It’s quite possible that in coming years we’ll look back on 2010 as a very important year in the world of digital photography. Not only were existing products bolstered with the addition of new features and improved specifications, but several all-new cameras hit the market to make photographers sit up and take notice.
There’s no doubt that the landscape of photography has changed. Not only do most cameras released these days come complete with video capture, but now it’s almost always of the HD-variety and complete with full manual control. Full HD video capture has become a staple for many DSLRs this year, and the story for compact cameras is much the same It’s also worth noting that there were a host of firsts announced this year – 3D started to become reality not only with TVs but also with cameras. Fujifilm announced its second-generation 3D compact, while Sony added the third dimension to its popular and already boundary-pushing Sweep Panorama capture mode.
Sony also stirred up the ever-growing Compact System Camera market with the launch of the NEX-3 and NEX-5, while Samsung’s entry with the NX10 indicates that the Compact System Camera market is here to stay.
Passing Judgment
All this innovation hasn’t meant that the big manufacturers have been complacent about their main models. Canon and Nikon released a host of DSLRs that made consumers rush to the stores, though the competition was stiffer than ever.
Throw in a range of great lenses, must-have accessories and workflow-enhancing software and you start to get an idea of just how difficult the judging process was. After much deliberation, here’s the very best of the bunch.