Compare Available Features In Digital Camera Best Buys
Comsumer Reports recently did a comparison of digital camera best buys. The first part of the report on digital cameras showed many cameras that cost less than $200, that excelled in low light situations without using a flash. One of the complaints about digital cameras has been lag in the ability to make another shot. These cheap digital cameras have just a bare hesitation between pictures. They turned up extremely versatile digital cameras as low as $185. Basic digital SLR cameras that produce excellent images for significantly less than $600.
Not Necessary To Pay More For Good Performance
Paying more won't always produce a better performing digital camera. One $450 super zoom digital camera point and shoot camera fell short in important areas and ranked dead last in their tests, while one of the highest priced models in the digital SLR produced the lowest SLR image quality.
Advancement in Point and Shoot Digital Cameras
The compact and sub-compact point and shoot digital cameras made significant advances in several areas.
Mega Pixel Race In Digital Cameras Is Still ON
Most people have no need for more than the resolution 7 megapixel digital cameras provide. Many cheap digital cameras already feature higher resolution that this. Consumer Reports tested a 14 megapixels in one subcompact digital camera. Almost half of the digital cameras reported on had at least 10 megapixels.
Performance in Low Light Conditions
Usually, in low light conditions, point and shoot digital cameras don't perform well when you need to increase the ISO setting because a flash would produce poor results such as you see in distant shots or shots of a highly reflective surface or subject. Six models from Kodak, Panasonic and Samsung stood out in that they produced fine low light images at ISO 800 and in one case even ISO 1600. This is significantly higher than previously found.
Ease of Use
Larger than 3' or larger LCD screens or even touch screens. In its water proof and weatherproof Stylus 1050SW, Olympus has introduced a "tap" procedure where you tap various parts of the camera to set the flash or play back your images when it is inconvenient to use the normal controls.
Ultra Zoom Digital Cameras
More digital camera models are offering high optical zoom ranges than previously. These high ranges include 18x and 20x. You should be aware, just as in a high zoom range in a standard film camera. your image quality suffers, especially with enlargements fo your pictures. Even so, with these digital cameras you are able to get up close and personal where you would normally require an SLT and a long zoom lens costing a lot of money. This is great for those shots of kids playing sports or where you are shooting at a school play.
There Are Many Extras Available In The New Digital Cameras
Some of the many new extras aren't for everyone. Who needs the GPS coordinates embedded into image as one of the Nikon Models does?
Canon now offers a new face detection feature in the Powershot SD880 digital camera and the SD990 digital camera. This takes a picture 2 seconds after new face enters the scene. This avoids having to use the old delay timer where the photographer dashed to get into the picture.