The Digital Photography
Consumer Review

How To Choose Digital Cameras

When it comes to the digital camera field there is more than enough choices available, and it all depends on what you really want from your camera. For the most professional results you need to get a digital SLR and those are covered on another of our web pages, but for the vast majority of folks, a compact or subcompact digital camera will work just fine, and here are some suggestions to help you know which is best for you.

A compact digital camera is probably the most commonly used variety as it is small enough to be very versatile, is easy to use and produces great general photos. They usually have very few manual controls over exposure though and so you have to pretty much accept the automatic settings that the camera chooses in most cases. For most people though, this is not a problem and in fact can be just what they want, great pictures with very little muss or fuss. The price range for these cameras often runs from $100 - $300 or so.

Subcompact digital cameras are similar but they are even smaller, making them an easy choice to take almost anywhere you go and easily fit into a pocket or purse. They have several of the same qualities found in compact cameras, including limited manual controls, but it's a good idea to try one out before you buy them as the knobs and controls can be so small that folks with larger hands may find them hard to use. The price range for these cameras is often between $200 - $400.

There are more advanced compact digital cameras available now too, and these are usually characterized by having more manual controls, longer zoom lenses, and the ability to store files in the RAW format. They are sort of a cross between a digital SLR and a compact camera. They are also larger and more bulky than their smaller counterparts and can cost around $300 - $600 or so.

Some of the highest rated compact camera models in consumer reviews are the Fuji FinePix F10, the Canon PowerShot A510, the Kodak EasyShare Z700, and the Olympus Stylus 800. In the subcompact territory some of the highest rated units were the Kodak EasyShare V550, the Canon PowerShot SD500 Digital ELPH, the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-L1, and the Pentax Optio SV. If you read through many online camera reviews you will find that these models almost always consistently rate at or near the top for performance and quality.

The good news is that most compact and subcompact digital camera manufacturers are turning out a pretty good product though, so don't let the abundance of models and styles confuse you or prevent you from making a choice. However, the models listed above are often recognized as being among the cream of the crop.