What Digital Cameras Are Rated the Highest?
Choosing a new camera requires some thought and a bit of research. The search must begin by deciding what kind of photographer you're going to be -- a casual hobbyist, a tourist or a serious enthusiast -- and by setting a price range. You can find cameras for $100 or for $4,000, so limit your search by the capability of the camera. Here are the best sellers and best-reviewed cameras of 2010. All prices as of early 2011.
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Budget
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A few cameras available for under $200 rank highly in reviews by the website Cnet and as best-sellers on Amazon. Among them is the Canon Powershot SD1300, which sells for $129 and features 12.1 megapixels and a 4x wide-angle zoom lens. It has a large LCD screen of 2.7 inches. This camera is a simple point-and-shoot with limited features, but is compact and good for traveling. Serious photographers would do well to look into the next price range.
Compacts
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The Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS7 has been on the Amazon best-seller list for 300 days as of early 2011 and is second only to the Canon SD1300 in popularity. It scores a high user-review rating of four-and-a-half stars from Amazon. The ZS7 is more expensive than the Canon SD1300 but has a lot more features. Though both cameras have the same megapixel rating, the Lumix has a much larger zoom (at 12x), a wide range of light sensitivity settings (from ISO 100 to 1600) and a good range of aperture settings. Other Lumix compact cameras are well-reviewed by the website Digital Photography Review, with special mention given to the DMC-LX5, which is featured on the site's "best of the year" list.
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Super Zooms
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Super-zoom cameras are a step above compact and a step below SLR, both in terms of capabilities and price. These cameras have one fixed lens with decent optics, close to the stock (or kit) lens of entry-level DSLRs. The most popular models on Amazon in 2010 included similar cameras from Canon (SX30IS), Nikon (CoolPix L110) and Panasonic (Limix DMC-FZ40). Cnet's favorite was the Lumix DMC-FZ100. All of these cameras have a larger sensor than compact digitals -- allowing for larger-resolution prints -- and massive zoom lenses.
DSLRs
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Digital SLR camera users are often divided along lines of Canon and Nikon models, though most major camera manufacturers make DSLRs. The best-sellers on Amazon remain the Canon and Nikon brands, and Digital Photography Review ranks two particular models as gold award winners from 2010: the Nikon D3 and the Canon EOS-1D (Mark IV), which rank first and second on Cnet as well. These are the highest of high-end cameras, retailing for a few thousand dollars each, though price varies depending on included lenses and specific retailers. Lesser cameras are available for less money, of course, but the top-rated professional DSLRs of 2010 remain these two models.
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References
- Digital Photography Review: Nikon D3s
- Digital Photography Review: Canon EOS 1D Mark IV
- Digital Photography Review: Enthusiast Compact Group Test
- Amazon: Best Sellers: Digital Cameras
- Amazon: Panasonic: Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS7 12.1 MP Digital Camera with 12x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 3.0-Inch LCD
- Amazon: Canon PowerShot SD1300 IS 12.1 MP Digital Camera with 4x Wide Angle Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.7-Inch LCD
Resources
- Photo Credit digital camera age image by Steve Brase from Fotolia.com
