Since you found this page you're probably trying to find the right digital camera. To help you with your shopping, I've put a list of my favorite cameras on this page. By no means is this a complete list of recommended cameras -- there are many others which are worth considering -- but I don't think a list of 10 cameras per price range is terribly helpful. This is as close as you're going to get to a specific recommendation from me, so enjoy!
Those of you who follow this page may notice that cameras "fall off the list". This isn't because they're suddenly bad. Rather, it's usually because the camera is no longer available in stores. To see a list of those cameras, check out our Hall of Fame.
For more help in choosing a camera, please visit our forums.
Please do not e-mail me asking for a recommendation!
The PowerShot A570 offers more bang for
the buck than virtually any entry-level
camera on the market. It features a 7 Megapixel
CCD, 4X optical zoom lens, optical image
stabilization, 2.5" LCD display, full
manual controls, conversion lens support,
and more. The biggest downside is the relatively
low LCD resolution. Otherwise, it's a great
choice.
If you want a little more zoom, then consider
the PowerShot
A720 IS, which offers a 6X
lens.
The SD850 is one of the best ultra-compact cameras on the market. It features an 8 Megapixel CCD, a 4X zoom lens, optical image stabilization, and a very nice 2.5" LCD display. Like all Digital ELPHs, the SD850 is point-and-shoot, with very limited manual controls. The camera has a high quality VGA movie mode, plus a redeye removal tool that actually works.
If you'll be taking a lot of interior shots,
then you may want the wide-angle PowerShot
SD870 IS instead. It has a larger 3-inch
LCD as well, though the image quality isn't
as good as on the SD850.
The Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ8 is one of
the best ultra zoom cameras on the market.
It certainly doesn't skimp on features:
you get a 12X Leica lens with optical
image stabilization, full manual controls,
widescreen movie recording, snappy performance,
and conversion lens support. Not bad
for under $300, eh?
Need more zoom? Then check out the similar
DMC-FZ18, which packs a whopping 18X zoom
lens.
The DMC-TZ3 may look like an ordinary
compact camera, but it packs a whollop.
It has a 10X, 28 - 280 mm zoom lens, optical
image stabilization, and an enormous 3-inch
LCD. It doesn't have any manual controls,
but there are plenty of scene modes to
choose from. Photo quality is decent, though
noise reduction is heavy at higher ISOs.
Overall though, it's a fun to use camera
that lets you take any kind of photo, whether
wide-angle or super telephoto.
While its image quality isn't as good
as its predecessor, the PowerShot S5
remains one of my favorite ultra zoom
cameras. It offers almost every conceivable
feature, including a 12X zoom lens with
image stabilization, full manual controls,
a hot shoe, and a rotating LCD display.
Like taking movies? The S5 can record
VGA quality video with stereo sound --
and you can use the zoom while recording.
The D40 is Nikon's latest entry-level
digital SLR. It's compact, without being
too small like the Canon Digital Rebel
XTi. The build quality is also better
than that camera. The D40 features a
6 Megapixel CCD, full manual controls,
robust performance, and an elaborate
in-camera help system that makes it the
easiest to use SLR on the market. The
main downside is that only AF-S lenses
will support autofocus, so that 50 mm
prime you have sitting around will be
manual focus only.
If you want a higher resolution version of the D40, check out the D40X for a few hundred dollars more.
Though it has its share of flaws, the
Lumix DMC-FZ50 is still one of the top
ultra zoom cameras on the market. Offering
a SLR style body (it's a big camera)
with a 12X Leica lens, manual zoom and
focus rings, a rotating LCD display, full
manual controls, a hot shoe, and much
much more. Its big flaw is the overaggressive
noise reduction system, which really
smudges details at higher ISO settings.
Still, the FZ50 is worth a look.
The K100D's biggest claim to fame is its value for the money. For $600 you get a 6 Megapixel digital SLR with image stabilization that works on every Pentax lens ever made. Despite its low price, the K100D doesn't feel cheap at all. It features a large 2.5" LCD and a bright optical viewfinder. Being a D-SLR, the camera has full manual controls and snappy performance, though the buffer memory fills up too quickly.
Note: this camera has been replaced by the
K100D
Super, which adds a dust reduction
system.
The Rebel XTi is a top-notch entry-level
D-SLR. You get a 10 Megapixel CMOS sensor,
great performance, a 2.5" LCD display,
support for Canon EF and EF-S lenses,
and all the expandability you'd expect
from a digital SLR. You definitely want
to try this camera before you buy it,
though, as its small size can be off-putting.
The E-510 is a solid digital SLR
capable of producing excellent quality
photos -- after you adjust some settings.
It's well built, with a solid grip. With
built-in image stabilization, every lens
you attach to the camera will be stabilized.
The E-510 is also somewhat unique in
that it has "live view" on its LCD display
-- just like your compact camera, though
not as good. There's also a dust reduction
system, which eliminates this common
(and frustrating) issue. Other features
are fairly standard on a D-SLR: manual
controls, expandability, and super-fast
performance.
The K10D is a camera offering features
typically found on cameras twice its
price. You get a 10 Megapixel CCD, image
stabilization, a 2.5" LCD display, full
manual controls, and a dust reduction
system. The body is built like a tank,
and weather sealed. The camera's downside
is the straight-out-of-the box JPEG quality
is poor -- but workarounds (mentioned
in the review) can make things look a
lot nicer.
The EOS-40D is a significant upgrade
to the 30D before it. It features a 10
Megapixel CMOS sensor, live view on a
3-inch LCD display, full manual controls,
dust reduction, and the kind of performance
and photo quality that you'd expect from
a D-SLR. Build quality is top-notch,
and the doors and covers on the camera
are now weather-sealed. The 40D supports
both EF and EF-S mount lenses, with a
1.6X focal length conversion ratio.
The D300 is a phenomenal digital SLR,
and perhaps the best one in its class.
It features a 12 Megapixel CMOS sensor,
live view on a stunning 3-inch LCD display,
a dust reduction system, impressive performance
and build quality, and much more. Being
a D-SLR, the D300 can be expanded to
your heart's content, with a wireless
transmitter and battery grip being the
notable accessories. The only real weak
spots are soft, occasionally overexposed
images, a few missing live view features,
and its hefty price.
