Year End Reviews

Check out the DPreview site. There are year end reviews in several different camera categories.

DON

Here's the "What Camera Should I Buy" results for the categories in the 2015 Buying Guide:

Interchangeable lens cameras around $500

• Best Overall - Sony a5100

• Also Consider - Nikon 1 J5

Interchangeable lens cameras $500 - $800

• Best Overall/Best Value: The Sony a6000

• Best for Video: The Panasonic Lumix DMC-G7

• Also consider: Olympus OM-D E-M10 II

Interchangeable lens cameras $800 - $1200

• Best Overall - Nikon D7200

• Best for video: Panasonic Lumix DMC-GX8

• Also consider: Olympus OM-D E-M5 II

• Best value: Nikon D5500, Pentax K-3 II

Interchangeable lens cameras $1200 - $2000

• Best overall full-frame Sony Alpha a7 II

• Best overall sub-full-frame: Samsung NX1

• Best for video: Panasonic Lumix GH4

• Also consider: Canon EOS 7D Mark II

Interchangeable lens cameras $2000+

• BBest overall: Sony Alpha a7R II

• Also consider: Nikon D750

Advanced zoom compacts (less than 8x zoom)

• Best Overall - Sony Cyber-shot RX100 IV

• Also Consider - Lumix DMC-LX100

• Best value: Fujifilm XQ2

Long zoom compacts (greater than 8x zoom)

• Best Overall - Lumix DMC-FZ1000

• Best for Video: Sony Cyber-shot RX10 II

• Most Reach: The Nikon P900

• Best Pocketable Option: The Sony Cyber-shot HX90V

Fixed prime lens cameras

• Best overall/best for video: The Sony Cyber-shot RX1R II

• Also consider: The Fujifilm X100T

• Most drool-worthy: The Leica Q

• Best value: The Ricoh GR II

Best smartphone cameras

• King of the camera-phones: Panasonic Lumix DMC-CM1

• Class-leading image quality and solid photo features: Samsung Galaxy S 6 / S6 Edge

• The value for money option: Motorola Moto X Style / Pure Edition

• Great allrounder: Apple iPhone 6 Plus

I have to say that after ten years of knowing looks from people with "real" cameras made by "real" camera companies, the results in six of the eight camera categories (more if you count the APS-C 1" Sony sensor in the FZ1000 and (unconfirmed) DMC-CM1 phone) makes me want to pick up my A6000 and just pet it! :)

Maybe this crack in the status quo will wake up the industry and fire up even more innovation.

It's a great time to be a photographer!

Dave

What is a camera :p

 



 

The number of smartphones is a little misleading since the existence of a camera in the phone is counted as a sale regardless of whether or not it is ever used.

Granted, more pictures are taken with smartphones than dedicated cameras but at one time the number of photos taken with disposables and sub $100 instamatics dwarfed SLR usage.

Reflex cameras made sense when the target was an uncommunicative strip of plastic and EVFs were a pipe dream but the tech is on the move and we are entering an era where Moore's law will impact photography as significantly as it has the computer industry.

Mirrorless is on the rise but whether it is the next leader or an increasingly capable breed of phone will be the new king remains to be seen.

Dave