Most Popular Digital Cameras of July 2006

[Ben Stafford]

Given the heat wave across most of the USA recently, it may be hard to get out and take pictures.  However, back to school is coming quickly and many people are looking for cameras to take to school or to take pictures of their kids at the school plays.  If you find yourself needing to replace or upgrade your camera, we like to profile the most popular cameras on our web site to give you a good idea of what people are considering.  The rankings are determined by the number of times a particular product page is viewed by our users.  The rankings below are from the entire month of July 2006.

For additional help while choosing a camera, you can register for our forums and ask as many questions as you want.  If you're looking to buy, the best place to start is our Digital Camera Buying Suggestions forum.  If you need help with your current camera, then we have forums for each brand that you can post in.

We actually only had one camera drop off the list from the previous month.  The Casio Exilim EX-Z1000, after a one month stint on the list, missed the cut this time.  Canon once again dominates the list.  The top five are the same, but shuffled a bit, with the Canon Powershot A700 gaining the most ground.

	1. Canon Powershot SD600 (previously #1) - One of three new Digital ELPHs introduced last February, the SD600 features 6 megapixels, a 3x optical zoom, and a very nice 2.5 inch LCD.  An MSRP of $349 makes this compact camera a pretty good buy.   Canon Powershot SD600 Reviews | Canon Powershot SD600 User Opinions
	2. Canon Powershot A700 (previously #5) - Currently the top of Canon's A line, the A700 shoots at 6 megapixels, has a 6x optical zoom, and a 2.5 inch LCD.  Also, since it's in the A line, it's powered by 2 AA batteries.  Images can be stored in the SD card.  Canon Powershot A700 Reviews | Canon Powershot A700 User Opinions
	3. Canon Digital Rebel XT (previously #4) - This digital SLR is the most popular in its class and it's also a favorite among reviewers in its class (along with the Nikon D50).  If you're looking to get away from the shutter lag of point and shoot cameras, or you have some Canon lenses that you're aching to use and you don't need a more expensive SLR, the Digital Rebel XT is a good way to go.   Canon Digital Rebel XT Reviews | Canon Digital Rebel XT User Opinions
	4. Canon Powershot SD700 IS (previously #2) - The SD700 IS is the first camera in the Digital ELPH line (or SD line) that features Canon's image stabilization.  The IS allows you to shoot at much slower shutter speeds to get good indoor pictures without a flash.  The camera shoots at 6 megapixels, has a 2.5 inch LCD and a 3x optical zoom.  Canon Powershot SD700 IS Reviews | Canon Powershot SD700 IS User Opinions
	5. Canon Powershot S3 IS (previously #3) - Announced in February, the S3 IS is an update to the S2 IS.  It features a 6 megapixel sensor, 2 inch flip out, rotating LCD, and a 12x stabilized optical zoom.  Canon Powershot S3 IS Reviews | Canon Powershot S3 IS User Opinions
	6. Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ7 (previously #6) -- An affordable entry in the ultra-zoom field, the FZ7 shoots at 6 megapixels with a 12x image stabilized optical zoom.  Our reviewer really liked it - you can see the review here.  Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ7 Reviews | Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ7 User Opinions
	7. Canon Powershot A620 (previously #8) - One of the successors of the popular A95, the A620, with the DIGIC II processor and 2 inch flip out LCD is a fast camera with great image quality. This 7.1 megapixel camera uses 4 AA batteries for great life and stores images on an SD card. Use the 4x optical zoom to get close when you need it. Canon Powershot A620 Reviews | Canon Powershot A620 User Opinions
	8. Canon Powershot S2 IS (previously #10) -- A very popular offering from Canon that offers a 12x optical zoom lens with image stabilization. A flip out 1.8 inch LCD, 5 megapixel sensor, Canon image quality and reasonable price explain its popularity. Canon Powershot S2 IS Reviews | Canon Powershot S2 IS User Opinions
	9. Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W70 (previously #7) - We reviewed the W70 towards the beginning of May and really enjoyed it.  Along with the Sony good looks, this is also a great camera with a nice LCD and good image quality.  The W70 takes 7.2 megapixel images, has a 2.5 inch LCD and a 3x optical zoom.  Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W70 Reviews  | Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W70 User Opinions
	10. Nikon D50 (back in top 10 after a break) -- Another entry level digital SLR, the Nikon D50 is another favorite, along with the Canon Digital Rebel XT.  The D50 body provides 6.1 megapixels and a 2.5 inch LCD.  Use your existing lenses or buy the camera with some lenses if you're ready to make the step to a digital SLR.  Nikon D50 Reviews | Nikon D50 User Opinions

Falling out of the top 10 most popular cameras from the previous month is the:

• Casio Exilim EX-Z1000 (previously #9)

To see our last ranking, see Most Popular Digital Cameras of June 2006.

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[Brian]

Maybe we need to rename this the Canon most popular camera list. I had actually been a little anti-Canon for a while, largely because of their popularity, I know, I'm funny like that. But after picking up an SD700 a few months back, I'm officially converted. It's not just brand name, the quality per dollar is very impressive.

[ajaynejr]

But popular means the cameras people are actually buying, not just wistfully looking at the reviews of, no?

[Ben Stafford]

We don't actually have a way to track whether people have made a purchase since we just point people towards places to buy. We count the number of times a camera detail page is viewed. The camera details are what you see when you click on the camera names in the article.

[Eliwood]

But popular means the cameras people are actually buying, not just wistfully looking at the reviews of, no?

Given that Canon has the most market share of all camera manufacturers (although Kodak is usually a very close second!) and given that NPD's sales charts show that 2-3 of the top 5 selling cameras are made by Canon, I can safely say that these statistics are fairly accurate.