[IMG]http://dpnow.com/files/blog/pentax.GIF[/IMG]

[B]High Power Pentax[/B]

You may not be aware that JD Power don't just rate car manufacturers. The organisation rates all sorts of things, including camera manufacturers. All ratings are calculated from feedback obtained from users of products being evaluated.

And there are some big surprises in this year's [URL="http://www.jdpower.com/consumer-ratings/ratings.htm?industry=Electronics&category=Cameras&study=909201313"]JD Power DSLR ratings[/URL]. We're assuming that 'DSLR' means system cameras, inlcuding compact (mirrorless) system cameras with interchangeable lenses.

Pentax is the big winner, with a clean sweep of maximum scores for shutter speed/lag time, variety of features, durability/reliability, picture quality, and ease of operation. Bottom of the table is, very surprisingly, Panasonic, scoring an average of just 2/5. For overall satisfaction Nikon scored 5/5 even though its individual category scores were well behind Pentax. Canon, Olympus, and Sony all scored a middling 3/3.

JD Power ratings for cars are very influential with buyers. But are you influenced by camera ratings like this?