Top 10 Bestselling Camera/Photo Items: September 2011

As we head into September it’s time for my monthly look at the top-selling camera and photo items as measured by Amazon.com.

We see a few lenses on this month’s list; I’m not sure if Amazon reclassified things or if late summer is apparently the time to stock up on glass…

1. Canon EF-S 55-250mm f/4.0-5.6 IS Telephoto Zoom Lens – For the first time ever, a lens tops the bestseller list. This is a good general purpose zoom lens for Canon cropped-sensor bodies. Amazon is selling it for over 50% off of list price and there’s also a big rebate if purchased along with a camera body.
2. Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 II Camera Lens – often known as the “nifty fifty” or the “plastic fantastic”, the 50mm f/1.8 lens is a great item for beginners who want to really learn about composition as well as have a lens in their bag which can produce great images in low light conditions.
3. Canon EF 75-300mm f/4-5.6 III Telephoto Zoom Lens – this lens is cheap, which is the only reason I can think of it being on the bestseller list. I owned this lens many years ago. The optical quality is poor. Not recommended.
4. Canon EOS Rebel T3i Digital SLR Camera with EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS Lens – Canon’s Digital Rebel series has been popular as an entry-level camera for quite a while, and the T3i continues to offer an incredible amount of both photo and video features at a very reasonable price. I can definitely recommend the T3i kit for someone wanting to get into photography in a serious way.
5. Canon PowerShot S95 10 MP Digital Camera – Canon’s S95 is one of the most popular compact cameras amongst professional photographers, and it deserves its repeat status on the bestseller list. A larger-than-typical image sensor (for a camera of its size) means great image quality even in low light, high-ISO conditions. Couple that with a pocket size and it’s a great option for producing high-quality images on the go.
6. Flip UltraHD Video Camera – months after being discontinued, the Flip UltraHD continues to be a bestseller due to its great quality, durability, and ease of use. I have one of these units and it works great. Recommended.
7. Nikon 55-200mm f/4-5.6G ED IF AF-S DX VR [Vibration Reduction] Nikkor Zoom Lens – like the similar Canon lens earlier on the list, this Nikon zoom offers a good range of focal lengths for casual photographers using the cropped-sensor bodies such as the D7000, D90, or D3000/5000 series.
8. Nikon D5100 16.2MP Digital SLR Camera with 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 AF-S DX VR Lens – speaking of the Nikon D5000 series, the D5100 is Nikon’s current “one better than entry level” camera, offering a great set of features in an affordable body. Do note that the D5100 does not have an autofocus motor; in order to get autofocus you’ll need to make sure you have autofocus lenses.
9. Canon PowerShot A495 10.0 MP Digital Camera – if you’re on a budget, this sub-$70 point and shoot camera will provide decent images. While it lacks bells and whistles of more full-featured cameras, the size and price make this affordable and easy to carry without worrying about loss.
10. Nikon D3100 Digital SLR Camera with 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 AF-S DX VR Nikkor Zoom Lens – Nikon’s current entry-level DSLR is a great unit at a great price. Like the D5100, one drawback is the lack of an autofocus motor in the body (which means that you’ll need lenses with autofocus motors) but other than that I can recommend this unit for someone getting started with photography.

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Tagged as: 55-200, a495, canon, D3100, d5100, flip, flip camera, lenses, nikon, t3i