I was shopping for holiday gifts in Target in early December when I wandered by the TV section. After gawking for a few minutes and contemplating whether I could scrape together enough cash for a 1080i plasma to replace my “outdated” 702p LCD model, I caught a glimpse of the nearby camera bar. I was in the market for a new digital camera to replace the 2MP model that sat dormant on my dresser (yes, I know, embarrassing for an editor on a photography publication, but what can I say – I had two kids since I bought that dinosaur and now barely have time to eat, let alone go shopping for electronics). So I did a little window shopping, planning on making the actual purchase at a later date at a local photo retailer in my hometown.

What caught my attention, however, was not one of the cute pink compact digicams or even one of the more advanced zooms. Front and center was a gleaming Nikon D40, displayed majestically as if it were holding court over the paltry point-and-shoots. With the accompanying zoom lens that came with the package, the total asking price came to just a hair under $700.

What was interesting was not the fact that the D40 was making a Target appearance (DSLRs have had some sort of presence at big-box retail for a while). It was the camera’s positioning on the camera bar that made the most impression with me – it was obvious that Target was giving top billing to a camera that previously seemed out of most enthusiasts’ reach.

I looked around at the people milling about, wondering, “Will these cranky-looking people who are fighting over Pirates of the Caribbean DVDs and iPod nanos really be checking out the D40 over the other more consumery compacts?” Sure enough, within five minutes, at least four people were expertly handling the D40, heading to that display first before the other cameras that were within reach.

Welcome to the brave new world of digital camera shopping, and I do mean brave in the strictest sense: Consumers are now on their second (or third) generation of digital camera, are no longer intimidated by the basics (even my mom can pontificate about megapixels and LCD screens), and are ready to take their picture-taking to the next level: the DSLR. Of course, savvy marketing helps influence buyer’s browsing decisions — who can resist a sleek-looking package, or a premium position on the store shelf (there’s a reason Skippy and Jif are on eye level at the supermarket, and not Joe Schmo’s Peanut Butter Explosion). But there’s more to it than intelligent placement that has caught the attention of this new generation of DSLR buyer.

Canon just released its 12.2MP EOS Rebel Xsi camera in advance of PMA, touting it as “redefining the gateway prowess and pro-ness of the DSLR category.” With an improved autofocus sensor, advanced Live View function, and enhanced 14-bit A/D conversion, the Rebel Xsi promises to lure in even more users who have finally gotten comfortable behind the viewfinder and can finally afford to take that leap of faith and functionality. The Canon joins a couple of other new DSLRs set to debut at the show, all dangled out to consumers for under a grand.

Ease of use, professional-looking results, and a price points that won’t force you to deplete your kid’s 529. The category has been redefined, and the momentum is only growing. In the end, is it the camera manufacturers driving this consumer/DSLR trend by conducting super-effective marketing campaigns and lowering prices just enough to nab its new demographic, or is it simply a matter of supply meeting demand?

Does it really matter?

This entry was posted on Monday, January 28th, 2008 at 11:37 am and is filed under Jennifer Gidman. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.