The Top Rated Digital SLR Camera

Page updated: August 2008

If you've been searching for the top rated digital SLR camera, then this is the page for you.

In the paragraphs that follow, I'll break down the current ratings numbers for many recently released digital SLRs.

You won't find all the latest cameras listed here - that's because it takes some time for the ratings scores to pile up to be significant.

Clearly, cameras that have been available longer also have a greater number of reviews.

This page analyzes the numbers for you, presenting the top rated digital SLR camera in a variety of different categories - with a brief description of the strengths and weaknesses of each camera.

After all, just because a camera is top rated may not mean that it's the best one for you (but it certainly was for a lot of other folks).

Methodology

The information presented on this page is a merger of two different sources:

1. Digital Camera HQ - a review aggregator, this site compiles reviews from a variety of sites like Amazon, CNET and Yahoo! Shopping
2. Digital Photography Review - this massive digital camera site also includes plenty of user reviews and ratings

I averaged the rating score across both sites and added up the total number of ratings across both sites, in order to paint the most comprehensive picture of a camera's ratings relative to the total number of reviews.

After all, if only 10 people give an SLR 5 starts, that's not quite the same as 300 people giving a camera 5 stars.

There are two important things to keep in mind as you read this analysis of the top rated digital SLR:

1. Cameras with a higher number of reviews also have lower rating scores - there are more people who might have had a bad experience with the camera or company and give it a low rating
2. Less popular cameras with a minimal number of reviews often bubble to the top of the ratings, since the people that review them are enthusiastic and positive about the camera

Taking these two factors into account, I went looking for cameras with a relatively high number of reviews that also held up well in the ratings game.

You are - of course - welcome to draw your own conclusions.

Top Rated Digital SLR - Less Than 500 Reviews

The very first thing you notice is that the top two cameras are made by Pentax.

This is actually nothing new - every time I have conducted this survey of camera ratings (which I continuously update as new cameras are released and more reviews pile up) the Pentax digital SLR cameras have wound up at the top of the ratings charts.

A lot of this is due to a loyal Pentax fan base who are not disappointed by the fact that the new Pentax SLRs are compatible with every old Pentax lens ever made.

Newcomers to the Pentax line of digital SLR cameras often find a lot to like: great image quality, dust control, built-in image stabilizers and now - with the release of the K20D - live view.

One notable feature on both the K200D and K20D is weatherproofing: both cameras have special seals and gaskets to protect the delicat digital interior from moisture and dirt.

The next cameras down in the ratings (the Sony A700 and Nikon D300) are both designed for semi-professional photographers - this explains their higher price tags. They are packed with features that are aimed to please more demanding photographers.

While both cameras hold up well in the overall ratings, they are excessive for beginning SLR photographers (and priced beyond most people's budgets).

Clearly the most economical option of all the top rated digital SLR cameras listed above is the Pentax K200D. Despite its relatively low price, the camera still came out with a very high rating score (although only a grand total of 113 reviews).

Conclusion here?

Even though the Pentax digital SLRs aren't nearly as popular as those made by Canon and Nikon, the people who opt to get them (and who then go on to review them) are quite pleased.

Pentax K200D

Top Rated Digital SLR - More Than 500 Reviews

Once we pass the 500 review mark, the two dominant sellers of digital SLR cameras become apparent: Nikon and Canon.

This makes sense: since these cameras sell like hotcakes, there is a much higher chance that owners will later go online to post their reviews (both positive and negative).

When there are significantly more reviews for a camera, this often drives down the average rating score - there's just a higher chance that someone out there is going to get a lemon or is not going to be pleased with how the camera operates.

There is one notable exception to this rule and that exception is the Nikon D200.

Even with over 500 reviews, the Nikon D200's average rating score is higher than either the Pentax K20D or K200D mentioned above (and both of those have 1/5th the number of reviews).

Clearly Nikon did something right when they built the D200 and its ongoing popularity is made clear by the fact that you can still purchase this camera NEW, even though it was originally released in 2005 and has since been replaced by the updated D300 (which is not faring as well in the ratings as the original D200).

Nikon D200

If you're looking for a top rated digital SLR camera that won't clean out your bank account, then consider the Nikon D40.

The D40 is Nikon's first generation of cameras geared toward beginning photographers and follows three main design rules: small, light and easy to use.

The D40 also features an innovative LCD display that visually shows the photographer how changing a setting like aperture either increases or decreases the opening in the lens.

While not nearly the caliber of the D200, the D40 is a much better choice for anyone who's just getting their feet wet with digital SLRs - it makes the transition from point-and-shoot significantly easier.

Nikon D40

Inexpensive Digital SLR

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