What are the Top 10 Digital Cameras for Sports Photography?

As a former newspaper photographer, I loved my old Canon F-1 back in the good ‘ol film days; however, the whole sports photography industry has changed thanks to the digital revolution. A reader wrote in a few days back asking if I could provide a list of the Top 10 Digital Cameras for Sports Photography…always a sucker for a good top 10 list, I agreed to do a bit of research. During the film heydays, Nikon held a pretty dominant position among working sports photographers…great camera bodies and superb quality lenses. Canon held their own, but Nikon was the gold standard.

Today, Canon is the lead dog in the digital camera wars with a wide range of amateur/prosumer models and several high end professional models. The turning point for Canon occurred during the industry shift from manual to autofocus lenses. Canon autofocus lenses grabbed hold of the professional market with better engineered lenses that were quieter and more responsive than everyone else at the time.  Canon has proceeded to build an extensive array of cameras around their superior lenses. While Nikon has an outstanding product line and still has a large following among its loyal users, Canon has been more successful in marketing its products to a wider range of photographers, which is why they represent a greater share of the Top 10 Digital Cameras for Sports Photography.

It is difficult to definitively determine the Top 10 Digital Cameras for Sports Photography, but my judgments are based on a wide range of posts and forums…not just one single source. In my final analysis, the difference between most of the top models and manufacturers is more a choice based on personal preference rather than technical capabilities. Here is my list provided in no particular order.

1. Canon 5D
2. Nikon D700
3. Canon 5D Mark II
4. Nikon D3
5. Canon 40D
6. Nikon D300
7. Canon 50D
8. Canon 1D Mark III
9. Nikon D200
10. Canon EOS Rebel T1i