POLL - The best products

[Damien_Demolder]

On a Thursday a couple of weeks ago Fen Oswin stood before the gathered manufacturers and retailers of the UK photo industry and presented an award to Canon on behalf of the AP forum users. After a nomination process and a polled vote the EOS 7D was chosen by our forum members as the best new product launched in 2009. This was an award chosen and presented by AP readers.

This was only one of the 13 product award categories that made up the Amateur Photographer Awards ceremony, and it was the award that was most obviously presented for the benefit of the AP readership. It is easy to get confused, of course, but although the lumps of engraved glass were presented to product manufacturers all of the awards given on that day were made for the benefit of the AP readership.

The awards congratulate outstanding products, but their principle reason is to recommend those products. This is a magazine for informing readers what to buy, and these awards represent the aggregation of a year’s work, highlighting the best of the products we have tested over the last 12 months. Nikon didn’t win professional camera of the year because we want Nikon to like us, it won because we want you to know that the D3x is the best professional camera on the market.

Take part in our awards poll, Do you broadly agree with the awards given?, by heading to the homepage.

Thanks

Damien

[Benchista]

I've never been quite sure that the awards represent what's best on the market purely because they're limited by launch date - I would say that this year they accurately reflect what's the best camera launched in a given period, but that's not necessarily quite the same thing - is the EOS 7D a better enthusiast camera than the D700, for example?
The only award I might take issue with is the compact one, merely because I've never been that convinced that Canon's G series really is that compact, but that's a highly personal view, I know.

[AlexMonro]

Take part in our awards poll, Do you broadly agree with the awards given?, by heading to the homepage.

Still seems to be showing the "Can photography change world affairs" poll at the moment.

I'm fairly happy with the awards - they all seemed to go where they were deserved, and the camera I voted for on the forum got an award, even if not the forum award! My minor niggle is that it seemed a bit OTT the 7D getting three awards - it seemed to imply it was 3 times better than the D3X or GF1. I know the award system doesn't work like that - more like AP's awards panel decided (reasonably, IMHO) that it was the best enthusiast camera, independently, it also came out top of the forum vote, and since it already had 2 awards, it got Product of the Year. Hmmm.... I'm not intimately familiar with the 7D, but from what I've gathered from AP and elsewhere, its main claim to fame is 18MP on an APS-C sized sensor with well controlled noise. Technological progress, yes, but more significant than the D3X, K-7, or the whole new class of micro four thirds?

[Terrywoodenpic]

Some manufacturers seem to do better at timing their release dates when it come to awards.
However they must balance this against total sales and marketing programmes.

I think the most significant advance this year has been the introduction of the Micro two thirds camera systems.

I do not doubt the 7D is an excellent camera, but it does not ring any of my bells.

I am not sure that awards for best new introductions are necessarily a good idea, as they may be less "Good" than existing items in the same field. The 7D and the 5D mk2 seem to interest the same semi-pro and advanced users albeit at slightly differing prices. I would see the 7D more as an overpriced upgrade to the 50D.

[Roger_Provins]

Nikon didn’t win professional camera of the year because we want Nikon to like us, it won because we want you to know that the D3x is the best professional camera on the market.

... from an amateur photographer magazine

[Damien_Demolder]

Still seems to be showing the "Can photography change world affairs" poll at the moment.

Thanks. I wondered why no one had voted!

[GeoffR]

I have to agree with Nick, whilst the products honoured may be the best launched in the period they may not be the best available product in their market slot.

is the EOS 7D a better enthusiast camera than the D700, for example?

I don't know either but as the Canon got an award this year, and the Nikon didn't, some may think this indicates that the Canon is the better camera. That the Nikon wasn't eligible for an award this year is, to that sort of person, irrelevant.

I often feel the same way about car awards, the winner may be the car of the year but it may be a very poor year, meaning last year's number three may be a better car. The same could be said of these awards. Though there is nothing to suggest that this year's cameras are a poor batch.

The big difference with cameras though is that most people who own a DSLR are committed to a system so for them (us) the awards are, or may be, largely irrelevant. One tends not to have the same commitment to a brand of car.

The same is, however, true of software and printers. I use Epson and have stocks of inks and paper, I would have to think long and hard about changing to another make. Likewise software. All of which prompts the question "who are these awards for?" the buying public or the manufacturers?

[daft_biker]

....is the EOS 7D a better enthusiast camera than the D700, for example?

Depends who you ask

[Benchista]

What I can tell you, having been at last year's awards, is that the manufacturers appear to take them seriously, and more importantly take what AP says seriously, so it does represent an excellent channel for us to make our views known - so as a process to improving product development, I think there's a lot of validity in them, regardless of if an individual award-winner is of interest to me.

[GeoffR]

Thanks Nick, I was hoping some one with some experience of the process would reply. I do tend to trust AP when it comes to such things because of the impartiality.

[gollum]

What I can tell you, having been at last year's awards, is that the manufacturers appear to take them seriously, and more importantly take what AP says seriously, so it does represent an excellent channel for us to make our views known - so as a process to improving product development, I think there's a lot of validity in them, regardless of if an individual award-winner is of interest to me.

They would and should it's a large slice of the market, although one has to wonder how many of those that collected were from the manufacturing environment they were manufactured, none is my best guess

[ikonik12]

I suppose any award for new photographic products will always be a win or lose situation...and raise a bit of controversy

I think that we need to put it into perspective though.
Just because a particular brand wins an award in a respected ceremony, DOESNT automaticaly make ME as the consumer, feel that " Hey! If the Magazine votes it is the best this year.. Then i will go and buy one "

You could give me the money in my hand that the winning camera costs.. but it doesnt mean to say i would automaticaly buy the winning camera or another model in the manufacturer range.
But If i won one? then i would keep it..... obviously :-)

In the race of Canon versus Nikon.. its abit like NASA verses Russian Federal Space Agency in the 60s.

( obviously not landing on the moon... but you could say NIKON landed there first! lol )

But in the photographic race... who can be revolutionary and produce firsts in the camera technology field etc ... and make us part with the cash?

Its all about press coverage! GOOD OR BAD

Afterall, endorsements of photographic products have been around for years,

for example....
" who went and bought a specific brand of camera that David Bailey used to use and advertise on the TV? "
You may not have bought it because you could use it or take photos but at least you can boast that David Bailey used one !

So yes... congratulations to Canon ... if it makes the pound sterling increase for their company because their product received the maximum amount of votes ...then fair enough !

But i could realisticaly only vote for a camera ive had first hand experience of!
THE question we should ask would be if Canon keep getting in the top 10 of products ....

What are the other manufacturers doing wrong maybe? as far as the consumer/users choices are concerned?


pete

[IvorETower]

(snip)
I think the most significant advance this year has been the introduction of the Micro two thirds camera systems.
(snip)

I missed this.... but if the cameras and lenses are half the size of the micro four thirds system, and the results are as good, someone must be on to a winner