Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

PEAR

Notorious T.O.D. Loc: Harrisburg, North Carolina

I’ll stick with Canon. Their System is broad, deep and gives excellent results.

mikeglaw

I've used Nikon, but Sony is #1 in sales...I think it's not the camera, but you who take the picture that matters.

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

And you can't assume that the best of anything will survive over inferior products. Advertising and peer pressure are very influential.

azted Loc: Las Vegas, NV.

For me it is Sony and Olympus. But nobody has mentioned "Snapchat" who calls themselves a camera company. Must be the demographics on this blog!

fetzler Loc: North West PA

1.All modern cameras and many old ones can take excellent photos.

2. When you purchase a camera for a particular purpose one must consider the features that the cameras has and doesn't have.

e.g. a Leica M series range finder camera is not a good choice for some one interested in close-up macro work. micro 4/3 cameras are super for macrophototography and Long lens work (lightweight and low cost). A Hasselblad medium format camera is super for photographing works of art but not great for action sports.

In short, there is no "best" camera.

stevefrankel

Your "Big Four" leaves out the largest gorilla of all: Apple. Not only have they sold more smartphones with high-quality cameras, but next year's Apple 14 if it has a 40-meg sensor like the rumors say, will probably drive the market leaders to be only Canon and Sony. Nikon and Leica will probably go the way of Kodak and I'm not sure that Panasonic and Fuji will do significantly better. I really hope these predictions will be wrong!!!

stevefrankel

Your "Big Four" leaves out the largest gorilla of all: Apple. Not only have they sold more smartphones with high-quality cameras, but their software put every else to shame. Next year's Apple 14, if it has a 40-meg sensor like the rumors say, will may result in only Canon and Sony surviving. Nikon (which is supposedly bleeding cash), Leica, Fuji, and Lumix may go the way of Kodak if Apple or Google doesn't buy them. I really hope these predictions will be wrong!!!

amfoto1 Loc: San Jose, Calif. USA

When it comes to digital cameras, Canon has been the #1 seller worldwide for around 20 years. Last year Canon had a larger share of market than the next three or four combined (#2 Sony, #3 Nikon, #4 Fuji, #5 Panasonic).

However it should be noted that camera sales have plummeted across all brands. Today more and more people simply use the camera built into their phone. This has especially decimated the "point n shoot" style of camera.

- Canon currently offers full frame and APS-C DSLRs, full frame and APS-C mirrorless cameras, as well as video and cinema cameras, and various point-n-shoot cameras ranging from ultra compact to fairly advanced. Canon is gradually phasing out their DSLR system as well as an older mirrorless (M-series) system. They are rapidly growing their nearly 4 year old R-series mirrorless system.

- Sony currently offers full frame and APS-C mirrorless cameras, video and cinema cameras, various point-n-shoot from ultra compact to advanced. Sony has recently discontinued their older "a-mount" DSLRs.

- Nikon currently offers full frame and APS-C DSLRs, full frame and APS-C mirrorless cameras, as well as a variety of point-n-shoot from ultra compact to advanced. Nikon is gradually phasing out their DSLRs while rapidly growing their nearly 4 year old Z-series mirrorless system.

- Fuji currently offers APS-C and medium format mirrorless cameras. They also offer various point-n-shoot digital and instant film cameras.

All four of the other brands you mentioned are alive and well...

- Olympus has recently changed ownership. The new brand is OM Systems, who have recently introduced their first interchangeable lens camera. There are also still plenty of OM-D and Pen cameras. All these are mirrorless now and all use the same Micro 4/3 format (slightly smaller than APS-C). They share this mount with Panasonic.

- Pentax is now owned by Ricoh, a diverse corporation which Rivals Canon and Sony in size. Pentax has committed to continue offering DSLRs going forward (they briefly offered a mirrorless system some years ago). They make both APS-C, full frame and medium format DSLRs. A variety of point-n-shoot cameras are sold under the Ricoh brand name.

- Leica continues to make cameras for doctors, dentists and other extremely wealthy people! Most interchangeable-lens Leica are now mirrorless, in both full frame and APS-C formats. They also still offer 35mm film cameras as well as a medium format DSLR system. And they offer digital point-n-shoot cameras, ranging from compact to advanced.

- Panasonic is another very large, diverse corporation. They offer Micro 4/3 and full frame mirrorless cameras (under the Lumix brand name), as well as video and digital cinema cameras, plus point-n-shoot ranging from compact to advanced (also under the Lumix brand name).

- You didn't ask, but Hasselblad is also alive and well, selling medium format digital cameras and backs.

- Polaroid, Kodak, Vivitar and Minolta are still around, selling cheap point-n-shoot digital or instant film cameras made by other people.

A big name that appears to have quietly disappeared in the last few years is Mamiya. For a while they were offering medium format digital cameras, based upon the 645 film system they had offered in the past. Mamiya worked closely with Phase One, who initially supplied digital backs for use on the Mamiya cameras but eventually reached a point where the cameras were branded Phase One. I really don't know if these are still being made.

radiomantom Loc: Plymouth Indiana

Absolutely correct. All of the above mentioned will produce beautiful images, however you are the one that will decide what makes a good image. It is critical to have a thorough understanding of light and composition.

hookedupin2005 Loc: Northwestern New Mexico

I have an Olympus 4/3rds, with three lenses(used), and a brand new Panosonic bridge, aside from my cell cam. I enjoy all three, and have NO plans of "upgrading".

DeanS Loc: Capital City area of North Carolina

Wih Canon controlling roughly half the mkt, my guess is that Canon is more than likely the dominant brand. Just my guess.

DebAnn Loc: Toronto

The one I miss the most is Minolta. I had the first automatic Minolta and some superb Rokkor X lenses. I don't think they are topped by anything today - for me anyway.

JoAnneK01 Loc: Lahaina, Hawaii

I've had many cameras in the past. I did enjoy my film camera's immensely. Probably even more than the digital cameras of today. You definitely had to decide what to photograph and plan your shot before taking it. Today, one just goes out and takes as many photos as they want and can delete the one's they don't like. Enough said. I primarily use Nikon and shoot with a D810. For me it fits my hand and the controls are easy to reach. This camera does more than I would ever need or use. Will I buy another camera? Most likely not, even though many are going to mirrorless cameras. I like the sound of that mirror operating.

lerrad Loc: Marietta, GA /Suches, GA

And make us laugh.