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J.D. Power and Associates Reports: The Canon PowerShot SD Series, Casio Exilim Zoom Series, Fujifilm Finepix F Series and Nikon D Series Rank Highest in Their Respective Segments in Digital Camera Owner Satisfaction
Digital Camera Owners Demonstrate Substantial Brand Loyalty through Positive Recommendations
The Canon PowerShot SD series ranks highest in the premium point and shoot segment, the Casio Exilim Zoom series ranks highest in the ultra slim segment, the Fujifilm Finepix F series leads the point and shoot segment and the Nikon D series ranks highest among digital single lens reflex (DSLR) models, according to the J.D. Power and Associates 2007 Digital Camera Usage and Satisfaction Study(SM).
The study, which has been completely redesigned for 2007 to better assess satisfaction drivers and market trends, examines camera model lines in four body-style segments: point and shoot, premium point and shoot, ultra slim and digital single lens reflex (DSLR). In each segment, four factors are measured to determine customer satisfaction: picture quality, performance, operation, and appearance and styling.
The Fujifilm Finepix F series ranks highest in the point and shoot segment with an index score of 749 on a 1,000-point scale, performing particularly well in all drivers of customer satisfaction. The Kodak Z series and Canon PowerShot A series follow in the segment rankings with index scores of 744 and 739, respectively.
Among premium point and shoot cameras, the Canon PowerShot SD series ranks highest with 829 points. The series performs particularly well in all factors that drive overall satisfaction. The Panasonic DMC-FZ series (785) and Kodak Z series (783) follow in the segment.
In the ultra slim segment, the Casio Exilim Zoom series leads with 802 points, performing particularly well in operation as well as appearance and styling. The Canon PowerShot SD series (796) and the Kodak V series (787) follow in the segment.
With an index score of 822, the Nikon D Series leads the DSLR segment, receiving notably high ratings from customers in all four factors.
The study finds that across all segments, brand loyalty positively affects customer satisfaction. Loyalty rates among owners range from 48 percent in the point and shoot segment to 67 percent in the DSLR segment. Coincidently, overall satisfaction improves across this same range, from 727 points in the point and shoot segment to 801 in the DSLR segment.
"The relationship between owner satisfaction and brand loyalty is critical to manufacturers in this highly competitive market," said Steve Kirkeby, executive director of telecommunications and technology at J.D. Power and Associates. "A 10-point improvement in overall satisfaction can lead to a 1-percentage-point improvement in brand loyalty, particularly within the point and shoot, premium point and shoot and ultra slim segments."
The percentage of camera owners who say that they would recommend their current model ranges from an average of 88 percent among point and shoot camera owners to 95 percent, on average, among DSLR owners. The range of actual recommendations made in the past 12 months averages from 5.3 among point and shoot camera owners to nearly 8.6 from DSLR owners. Additionally, 36 percent of all camera owners report that they give strong consideration to recommendations from friends and family, which illustrates that positive word of mouth can prove beneficial as far as generating new sales.
The study also finds that DSLR camera owners take more than twice the amount of pictures per month than do owners in any other segment. Overall, camera owners take an average of nearly 140 pictures per month, while DSLR camera owners take nearly 400 images per month.
"The DSLR segment is particularly intriguing, as single lens reflex camera owners have typically tended to be professional photographers and sophisticated amateurs," said Kirkeby. "Now that technology has simplified use of DSLRs, they are becoming more popular among mainstream photo enthusiasts who can now share and display photos much more efficiently than in the past. This evolving demographic will continue to complicate marketing and customer loyalty initiatives in this extremely competitive segment."
The 2007 Digital Camera Usage and Satisfaction Study is based on responses from more than 7,500 consumers who purchased a digital camera between June 2006 and May 2007. Find more information on customer satisfaction performance of digital camera brands by checking out digital camera ratings, watching a video and reading an article at JDPower.com.

  Customer Satisfaction Index Ranking
  Premium Point and Shoot Segment
  (Based on a 1,000-point scale)

  Canon PowerShot SD Series                                 829
  Panasonic DMC-FZ Series                                   785
  Kodak Z Series                                            783
  Fujifilm Finepix S Series                                 782
  Sony DSC-H Series                                         780
  Premium Point and Shoot Segment Average*                  779
  Canon PowerShot A Series                                  776
  Canon PowerShot G Series                                  773
  Canon PowerShot S Series                                  770
  Panasonic DMC-TZ Series                                   764
  Olympus SP Series                                         754
  Nikon Coolpix L Series                                    749
  Nikon Coolpix P Series                                    721

NOTE: The Premium Point and Shoot segment consists of traditional fixed lens cameras with a depth greater than one inch and an average sale price of $230 or greater.
*The following model series were not included in the segment average due to small sample size: Fujifilm Finepix F Series and Nikon Coolpix S Series.

  Ultra Slim Segment
  (Based on a 1,000-point scale)

  Casio Exilim Zoom Series                                  802
  Canon PowerShot SD Series                                 796
  Kodak V Series                                            787
  Sony DSC-T Series                                         782
  Olympus Stylus Series                                     781
  Panasonic DMC-FX Series                                   780
  HP Photosmart R Series                                    774
  Ultra Slim Segment Average*                               772
  Nikon Coolpix S Series                                    770
  Olympus FE Series                                         769
  Sony DSC-W Series                                         767
  Casio Exilim Card Series                                  761
  Samsung S Series                                          728
  Nikon Coolpix L Series                                    725

NOTE: The Ultra Slim segment consists of traditional fixed lens cameras with a depth of one inch or less.
*The following model series were not included in the segment average due to small sample size: Fujifilm Finepix F, V, and Z Series, HP Photosmart E Series, Pentax Optio S and W Series, Polaroid A and I Series, Samsung L and N Series, and Sony DSC-N Series.

  Point and Shoot Segment
  (Based on a 1,000-point scale)

  Fujifilm Finepix F Series                                 749
  Kodak Z Series                                            744
  Canon PowerShot A Series                                  739
  Kodak C Series                                            738
  Samsung A Series                                          734
  Point and Shoot Segment Average*                          727
  HP Photosmart M Series                                    726
  Sony DSC-P Series                                         725
  Sony DSC-S Series                                         718
  Pentax OPTIO Series                                       716
  Nikon Coolpix Series                                      714
  Panasonic DMC-LZ Series                                   713
  Olympus FE Series                                         703
  Fujifilm Finepix A Series                                 698
  HP Photosmart E Series                                    654

NOTE: The Point and Shoot segment consists of traditional fixed lens cameras with a depth greater than one inch and an average sale price of less than $230.
*The following model series were not included in the segment average due to small sample size: Nikon Coolpix L and P Series, Olympus SP Series, Panasonic DMC-LS Series, Polaroid Digital and Polaroid I Series.

  Digital Single Lens Reflex (DSLR) Segment
  (Based on a 1,000-point scale)

  Nikon D Series                                            822
  DSLR Segment Average                                      801
  Sony A (Alpha) Digital SLR Series                         793
  Canon Digital EOS                                         788
  Pentax K Digital Series                                   787
  Olympus EVOLT E Series                                    783

NOTE: The Digital Single Lens Reflex (DSLR) segment consists of cameras with interchangeable lenses with sophisticated features and controls.
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