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Digital Cameras
July 4, 2009
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Expert Camera Advice from Our Editor
Is your dad or grad a serious shutterbug? If not, it's never too late for them to develop an interest in photography, and it's never been easier for beginners to flex their photographic chops. The latest affordable, easy-to-use digital cameras come armed with automatic setting optimization and nifty in-camera features such as smile-triggered shutters, face detection, optical image stabilization, and YouTube-friendly video modes. More advanced point-and-shoots offer manual controls, big-time lenses offering up to 26x optical zoom, and image quality that can rival some digital SLRs. And if your dad or grad is ready to graduate into the realm of digital SLRs, there's never been a better time to buy one. Prices on DSLRs have dropped to the sub-$1000 level, and they're also more beginner-friendly thanks to live-view LCDs, easy presets, and--on some models--the ability to shoot HD video.Top Ranked Point-and-Shoot Digicams
For a beginners' camera, the PowerShot A590IS has nice image quality and superb stabilization.
The Lumix DMC-FS25 serves up a wide-angle lens, fun features, a huge LCD screen, and great battery life for the price.
Sleek design, superb image capability and intuitive controls make the SD1100 IS a solid buy.
Top Ranked SLRs
Nikon scores high for offering great image quality and terrific design--including rudimentary video recording, a DSLR first.
Though this is not a must-buy upgrade over the 40D, it does have some new and friendly features and shooting modes.
The Rebel Xsi provides a strong range of capabilities, but it may cost more money than entry-level buyers want to spend
Top Ranked Budget Digicams
Offers controls such as exposure compensation, and has a super macro mode, though you're limited to ISO 400.
The L10 is sleek and offers custom white balance, panorama mode, and face recognition auto focus. But the LCD is small.
The C653 is easy to use, delivers high-quality photos, and offers in-camera panorama stitching. But battery life is low.
Latest Digital Camera News
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The Latest in Digital Photography and Video
Digital Camera How-to's
Here's how to take beautiful photos of summer fireworks, plus a look at the equipment you'll need. 02-Jul-2009
Dave answers reader questions about polarizers, photo permissions, free High Dynamic Range software, and more. 29-Jun-2009
Here's what you need to know to capture the excitement of a summer fireworks display. 28-Jun-2009
Make digital photography a lot more fun--and a lot more productive--without taking shots at your wallet. 23-Jun-2009
Celebrate a birthday by collecting photos from the Web chronicling years past. 22-Jun-2009
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