Digital SLR cameras are becoming very popular. According to a 2007 IDC report, there were about 7.5 million digital cameras sold. Canon and Nikon cameras dominated the digital SLR market, with Olympus and Sony taking up a large portion of the leftover market-share. In fact, Canon and Nikon accounted for approximately 80% of the total digital SLR camera sales, Sony and Olympus accounted for about 12%, with Panasonic and Pentax also having significant digital SLR camera sales.
For a long time, Canon had been dominant in the digital SLR market, but Nikon nearly caught up to Canon because of its popularity in Japan and because of the popularity of its new D series cameras. In particular the Nikon D300 and the Nikon D40x have been top sellers. “Nikon has usually been the strong preference among professional photographers” says Minneapolis photographer Bob Dale.
Digital SLR, or dSLR, is short for digital single lens reflex. Digital SLR cameras are named as such because they are cameras that have a mirror behind the camera lens that directs light through the viewfinder eyepiece during photo composition.
Basically, the light coming through the lens is reflected by a mirror, which is at a 90-degree angle, and it is then reflected by the pentaprism. When a picture is being taken, the mirror swings in an upward motion and the shutter opens. This action causes the light to be projected from the lens onto the image sensor.
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 has long been known for the quality of its cameras. Currently, the Canon EOS line of cameras is among the best lines of digital SLR cameras on the market. It consistently earns high praise from consumers for being simple, having plenty of options, and providing great pictures.
The digital SLR cameras in the Canon EOS digital series boast of the 10.1 megapixel CMOS technology that produces digital pictures of outstanding quality. Other Canon digital SLR cameras that have this technology are the Canon 30D, Canon Rebel XTi, and all the other Canon Digital Rebel cameras.
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.
Nikon is another respected manufacturer of digital SLR cameras. The recent Nikon D series of digital SLR cameras has carried on the strong reputation for Nikon cameras as being among the best in the world.
At the top of the Nikon D series is the Nikon D300 digital SLR. It features a large LCD screen to show you what your picture will look like before you take it and what your picture looks like after you take it. But the price of the Nikon D300 is currently running at about $1,700. If you are looking for professional quality digital photography, this digital SLR camera is a good choice.
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.
For the casual digital photography enthusiast, the Nikon Coolpix P5100 consistently gets high reviews among simple digital SLR cameras. While it has manual control, its automatic zoom, focus, and exposure options make it easy for anyone to use. It also features a large LCD screen to help you see what you’ll get before you shoot the picture. The Nikon Coolpix P5100 is surprisingly affordable for a digital SLR, with prices ranging from $200 to $300.
If you want an affordable digital zoom camera, go with any of the Panasonic Lumix DMC cameras. Panasonic introduced the first in its Lumix DMC series in 2001 and since then has come out with over 60 models with 1.9 to 10.1 megapixels and zoom capabilities between 10x to 12.5x.
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.
You have far more options in digital SLR cameras than can be discussed here. Whatever your price range, if you do a little research, you can find a digital SLR camera that will take quality pictures for you. Price and features are the main variables when you compare your digital SLR options.
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.
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