Cameras-n- Stuff

What is a Prosumer camera?, you might ask.
Prosumer is the highest you can go without actually getting into the DSLR cameras.
You can expect to pay more for a prosumer digital camera than you would for a mid-range compact camera. But you get so much more. Prosumer cameras are for photographers who want to take more control of their shots, rather than letting the camera select the settings.
So, with that said, the Highest Rated Prosumer Compact Camera is… drum roll please… (and, yes, I know this is a blog titled Canon…, but, hey, I calls ‘em like I sees ‘em)

Panasonic DMC-LX3

Here’s the formula for determining the highest rating:

• Check DPReview.com Camera Ratings (this could take a while – there are lots)
• Check Imaging-Resource.com Camera Reviews
• Narrow choice down to Canon G10, Nikon P90, Panasonic Lumix LX3 (trust me, I want the Canon to win)
• Check User Ratings at DPReview, Amazon, B&H Photo
• Enter all these numbers into my computer brain for analysis.

Voila, my brain spits out the winner!
(The Canon G10 came in a close second)
I spent lots of time compiling these results, not just for Prosumer Compacts, but for other categories, as well. I posted them on a Squidoo lens and on my website: www.digital-photographic-resources.com.

Which is the absolute best digital camera on the market?

That’s kind of like asking which is the best vehicle on the road, isn’t it? What do you want the vehicle to do?

Same question for a compact digital camera… what do you want it to do?

“Take pictures, of course,” you respond.

I know that, but there are too many people with different requirements to nail down one camera as the best for everyone.

So, I began thinking about the reasons for folks buy a digital camera. Then I sought out the best possible digital camera a person with those requirements could purchase.

My method of research was to find the cameras that are recommended by the most respected digital camera reviewers on the Internet. I looked at sites like www.dpreview.com, www.steves-digicams.com, and www.imaging-resource.com.

Then, armed with that information, I went to the places that sell the cameras and looked at the user reviews on those sites. Users are usually very honest about whether they think they get value for their money. Sometimes is a review mixed in where the buyer either did not get a good camera (it happens), or the buyer’s expectations for the camera were not realistic, but for the most part, the users’ reviews are quite helpful. These reviews can be found at Amazon.com, dpreview, and B&H photo.

These sources were pretty consistent with each camera I reviewed.

OK, so here are the results (drum roll, please):

• Best Budget Compact Digital Camera: Panasonic DMC LZ8
• Best Mid-Range Camera: Canon SX110 IS and Panasonic DMC FZ5
• Best Pocket Compact Camera: Canon SD 790 IS and Panasonic DMC FX37
• Best Over-All Digital Camera: Panasonic DMC TX3

Take a closer look at the stats on these cameras before making your choice. This is a big purchase, so you can also see much more information about each of these cameras HERE.
Happy imaging!

Let me start by saying that the Canon Digital Rebel XSi is a great camera as an entry level DSLR.

Did you know that Canon comes out with newer, replacement models every couple of years?
It’s true. Most camera manufacturers do it. Especially if the camera has a fantastic track record, as the Digital Rebel certainly does. It was my very first DSLR, and I took many many wonderful photos with it. This woodpecker is one of them.

But I digress.

This year, Canon came out with a replacement for its Rebel series after only 1 year.
They did it to incorporate some features, such as video, so they could keep up with the Joneses (the “Joneses in this case are other camera manufacturers).

OK, so what does that have to do with anything?

It has a lot to do with price. All of a sudden the price of the Rebel 450D (aka Rebel XSi) dropped $200!

Has the feature package been upgraded enough for you to pay an additional $200 to get the latest model?

Only if you must have video. The video package is pretty good on the newer Rebel 500D (aka Rebel T1i).

Now, there are a couple of other upgrades in the newest release, and you can see the comparison at www.squidoo.com/canon-rebel-xsi-x1i. But the features on the Rebel 450D were already awesome, and the camera had only been on the consumer market for a year. When you consider the price difference and the quality of the camera along with its photographic output, I think you may agree that the 450-D is a fabulous deal.

The Canon Digital Rebel SXi really rocks!

More information about the two cameras is available HERE. Do yourself a favor, if you are interested in a truly great entry level DSLR and check it out.