Top 10 Digital Cameras

Point and Shoot cameras come in all shapes and sizes now, ranging from extremely skinny ones that can fit in your pocket to mini-SLR sized cameras that pack a large punch. Deciding which camera is for you can be extremely hard because of the sheer number of choices, but hopefully this list will provide enough of a choice that you can find the camera that best suites your needs.

Before I start listing the top 10 point and shoot cameras, please keep in mind that I’m not listing the cameras in any specific order and that my choices are based off the reviews of a number of different point and shoot cameras. If you’d like to see a full review of each camera please click on the name of the camera. If you feel differently please feel free to post your list. Now, without further adieu, here’s the list for the “Top 10 Point and Shoot Cameras”.

1. Canon Powershot G9

Coming in at $500, the Canon Powershot G9 is the most expensive of the list. The price is mainly due to the number of features that the G9 has, including an optical viewfinder, 12.1MP resolution, and a number of manual features. The G9 is the closest camera to a SLR and if you’re wanting to have that extra control over your pictures without having to lug around a large SLR, the G9 is for you.

2. Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W90

The Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W90 is essentially the polar oposite of the Canon G9. It’s small size and small price make it affordable to the masses, but it still packs a good punch. Sony included what they call “double anti-blur” technology which reduces both subject shake blur and camera shake blur. With a 8.1MP resoultion and a 2.5″ LCD this camera has it all.

3. Canon PowerShot SD950 IS

The Canon PowerShot SD950IS is another great little camera. It features a very large 12.1MP resolution as well as a 2.5″ LCD screen. One of my favourite features with this camera is the optical viewfinder. Most digital cameras are now opting for a larger LCD instead of the viewfinder and I find this annoying because most LCD screens are useless in direct sunlight. The SD950IS is fairly expensive at $360 considering you can’t manually control the pictures.

4. Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX2

The Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX2 is the only Panasonic camera on the list but that doesn’t mean its not a competitor. THe DMC-LX2 has a number of great features including a variety of focus modes, all of the essential metering and semi-manual exposure options and a wide-angle lens. This is probably the ugliest camera of the group so if you’re looking for style you should continue reading. Coming in at $450, the DMC-LX2 is one of the more expensive cameras, but as they say “You get what you pay for”.

5. Nikon CoolPix P5100

The Nikon CoolPix P5100 is one of the more high-end point and shoot cameras in the list. It’ll set you back $400 but its features are more like a SLR than those of a point and shoot camera. You have pretty much total control over the pictures that you take (but theres also an automatic mode for those who want the camera to do everything for them). 12.1MP resolution, optical viewfinder and image stabilization are all pluses as well.

6. Canon PowerShot A590 IS

As you can probably tell, I like the PowerShot line of cameras. They’re solidly built and take great pictures and the A590IS is no different. This version is less expensive than its bigger brother and only costs $200, but you don’t lose too many features. While the design isn’t the greatest, it still features 8.1MP resolution, a 2.5″ LCD screen and a number of manual features that’ll let you take the picture you really want to take.

7. Fujifilm FinePix F50fd

Coming in at the middle of the pack as far as price is concerned ($250), the Fujifilm FinePix F50fd is pretty much your average point and shoot digital camera. It has an impressive 12MP resolution, different shutter speeds and a large 2.7″ LCD screen. The thing I like best about this camera is the face detection software, because it works extremely well. Most of the cameras on this list have FD software but the F50fd can find a face even when it’s in full profile (which a lot of cameras can’t).

8. Canon PowerShot SD1100 IS

The Canon PowerShot SD1100 takes one of the best selling Canon 35mm cameras, the “elph” and turns it into a digital powerhouse. This camera ($250), has one of the best menu and user interfaces in the list. All of the controls are intuitive and it didn’t take me long at all to learn a new interface. Often times cameras have very complex menus and it’s hard to navigate around them but this is not the case with the SD1100 IS. It also has 8.1MP resolution, 2.5″ LCD screen and an optical viewfinder (which I like).

