The Top Rated Digital SLR Camera

Page updated: June 2007

If you've been searching for the top rated digital SLR camera, then you're in luck.

The results that I present on this page are the result of hours of reseach - all taken care of so you don't have to do it yourself!

Here's the method: I visited four independent web sites that collect user ratings and reviews. The sites are DPReview, Amazon.com, Yahoo! Shopping and Digital Camera HQ.

I found two data points for every modern digital SLR camera: the average rating score and the total number of user ratings.

I compiled all of this into a table, and then took the average of the ratings scores across all four sites, because I wanted to make sure that the ratings scores weren't artificially inflated by one site.

The end result: the top rated digital SLR camera.

A Two-Way Tie

In the end, I had to conclude that there are really two top rated digital SLR cameras, which is not really a bad thing.

This way, you have two options to choose from, right?

The two top rated cameras based on the average ratings scores are the Pentax K10D and the Nikon D200.

Are you surprised that Canon - the top seller of digital SLR cameras - isn't one of them?

Let me explain the findings in more detail.

Ratings Analysis

An interesting thing happens when more and more people rate a digital SLR camera: the average rating score gets lower and lower.

This makes sense: for every person who loves the camera and can't live without it, there are a lot of people who wind up with a lemon or have problems and ultimately give the camera a poor rating score.

When only a limited number of enthusiats go out and rate a particular camera then it stands to reason that the average ratings scores will be inflated.

This is why I took the total NUMBER of ratings into account when I compared the average rating scores. It would be unfair to draw conclusions about the top rated digital SLR if one camera had 1,000 user ratings and the other had 10.

The Ratings Scores

Here are the ratings scores for the different cameras, arranged in decreasing order:

Camera	Average Rating Score	# of Ratings	U.S. Price
Pentax K10D	4.82	227	$ 797
Nikon D200	4.78	532	$ 1,450
Canon 30D	4.77	331	$ 1,190
Nikon D40	4.69	379	$ 525
Canon 400D	4.65	880	$ 730

Feel free to draw your own conclusions from this data, but here's my take on it.

The Pentax K10 has clearly been getting rave reviews from it's users. Even with 227 total reviews, the average rating score is still 4.82.

If you're already a Pentax enthusiast, then it's a no-brainer: the K10D is the camera for you.

Pentax K10D

Newcomers to the digital SLR camera market who have heard all the buzz about Canon and Nikon might not feel comfortable buying the lesser-known Pentax despite its high ratings.

This brings us to the second camera: the Nikon D200.

The D200 is the type of camera that causes envy for those not willing to shell out $1,500 for a digital SLR. Not only is it loaded with features, the user ratings speak volumes about the quality of this camera. It really is that good.

If you're willing to spend the money, then the D200 will help you take any type of photo you want. A word of warning though: this camera is NOT for beginners. It works the best when you take the camera out of AUTO mode and leverage all of its features and settings.

Nikon D200

This brings us nicely into a discussion of the top rated digital SLR for beginners on a budget: the Nikon D40.

If the D200 is for more advanced photogaphers, then the D40 falls squarely into the beginner category. Its size and feature set are designed with the beginning photographer in mind.

With 379 ratings and an average score of 4.69 in addition to an exceptionally low price, the D40 stands out amongst the other inexpensive digital SLR cameras.

Nikon D40

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