCD screen and can shoot at 6.5 frame-per-second in continuous mode. It is powered by the DIGIC III image processor which helps it in being on top of the current competition at this price level.

The Canon Digital Rebel XT offers more creative control than its predecessor and boasts an 8-megapixel CMOS sensor and Canon's Digic II processing engine. It is an exceptionally small and lightweight camera designed for amateur digital SLR photographers, but it delivers image quality you'd expect from a semi-professional model.

The Nikon D80 features excellent color rendition, operates with low noise levels, has a large feature set; highly customizable and has a lightning-fast performance. Its 18-135mm DX kit lens makes it a killer photographic tool for the amateur and intermediate photographers.

Table of Comparision based on specifications: