The market for the digital SLR camera is growing rapidly. The IDC report titled 2007 Worldwide Digital Camera Market Share Review pointed out that digital SLR cameras accounted for 7.5 million of the 131 million digital cameras sold. It is no surprise that such big brands as Canon, Nikon, Olympus, and Sony led the way in total digital SLR camera sales. Canon and Nikon alone account for about 80% of the digital SLR market. Sony and Olympus account for another 12% of the market.
The IDC report showed that Canon had been running alone atop the digital SLR camera market, but Nikon closed the gap, thanks to such popular models as the Nikon D300 and the Nikon D40x. In Japan, Nikon surpassed Canon in total digital SLR camera sales. “Nikon has always been the strong leader among professional photographers” says Minneapolis photographer Bob Dale.
Digital SLR, also known as dSLR, describes a camera with a digital single lens reflex. Single lens reflex describes the path light that travels through the lens to a mirror, which forwards the light to a viewfinder.
In other words, there is light coming in through the lens, which is then sent by a mirror placed at a 90 degree angle to the pentaprism. When you take a picture, it is as simple as the mirror being lifted to allow the shutter to open. The light then is captured by the image sensor behind the shutter instead of being reflected by the mirror.
These intriguing cameras come from a variety of companies. In addition to Canon, Nikon, Olympus, and Sony, you can also choose from some other popular brands such as Panasonic and Pentax. These brands were once the same brands that were known as powerhouses of the 35mm film SLR camera marketplace.
Canon is known for producing cameras of the highest quality. One of the best lines of Canon digital SLR cameras is the Canon EOS. The Canon EOS digital SLR camera gets good reviews for picture quality, options, and ease of use.
The Canon EOS digital SLR cameras take high resolution pictures of up to 10.1 megapixels. In fact, the Canon 30D and Canon Digital Rebel camera series also provide you with 10.1 megapixels.
You will generally find Canons at the top of digital SLR camera review lists. Whether these reviews are compiled by Canon owners or by product testers, the results tend to favor Canon digital SLR cameras.
When it comes to SLR cameras, Nikon has become a household word. Nikon has been making SLR cameras for many years and with the introduction of the Nikon D-series SLR cameras, the company is proving to be a strong player in the digital camera market.
The Nikon D300 heads the impressive lineup of quality digital SLRs by Nikon. This digital SLR supports live viewing, which means you can preview your shots on the LCD screen instead of having to look through the viewfinder. If you’re planning to get into professional or high end digital photography, this digital SLR is a good investment. Price starts at around $1,700.
If you just want good photographs and you aren’t really worried about having all of the options for making the photographs look professional, the Nikon D40 is a great camera that can be had for less than $650. It has an adequate resolution of 6.1 megapixels. The compact design of the Nikon D40 makes it a great travel camera. “It’s a great selection for doing travel photography” says professional digital photographer Bob Dale.
Nikon also makes the Nikon Coolpix P5100 for those who are looking for an inexpensive digital SLR that can take good pictures. This camera can often be found at less than $300, which is simply astonishing for a digital SLR that takes good pictures. Its main features are those that make it simple to use, such as automatic zooming, automatic focusing, and automatic exposure adjustment. It has a big LCD screen for framing and reviewing pictures.
The Panasonic Lumix DMC line of digital SLR cameras is one of the best values on the market. From 2001 to 2007, Panasonic produced over 60 Lumix DMC digital SLR camera models, with the last of that era coming with 10.1 megapixels and a 12.5x zoom standard on each camera.
Most experts agree that Panasonic digital cameras are easy to transport and take great digital photos. For the camera buff who doesn’t want to spend a lot of money on a good quality camera, set your sights on any of the Panasonic Lumix DMC cameras. These cameras cost $400 and below.
Just as Pentax was once a respected name in 35mm film SLR photography, it is gaining respect as a manufacturer of digital SLR cameras. Pentax cameras have a reputation for quality at fair prices. Pentax still remains competitive in these areas.
Pentax digital cameras are of high quality and come in a variety of models that range from the entry level SLR to professional models. Some of the better models are the K series and the Optio series. Both of these Pentax digital SLR series of cameras offer users great photographs and a variety of options commonly found on the most popular digital SLR cameras.
There isn’t any shortage of digital SLR cameras to date. In fact, you can find a quality digital SLR camera in any price range. It all depends on the features you need and how much you’re willing to pay for a camera.
Among the additional considerations you’ll have for your digital SLR camera decision are flash media types, warranties, battery replacement costs, and battery capacity. The only firm recommendation would be that your flash memory unit should be able to hold at least 1,000 photographs at your camera’s top resolution. If you’re going to spend a lot for a camera, you ought to be able to take all of the photographs you want and rest assured that they’ll be of the highest quality.