Recent advances in large format detector arrays and holographic diffraction gratings have made possible the development of imaging spectrographs with high sensitivity and resolution, at relatively low component cost (<$100K.) Several airborne instruments have been built for the visible and near infrared spectral band with 10-nm resolution, and SNR of 200:1. Three instruments are compared, an all-reflective spectrograph using a convex grating in an Offner configuration, and two off-the-shelf transmission grating spectrographs using volume holograms. The camera is a 1024 x 1024 frame transfer, back-thinned CCD, with four taps for obtaining high frame rates. Performance and scan data is presented and compared to the design for image quality, distortion, and throughput.