Until very recently, the ability to create poster-sized photographs with near-perfect
clarity was solely in the hands of professional photographers. The amateur photographer was left with
fuzzy 4x6 snapshots developed at the local drugstore. Since the advent of digital point and shoot cameras,
the professional and amateur worlds have radically collided. Now, spending a few hundred dollars gives the
armchair photographer the power to create the same images as the pros. With new technology, however, comes
new terminology. Megapixels? Optical lens? Red-eye reduction? Pronto’s Point and Shoot Digital Camera
Buying Guide breaks down these confusing terms and facts so you choose the camera that could make you the next
Ansel Adams or Robert Doisneau (see also Digital SLR Camera Buying Guide).
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No two point and shoot digital cameras are made alike. Some are small
enough to be mistaken for a stack of credit cards, while others mimic the shape
and form of miniature 35 mm cameras. Do you see keeping the camera around your neck?
Or do you want to be able to slide the camera in your pocket?
Display Readability
On the back of each point and shoot camera is an LCD display that will
allow you to view the images. Also, menu items allowing you to change camera operations
will be displayed on this screen. Is the menu easy to understand or confusing? Does the
screen of camera A have better resolution than the screen of camera B?
Shutter Speed
Easily on of the most overlooked features before buying a camera, the
speed at which the camera takes pictures is very important. If you are using
your camera for taking pictures at your kid’s soccer games, speed between
pictures is key. You don’t want to wait 4-6 seconds while the
digital image saves before you are ready to take your next picture. Shutter speed over
4 seconds is considered slow, while one second is fast. Under 1 second, think about
a career as a Paparazzi.
More is Better?
Don’t fall into the ‘more megapixels means a better camera’
trap. Review the discussion of megapixels in the full guide, think of your needs, and see what other
features are available in your price range. If you have no desire to create a 20x30 print, but are
more interested in using a powerful zoom lens, you would want to go for a camera with a medium
megapixel number (4-5, for example) and focus more on the size of the optical zoom lens (12x versus 5x).
Red-Eye Reduction
One of the most popular extra features on point and shoot cameras. This feature will
eliminate the occurrence of a red ‘dot’ that can occur due the light emitting from
a flash bouncing off your friend’s pupil.
The most recent addition to Canon's Digital ELPH/SD line is the replacement for the SD700 IS, bringing the DIGIC III processor to the 4x optical zoom SD camera with image stabilization. You'll also find a 2.5 inch LCD. Cnet Editor Phillip Ryan rated this camera as “Excellent” and gave it a favorable rating of 8 out a possible 10 points. This camera is a solid pick and it has almost all of what you’d want in a digital camera, at a fair price.
The most recent addition to Canon's Digital ELPH/SD line is the replacement for the SD700 IS, bringing the DIGIC III processor to the 4x optical zoom SD camera with image stabilization. You'll also find a 2.5 inch LCD. Cnet Editor Phillip Ryan rated this camera as “Excellent” and gave it a favorable rating of 8 out a possible 10 points. This camera is a solid pick and it has almost all of what you’d want in a digital camera, at a fair price.
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CNET - Editor Philip Ryan considers the Canon Powershot SD850 Digital Camera a top pick
with a rating of “Excellent” and a favorable score of 8 out a possible 10 points.
In addition, Laptop Magazine also consider the Canon Powershot SD850 an excellent choice, stating that
“for everyday shooting, the Canon SD850 IS is a winner. It offers everything point-and-shoot
users need, and in an elegant design. Source: Laptop Magazine
Expert User - Rick L. is a Boston, MA eye surgeon and photography enthusiast who has had his
photographs published in National Geographic Magazine. He swears by his Canon Powershot SD 850 IS Digital Camera
because its sleek form fits easily in his pocket and the big bright 2.5 inch LCD screen is easily
seen in direct sun light giving him an accurate image of the picture he just took. He also loves that
it takes really good short movies for posting on YouTube. Source: Telephone Interview Boston, MA
Even if you haven’t actually viewed a video on YouTube yet, odds
are you’ve probably heard of it. Many of the videos on YouTube were shot with Digital
Cameras such as the Canon PowerShot SD850 IS which has a function for filming short videos. And,
in July 2007, Casio Inc. and its parent company Casio Computer Co. Ltd. announced a partners...
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Even if you haven’t actually viewed a video on YouTube yet, odds
are you’ve probably heard of it. Many of the videos on YouTube were shot with Digital
Cameras such as the Canon PowerShot SD850 IS which has a function for filming short videos. And,
in July 2007, Casio Inc. and its parent company Casio Computer Co. Ltd. announced a partnership
with YouTube and introduced a Digital Camera with a built feature called the “YouTube
capture mode”. Video sharing is not just for film makers and paparazzi anymore.
It seems everyone is catching on to the excitement of sharing videos on the web. Creating short
videos is a function of a Digital Camera that you may really enjoy.
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A good budget camera can be had for $100-$150. Point and shoot digital cameras in the budget range offer 2-5MP, though some offer more, and 3-6x optical zoom. The LCD screens may be smaller than more expensive models and you may experience slower shooting when using the flash. Good Pick: Cannon PowerShot A540
Mid-range models in the $150-$300 range offer manual control of all settings, faster ISO and shutter speeds which help you get cleaner images. Good Pick: Fuji FinePix S700
In the higher price ranges expect to pay $300-$450. You will get all of the manual controls found in the mid priced range, plus you start adding features like 4x-6x optical zoom, image stabilization, and display screens that are larger in the 2.5” range. Good Pick: Canon Powershot A710 IS Digital Camera
What are the terms and definitions I need to know about?
Megapixel (MP)
This is the amount of information that your camera stores digitally. For point and shoot
cameras, the numbers range from 2-8MPs. The number will determine the quality of the final output.
Remember that 8x10 is the minimum size that all point and shoot cameras will produce with very good quality.
Optical Zoom Lens
This it the ability for the camera to automatically ‘zoom’ into a subject
for greater detail. The number associated with this (5x, 10x) will determine how much detail the camera
will produce; the higher the number, the greater the detail.
Memory Cards
The memory card is the hard drive of the camera. All of the digital images are stored on
the memory card, which is ejected from the camera to download the images on a computer.
Memory cards come in different sizes that –with the JPG setting –
determine the number of images available.
JPG
A JPG is a digital image file. You can set the quality of JPG files on your camera
from low to high quality to determine final output. The number of images available in each
quality is determined by the size of the memory card.
You will not be dissapointed if you go with a Canon Powershot! I did a lot of shopping comparison when buying my camera a few years ago- and even though digital cameras are one of those things that get outdated pretty quickly, I am still more than satisfied with my SD550. It was a good buy and is... more »
