Top Studio Camera: Nikon D3X
Top Safari/Sport Camera: Canon EOS 1D Mark IV
Top Street Interchangeable Lens Camera: Leica M9
Top Enthusiast Interchangeable Lens Camera: Canon EOS 7D
Top Entry-level Mirrorless Camera: Sony NEX-5
Top Entry-level SLR: Nikon D3100
Top Non-interchangeable lens Camera: Leica X1
Top Compact Camera: Canon PowerShot G12
Top Ultracompact Camera: Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W380
Nikon D3X: Top studio camera
Canon EOS 1D Mark IV: Top safari/sports camera
Not so much has happened this year at the high-end, with a series of new cameras having been released last year. The Nikon D3X stays on top for another year, as does the EOS 1D Mark IV.
Leica M9: Top street interchangeable lens camera
Leica is the quintessential street camera. While there are smaller mirrorless cameras made possible with modern technology, for now the Leica M9's resolution and quality—not to mention legendary lenses—wins this category.
Canon EOS 7D: Top enthusiast interchangeable lens camera
Last year's winner is still around, and doesn't have a direct competitor. Other systems' high-end cameras are the nearest competitors.
Sony NEX-5: Top entry-level mirrorless camera
Sony's NEX line definitely got a lot of press—these cameras are *tiny* despite having an APS-C sized sensor. The initial lens line-up does not look as exciting as Samsung's launch line-up, so enthusiasts might be turned-off.
Nikon D3100: Top entry-level SLR
The D3100 is an update to last year's winner in this category. It keeps the same guides and beginner-friendly features, but ups the sensors resolution.
Leica X1: Top non-interchangeable lens camera
The Leica X1 is the only non-interchangeable lens digital camera on Getty Images list of accepted-cameras which says something for how special this camera is. Is it perfect? No, we wish the lens cap were tethered or otherwise less conspicuous when needing to shoot, and that dials could lock so they didn't change as you pulled it out of a pocket. We look forward to seeing how Leica will improve with the X2.
Canon PowerShot G12: Top compact camera
Canon has not changed much between the PowerShot G10 and the PowerShot G12. The G11 reduced absolute resolution for better noise control and high-ISO resolution, and the G12 added an extra dial. It is still the best camera in its class, and the added ergonomic benefit of the front/grip dial just makes it feel more like an enthusiast's camera. If you want something with a wider zoom range, try the Casio Exilim EX-FH100 which has 24-240mm equivalent range.
Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W380: Top ultracompact camera
Sony's Cyber-shot brand has several thin cameras, and the DSC-T99 would have been a good choice if you wanted to shoot 10fps on one. Since we strain to imagine many situations where we would want to burst that many photos on a camera whose size makes it hard to hold steady, our preference was for the DSC-W380 which is slightly lighter, has a faster lens, and a longer zoom range (28-140mm equivalent). Great news for enthusiasts, is that if you want a small camera with which you can capture raw images, the Canon PowerShot S95 is a mainstream option. Good news for everybody, is that Sony's Cyber-shots now also support Secure Digital cards instead of (just) Sony's proprietary Memory Stick format.