- In this report
- Overview
- Don't buy too big or too small
- Don't overspend on megapixels
- Weigh zoom range trade-offs
- Consider reliability
- Choose your time and place
- Brands
- Face detection
ELECTRONICS FORUMS  Get real-world advice from others about choosing a new TV, digital camera, computer or cell phone. |
November 2007
Don't buy too big or too small
Almost all cameras in our Ratings (available to subscribers) took decent pictures. Your choice will depend a lot on whether you favor small size or extra photographic
power and flexibility. Compact cameras, too big for a pocket but small enough to fit easily in a bag, remain the best choice
for most people, especially if your budget is tight.
A growing proportion of cameras now are subcompacts that fit in a pocket. They cost a bit more for the same capabilities and often come with compromises: shorter battery life, smaller controls, a narrower zoom range, and no viewfinder.
Small cameras continue to shrink and grow sleeker, and many have an LCD that dominates the back and has better screen resolution than ever. Some models have LCDs that swing out from the camera body and swivel, helping to compensate for the traditional viewfinders many models now lack.
Other features trickling down from large models to quite a few small ones include manual controls and the ability to save images in the RAW format, which stores the captured image before it has been processed and converted into a file by the camera's built-in software. That maximizes your ability to control characteristics such as sharpness and color balance.
Consider a high-priced compact or SLR-like camera if you want lots of control over exposure and composition or you want to shoot close-ups of distant subjects. Spring for an SLR if you want those attributes and more, and can afford a variety of lenses.
As more people move to SLRs, some convenience features are also trickling up from small cameras. Examples include onscreen help guides and real-time or "live view" framing on the LCD rather than only through the viewfinder.
A growing proportion of cameras now are subcompacts that fit in a pocket. They cost a bit more for the same capabilities and often come with compromises: shorter battery life, smaller controls, a narrower zoom range, and no viewfinder.
Small cameras continue to shrink and grow sleeker, and many have an LCD that dominates the back and has better screen resolution than ever. Some models have LCDs that swing out from the camera body and swivel, helping to compensate for the traditional viewfinders many models now lack.
Other features trickling down from large models to quite a few small ones include manual controls and the ability to save images in the RAW format, which stores the captured image before it has been processed and converted into a file by the camera's built-in software. That maximizes your ability to control characteristics such as sharpness and color balance.
Consider a high-priced compact or SLR-like camera if you want lots of control over exposure and composition or you want to shoot close-ups of distant subjects. Spring for an SLR if you want those attributes and more, and can afford a variety of lenses.
As more people move to SLRs, some convenience features are also trickling up from small cameras. Examples include onscreen help guides and real-time or "live view" framing on the LCD rather than only through the viewfinder.
