Your questions about best digital cameras

Wize Guy answers:

Canon. Many sources & reviews show this, and their market share shows wide popularity. Canon also sponsors *totally free insturction sessions at National Parks and others events with their top staff and consulants- really impressive.

Wize Guy answers:

How much zoom do you need/want?

If you are looking for a good low light super-zoom/bridge camera then have a look at:

Sony HX1: http://www.sony.co.uk/product/dsc-h-series/dsc-hx1
Fuji S200EXR/S205EXR: http://www.fujifilm.com/products/digital_cameras/s/finepix_s200exr/

If you are willing to put up with a lower level of zoom:
Canon PowerShot S90: http://www.canon.co.uk/For_Home/Product_Finder/Cameras/Digital_Camera/PowerShot/PowerShot_S90/index.asp

Wize Guy answers:

For professional gear, Canon is the market leader, Nikon is a distant second, and the other companies trail way in the distance. Canon and Nikon owe their leading position to three facts:
* They make the best digital SLR cameras (for field work) that money can buy. In terms of megapixels, build quality, speed, and features, no other company can touch them.
* They have a phenominal range of professional lenses and accessories. In the lens department, only Zeiss and Leica can out-do them, but those companies don’t have good enough cameras. (If you want to, you can use some Zeiss/ Leica lenses on a Canon, and Zeis has even started making lenses for Nikon.)
* Canon and Nikon offer professionals world-wide support.
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For semi-pro and even for entry level digital SLR cameras, every single Canon and Nikon model is excellent value for money. And of course, Canon and Nikon are the only companies that offer a real upgrade path (including a huge selection of used gear on eBay)
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With compact cameras, the market is more open and there are several good alternatives. Even here though, Canon usually offers good value for money – I believe that Nikon is having a harder time in this market segment. With point & shoots, it pays to read reviews for specific models. Some good places to do that are here

http://www.steves-digicams.com/hardware_reviews.html

and here http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/default.asp?view=alpha

Wize Guy answers:

Here is cnet.com list of the best budget digital cameras:
http://reviews.cnet.com/best-budget-cameras/?tag=rb_content;contentNav

Wize Guy answers:

Well, in an effort to be the first person to actually answer your question with something other than ‘your camera doesn’t matter dogg!!!! Buy a cell phone and use THAT camera to b a real pro!!!!”

A good next step up would be either a D5000 or a D90.
The camera won’t make you a better photographer, but obviously, if every camera took pictures exactly the same, they wouldn’t make cameras that cost $6,000.

The D40′s metering issues bug the snot out of me. The D5000 and D90 fix this issue.
Both cameras have 3 image exposure bracketing, live view modes, and a crappy HD movie mode which you should never use.
The D5000 has a variangle LCD screen that pops out and flips all over the place, like Spiderman. It also has a ‘quiet mode’ that makes it possibly the quietest DSLR in existence. The quiet mode and the live view variangle screen make it great for candid street photography, if you’re into that.

Your D40 lenses will work on them, also, as they’re both DX cameras.. But its size makes the D40 a camera to keep regardless. The thing’s so small and convenient, if you do upgrade, don’t sell it. You’ll regret it later. No matter how much expensive equipment I get, my D40 always goes everywhere with me.