Advice on buying the right camera
The best digital cameras for the 2011 holiday season are:
General Electric J1470S
$120
Pros: Easy to use. Good image and video quality. 7x zoom.
Cons: Body feels a little cheap. Not much manual control.
Ideal for: Taking photos for Facebook
You don’t have to break the bank to get a good, basic camera. The J1470S doesn’t do everything, but it takes good photos, has 7x zoom and is extremely simple to use.
Canon PowerShot Elph 310 HS
$230
Pros: Very small. Fast, simple to use. 8x zoom.
Cons: Videorecording isn’t stellar. You’ll need the flash in low light.
Ideal for: The everyday photographer
The 310 HS doesn’t wow with any features or special quality, but it is a terrific point-and-shoot for almost every need. It shoots great photos and good video, and even offers 8x zoom.
Casio Exilim EX-H20G
$250
Pros: Fantastic GPS performance. Good pictures and video.
Cons: It’s a hefty camera. GPS is a battery drain.
Ideal for: The world traveler
The H20G’s GPS lets you tag where you were when you took a photo and plot your photos on a map when you’re done. It even tracks you indoors. The camera’s almost a year old, but its GPS is still top-notch, and the rest of its performance is solid, too.
Pentax Optio WG-1
$300
Pros: Can withstand water, sand, dust and drops. Lights around the lens make close-ups look great.
Cons: Expensive. Rugged body is a little hard to operate.
Ideal for: The beach bum
Cameras are usually delicate beings, but not the WG-1. This shooter can be thrown in the water or the sand and take great pictures and video the whole time. It’s a perfect camera for the beach or the pool, or if you’ve got kids with slippery fingers.
Nikon Coolpix S9100
$330
Pros: Long, 18x zoom. Great performance in low light. Big, beautiful LCD on back.
Cons: Menu is hard to navigate. A little large for a point-and-shoot.
Ideal for: Photographing the game from the sidelines (or the stands).
Nikon packed 18x optical zoom inside the S9100, which means it will get you closer to the action no matter where you’re watching from. It’s also an excellent video camera, recording 1080p video that will look great on TV.
Canon PowerShot S100
$429
Pros: Really small. Bigger sensor means better images than most point-and-shoots. Fast.
Cons: Expensive for a compact camera. Only 5x zoom.
Ideal for: Capturing the party
If your loved ones want a camera that’s simple and fits in a pocket, look no further than the S100. It takes much better photos than most point-and-shoots, especially in poor lighting.
Olympus PEN E-PM1
$500
Pros: Great images, in a small body. Lots of lenses available.
Cons: Still much larger than a point-and-shoot. Not quite DSLR-quality images or video.
Ideal for: Those too serious for a point-and-shoot but not ready for a DSLR
The E-PM1 uses the Micro Four Thirds standard, which promises better images from smaller cameras, and it delivers. It takes excellent photos and has a variety of available lenses, so it can be used in almost any situation.
Sony NEX-C3
$650
Pros: Small body, but still multiple lens options. Huge, DSLR-size image sensor.
Cons: Not a lot of manual controls. No viewfinder, so you’ll need the LCD all the time.
Ideal for: Pretending you’re a pro, without the price tag.
Sony figured out how to put a huge image sensor into the NEX-C3’s tiny body, which means you’ll get excellent images without having to lug around a DSLR. Plus, it’s much more affordable than most DSLRs.
Nikon D7000
$1,000
Pros: Lots of manual controls. Fast, and produces excellent images. Huge line of lenses means there’s nothing you can’t shoot.
Cons: Controls can be confusing for new DSLR users. It’s big.
Ideal for: A first DSLR.
For the serious amateur, a midrange DSLR such as the D7000 is a perfect fit. It won’t break the bank, but it still delivers stunning images and the full range of DSLR controls and performance.
Canon EOS 5D-Mark II
Price: $2,500
Pros: Unparalleled image and video quality. Fast, versatile and powerful.
Cons: Complex to use. Big and bulky.
Ideal for: Professionals, and those who would like to be
The 5D is a high-end DSLR, and is as good and fast a camera as you can buy. It shoots gorgeous images and beautiful video, all at blistering speeds, while giving you lots of control over every aspect of the operation. This camera is not for the uninitiated, but it’s as good as you’ll find for less than the price of a car.