Online buyers of DSLR cameras pay $1,291, on average, for their camera, up from $937 in 2011, according to the J.D. Power and Associates 2012 Digital Single-Lens Reflex Camera Online Buyer ReportSM released last week.
I was a little surprised to read those numbers, considering the affordable DSLR options available now – with cameras like the Nikon D3200, Rebel T3 and Sony A37. However, I’m also a little curious if the consumer move toward affordable mirrorless cameras like the Sony NEX-F3 and Olympus E-PM1 has impacted these figures (which may not be factored into “DSLR” sales evaluated by JD Power).
Additional notes from the report points to Pentax’s lead in buyer satisfaction and durability. Finally, note that these scores are based on consumer surveys rather than objective test data.
More excerpts from the press release below.
Pentax ranks highest in online buyer satisfaction with a score of 899 (on a 1,000-point scale), followed closely by Nikon (891) and Canon (888). Pentax performs particularly well in durability and reliability; variety of features; ease of operation; and shutter speed/lag time, while Canon performs well in the picture quality factor.
“Pentax’s customer base has shifted since 2011 from casual photographers to those who consider themselves semiprofessional or professional photographers,” said Sara Wong Hilton, director at J.D. Power and Associates. “In fact, across the industry, the results indicate a slight increase in self-identified semiprofessional photographers, possibly leading to the purchase of more high-end camera systems.”
Despite a shift in DSLR camera buyer demographics, overall satisfaction remains stable (888 in 2012 compared with 887 in 2011).
