If you are looking to buy your first digital SLR this holiday season, chances are you've already taken a close look at the new Nikon D80. Although this camera is Nikon's newest entry-level dSLR (and is currently receiving the most attention), it isn't necessarily the best choice for everyone.

Nikon's D50 dSLR, the predecessor to the D80, offers great photo quality and many of the features found on the significantly more expensive D80. The price difference is certainly a factor for consumers on a budget. The brand-new D80 currently retails for about $1300, while the slightly older D50 sells for about half that much, or around $675 (both with standard lenses). If you would like a complete feature comparison between the D80 and D50, please visit our D50-D80 comparison table.

All of the buzz from Nikon lately has been over its latest digital SLR, the Nikon D80. But one of the D80's predecessor, the D70, is still far from obsolete, and may be a great deal for amateur photographers on a budget.

Both the D70, and slightly newer D50, have a 6.1-megapixel Nikon DX CCD image sensor. Though far from the highest resolution available, the sensor can still produce 3,008 x 2,000-pixel images, which is usually good enough for large high quality prints.

The D200 is Nikon's powerful mid-range dSLR. It has a 10.2-megapixel Nikon DX CCD sensor capable of capturing up to 3,872 x 2,592 pixel images. The D200 has the same high-quality image processing system and 11-point automatic focus found on the professional D2x.

The camera also comes with a 3D Color Matrix Metering II system that automatically calculates optimum brightness, color, contrast, selected focus area, and camera-to-subject distance for almost any situation. The result is a stunning, well balanced photo whether you are operating in automatic or manual mode.

The Nikon 55-200mm f4-5.6G ED AF-S DX Nikkor zoom lens is considered by many to be one of the best deals available to owners of Nikon's popular D-series of digital SLRs. Originally designed for Nikon's entry-level D50, the 55-200mm DX is surprisingly compact and lightweight (2.7" in diameter, 3.1" in length and weighs 9 oz.). The performance of the lens is equivalent to an 82.5- to 300-millimeter lens in 35mm format, giving you a lot of magnification for your money.

The Nikkor lens features a Silent Wave Motor (SWM), which provides for a smooth and quite auto focus. With such a wide magnification range, the lens is great for shooting a variety of subjects. If you search around you can usually find this lens for under $200, which is quite a bargain.

Key Features:

• Ultra-compact 3x zoom lens made exclusively for use with Nikon Digital SLR models
• 55-200mm focal length
• f4-5.6 maximum aperture
• Super Integrated Coating minimizes ghosting and flare
• Silent Wave Motor

Nikon recently released it's latest dSLR, the Nikon D80. It sports an impressive 10.2 Megapixel CCD imaging sensor and several notable upgrades from the D70. For one, the D80 has a brand new 12- bit high-resolution image-processing engine that combines color independent analog pre-conditioning with improved image processing algorithms.

The D80 can also start up in a flash; from off to fully responsive in only 0.18 seconds. The camera can shoot continuously at up to 3 frames per second, producing 100 consecutive JPEG images. When fully charged, the lithium ion battery can support the storage of up to 2,700 images.