2007 Digital Camera Ratings
Anyone over the age of 30 can fit the number of childhood photographs they possess into a small shoebox. In the days of Instamatic cameras, film processing and Polaroids, it was expensive to record special moments; Mom and Dad took a few shots, and when the pictures came back from the local Fotomat, or finished magically “developing” before your very eyes, the packet contained two, maybe three good ones—if you were lucky.
In today’s digital age, anyone can be a photographer. Digital cameras have transformed our ability to capture daily life, and they allow just about anyone the chance to get the shot just right. Furthermore, sharing pictures with family, friends and strangers is easier than ever thanks to email, photo-enabled cell phones and social networking Web sites. If the number of pictures taken by the average parent today is any indication, children born after 1995 will be able to fill whole DVDs with imagery from their youth, filed by month and year. (Photo albums? You’re kidding, right?)
The proliferation of digital cameras—and the need for ever greater capability to produce captivating photographs—makes buying the right model more important than ever. The J.D. Power and Associates 2007 Digital Camera Usage and Satisfaction StudySM measures consumer survey responses about various makes and model series across four market segments: Ultra Slim, Point-and-Shoot, Premium Point-and-Shoot, and Digital Single Lens Reflex, or DSLRs as they’re commonly called. The study asks consumers who bought digital cameras about picture quality, performance, operation, and appearance, as well as other questions about how and why they purchased their camera, their research and shopping experiences, and other aspects of photo taking and photo making. Based on consumer survey responses, picture quality is the most important factor driving satisfaction and camera appearance is the least important factor—but don’t tell that to the highest-ranking camera maker in our first segment.
Ultra Slim Segment: Casio Exilim Zoom Series
Casio helped create the ultra slim camera market—those models one inch thick or less—with the introduction of the Exilim series five years ago, and the Exilim Zoom series is the top-ranked lineup in the segment for 2007, according to consumers. The Casio Exilim Zoom series’ strong showing across all the key drivers of satisfaction makes it the highest-ranked Ultra Slim camera overall, with top scores in performance and ease of operation, and a tie for first overall with the Sony DSC-T series in terms of appearance. Canon’s PowerShot SD series receives top marks in picture quality, with the Exilim Zoom series coming in third in that measure.
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Point-and-Shoot Segment: Fujifilm FinePix F Series
A point-and-shoot camera is defined as thicker than one inch and is sold for less than $230 at the retail level. This characterizes a large, highly competitive playing field of basic, compact cameras in which price is a big purchase driver. The Fujifilm FinePix F series is the highest-ranked model lineup in the segment, with best-in-segment ratings for picture quality and performance, and second only to the Samsung A series in terms of appearance. In terms of operation, the Fujifilm FinePix F series performs mid-pack. The message from consumers is this: Make this affordable little camera easier to use without sacrificing overall picture quality and performance (battery life, speed, etc.).
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Premium Point-and-Shoot Segment: Canon PowerShot SD Series
Typically offering more features and higher quality, premium point-and-shoot cameras are defined as thicker than one inch and costing more than $230 at the retail level. Most are compact in size, but some approach the size and look of a DSLR camera. In this highly competitive segment, the Canon PowerShot SD series outdistances the pack according to survey respondents, with a significant index score spread between it and the No. 2-ranked model line in the segment, the Panasonic DMZ-FZ series. Among the key drivers of satisfaction, only the No. 3-ranked Kodak Z Series comes close to the Canon’s picture quality. Otherwise, the Canon series ranks well ahead of the competition across all factors in the study.
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Digital Single Lens Reflex Segment: Nikon D Series
Designed for avid photographers who generally take more than three times the number of pictures of any other camera segment, Digital Single Lens Reflex (DSLR) cameras represent a growth area for the digital camera industry. This type of camera used to cost around $3,500 just a few years ago, but now there are “pro-sumer” models starting at around $1,500. In this segment, Nikon’s venerable D series ranks highest in all four survey factors as rated by consumers, and is the only DSLR camera to score above the overall segment average in the study. Of note is the No. 2-ranked camera for 2007—the Sony Digital SLR A series. While 2007 is only Sony’s second year in the DSLR market, having absorbed the Konica-Minolta photo imaging business in April of 2006, its Digital SLR A series ranks just ahead of Canon’s Digital Eos series on the strength of its picture quality and appearance.
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