9. Sony Cyber-shot DSC-T300

The Sony Cyber-shot DSC-T300 is the second most expensive camera on the list at $450. It features a massive 3.5″ LCD screen, 10.3MP resolution, image stabilization and more. The LCD screen on the DSC-T300 is very large and very bright. You control almost every aspect of the camera via the 3.5-inch touch-screen LCD, leaving just a power button, a playback button, a shutter release, and a zoom rocker as its only physical controls. This camera is by far my favourite when it comes to design, because of its sleekness.

10. Nikon CoolPix S700

Last but certainly not least is the Nikon CoolPix S700. This camera is another mid-range digital camera with a rounded set of features. The S700 feels very sturdy when you’re taking pictures, and the pictures that it takes are of great quality. The controls have a solid feel for the most part, and the AutoFocus is amazing.

Well there you have it. My current Top 10 Digital Cameras. Now, the important thing to remember is that these cameras have different things to offer. People that don’t want all of the manual function sof a digital SLR probably aren’t going to want the Canon G9 or Nikon P5100 since they can’t justify the cost for the functions they need. On the other hand a lot of people aren’t going to want a simple point and shoot camera.

If you feel that this list is missing out on a great camera feel free to drop a comment with the camera that you feel should have been included.

Nikon CoolPix S700

One of the problems with small compact cameras is that you generally lose either picture quality or performance when you make them smaller. Luckily most of the large camera makers have realized that consumers aren’t going to take these performance and quality hits, but are still going to demand small cameras. Nikon is leading the pack with the small, stylish and quick compact camera.

The Nikon CoolPix S700 is both stylish and quick. As a top-of-the-line compact model in Nikon’s Style series, the S700 certainly has the specs to compete against all challengers: 12.1 megapixels, Nikon’s VR image stabilization, sensitivity to ISO 3200, a 2.7-inch screen, and a brushed metal body. In spite of its feature-rich approach, the S700 has an air of simplicity – both stylistically and functionally – about it that has undeniable appeal.

Here are a few of the technical specifications for the Cyber-shot DSC-T300:

• Street price: $269.99 approx.
• A 3x Nikkor zoom lens with a 35mm equivalent range of 37 to 111mm
• A 1/1.72-inch CCD, producing images at up to 4000×3000 pixels
• Sensitivity up to ISO 3200
• A shutter speed range from 1/2000 to 4 seconds
• AF options including automatic and manually selected 9-point, center, and face priority

Things I like
The slightly rounded edges and blocky shape make the S700 easy to grip firmly and operate with one hand, and the camera has a nice balance in hand. The controls have a solid feel for the most part, and the AutoFocus is amazing.

With AF mode, you can focus on up to 12 faces to make sure that they’re all in the picture. The S700 has a number of great built in features that were done extremely well. In terms of performance, Nikon’s sensor shifting Vibration Reduction (or VR) image stabilization system may be consistently the best on the market, and implementation in the S700 is no exception.

Things I don’t like
The combined scroll whee on several of the current-generation Nikon compacts feels cheap and insubstantial. The thin plastic battery door doesn’t have a nice feeling either – not a big deal, but given that this is the flagship S-series Nikon, a little more might be expected.

Like most other cameras at high ISO (1600 and above), the shots become so noisy that they’re essentially useless. I’d like to see cameras where you can actually shoot at such high ISO.

Pros:

• Very nice grip
• Small size
• High resolution
• Image Stabilization works really well
• Lots of great manual modes

Cons:

• No manual view finder
• Noisy at high ISO levels

Final Thoughts
While the Coolpix S700 is certainly not perfect, there’s a lot to like about this camera. Image sharpness and overall quality are truly impressive, the camera exposes and renders colors well, and ease of use is very good.

Rating: 4.3 / 5

Nikon Coolpix P5100

Point and shoot cameras have been getting higher resolutions as the time goes on and it’s really anyones game as to when the resolutions will start to to even out. I’ve seen cameras as high as 21MP whereas my first camera had only 2.1MP. Today’s review has an astonishing 12.1MP which is pretty amazing considering it costs under $400.

The Coolpix P5100 is the latest in Nikon’s “Performance Series” with full manual controls, a place for an external flash and conversion lens compatibility. The P5100 follows the P5000 with the same 2.5-inch LCD screen and 3.5x optical zoom lens, but more resolution. This camera is basically a mini-SLR that gives you the ability to fine-tune your shots but without the bulk and heftiness of an actual SLR.

Here are a few of the technical specifications for the Coolpix P5100:

• Street Price: $399.99
• Resolution: 12.1MP
• Shutter Speed: 8 – 1/2000 sec
• ISO range: 64-3200
• Exposure Modes (P/S/A/M)
• Optical Viewfinder and Image Stabilization

Things I like
There are a number of things that I like about the P5100 and I really don’t know where to begin. I guess I should start with the fact that it has a 12.1MP resolution. This is almost unheard of for point & shoot cameras. While this may not sound that big to anyone keep in mind that the Nikon D40 (a Digital SLR) is only 6.1MP and costs $200 more than the P5100.

Not only does the Coolpix digital camera fit in the palm of your hand it has a number of great features that make it more of an entry level SLR than a high-end point and shoot. You can choose between full automatic mode where you just have to point and shoot or you can use a number of presets to get the right settings for the perfect shot. This camera felt very sturdy in my hands. A lot of times when I’m using the smaller cameras I’m scared that I’m going to break them but the P5100 felt hefty enough to ease my worries.

The image stabilization is also a huge plus since taking pictures at long ranges can tend to blur a little with even the slightest of hand shakes.

Things I don’t like
The thing I like least about Nikon’s P5100 is the LCD screen on the back of the camera. This screen becomes pretty useless in any direct sunlight. Luckily Nikon included the optical viewfinder so you don’t really need to use the screen but I think that it should have been made brighter.

The camera seemed a little sluggish to me when I was using it. It just didn’t have the quickness that most point and shoot cameras have. While it wasn’t slow enough to miss a picture it did come close a couple of times.

Pros:

• Excellent image quality
• A number of preset features
• Sturdy feel
• Image stabilization
• Decent price

Cons:

• Can’t see LCD in direct sunlight
• A little sluggish

Final Thoughts
The Nikon Coolpix P5100 is an excellent camera that I recommend you buy if you need a new digital camera. I really like the image stabilization feature and the ability to customize it makes it feel more like an SLR than a point and shoot camera. While the price isn’t considerably low it isn’t that bad. This is pure and simple, a great camera.

Nikon D40

The obvious shortcomings of compact cameras and the shrinking prices of entry-level digital SLRs have spurred a huge growth in the DSLR market. Nikon hopes to continue that trend with its new 6.1MP D40.

The Nikon D40 is a six-megapixel camera that features a 3X optical zoom with a 18-to-55mm range (equivalent to a 35mm lens with a 27-82.5mm zoom) and corresponding maximum f-stops of f/3.5 to f/5.6. Probably the best part of this is that it only costs $600.

Here are a few of the technical specifications for the D40:

• Street price: $599.95
• 6.1MP
• Maximum Image size: 3,008 x 2,000px
• SD memory card
• 2.5 frames per second

Things I like
The D40 is really compact. While people with big hands or people who are used to larger SLR’s probably won’t like this I really don’t mind. It makes it easier to lug around for a day of shooting. The D40 is a fairly good entry DSLR because of it’s low profile and low price. While it doesn’t have many of the features on the higher end cameras (or even some of the lower ends), it does have a few good things that I like. I would say the thing that I like most is the low noise characteristic when taking shots with a high ISO. For those of you who aren’t really into cameras this basically means when you’re taking pictures in a dark place (at night or in caves for example), the picture quality will be better than most other cameras.

Things I don’t like
The fact that this camera is only 6.1MP is the main thing that I don’t like. There are a number of cameras out there that have larger sensors. Even Canon’s Rebel XT is 8.1MP. The D40 also can be a little slow to focus at times, while this normally isn’t that bad of a problem if you’re taking pictures of fast moving objects it can be a pain.

Pros:

• Relatively cheap
• Compact size
• Low noise at high ISO settings

Cons:

• Only 6.1 MP
• Slow focus

Final Thoughts
The Nikon D40 is a great transition camera for going from point-and-shoot to your first DSLR. While I would personally go with Canon’s line of DSLR’s if you’re wanting to go with Nikon (or have a friend that’ll give you a number of lenses), the D40 is definitely your entry level camera.