Buyer's Guide 2009: Best Of Compact Cameras
Top-of-the-line pocket cameras make pro features more portable
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The best photos are those you actually take. Chances are, you don't carry your D-SLR with you every time you leave the house, but you never know when a good photograph will present itself. That's when a compact camera that you can slip into your pocket really pays off.
Compact doesn't mean sacrificing features today. The cameras listed here can do double duty as a backup for your D-SLR or an alternative when you want to travel light. Each has unique features that make it worthy of consideration, from an APS-C-sized Foveon sensor to built-in GPS and underwater shooting ability.
Canon PowerShot G10
The Canon PowerShot G10 is the brand-new successor to the PowerShot G9, a compact camera so feature-rich that it's even popular with professionals. The G10 changes a few things, starting with a wider 5x optical zoom, covering 28-140mm, which includes Canon's Image Stabilizer. Also new in the G10 is a 14.7-megapixel sensor and the DIGIC 4 processor, which enables advanced face detection, servo AF (for the first time in a point-and-shoot), intelligent contrast and red-eye correction, and improved noise control at higher ISO settings, which now range up to 3200.
The G10 has both a large, three-inch LCD and an optical viewfinder. A shortcut button that can be customized to store several often-used settings like white balance and focus lock is a handy feature. Special modes include a Macro mode that focuses down to 0.4 inches and Stitch Assist for capturing panoramic images.
| Quick Specs |
| Size: 4.3x3.1x1.8 inches Weight: 12.3 ounces Storage: SD/SDHC File Types: RAW, JPEG, AVI Estimated Street Price: $499 |
Nikon Coolpix P6000Nikon's latest flagship compact camera, the 13.5-megapixel Coolpix P6000 has a 4x optical zoom with a 28-112mm range. The lens uses Nikon's Vibration Reduction, allowing you to shoot handheld up to three shutter speeds slower than normal. A distortion control in the camera corrects for barrel distortion often seen at the wide end of zoom lenses.
Along with the 2.7-inch LCD, the P6000 has an optical viewfinder and three aspect modes—3:2, 16:9 and 1:1—the last with optional black borders. The P6000 also includes a built-in GPS to "geotag" your shots and a wide ISO range of 64-6400. Other features include a wireless remote, Face Priority AF, Nikon's D-Lighting system and five movie modes, including a time-lapse feature. The P6000 also brings Nikon's Picture Control System over from its D-SLR line, letting you apply adjustments to RAW images in-camera.
| Quick Specs |
| Size: 4.2x2.6x1.7 inches Weight: 8.5 ounces Storage: SD/SDHC File Types: RAW, JPEG, AVI Estimated Street Price: $499 |
Ray Smith makes this comment
Thursday, 04 December 2008
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Tuesday, 09 December 2008
Doug H makes this comment
Saturday, 17 January 2009
oooom makes this comment
Friday, 23 January 2009
Jesudasan Paul makes this comment
Wednesday, 25 March 2009
Ira makes this comment
Monday, 22 June 2009
Ray Smith & other comments about ANY D-point & shoot & many D-SLR cameras
"ANY" Non-DSLR has a noise problem on ANY iso over 200! I guess that's why they invented RAW & D-SLR's. This is why I STILL mainly use my ""Canon A2E"" Film has Much better resolution, definition, & ""MUCH BETTER"" B&W photos! To my experience, there are "NO" CCD's that can register B&W mid tones...""E. Lally makes this comment
Wednesday, 01 July 2009
G10 Problem
The view finder on the G10 is not boresighted correctly so when used the composition is messed up. All images have about 15 degrees more overhead view than you thought. And since you can't view the LCD screen in bright sun this problem is unacceptable for such an expensive camera.Thomas Drayton makes this comment
Sunday, 26 July 2009
Not a 'Best of Guide' at all
There is nothing here of any substance! All you did was take some cameras and post their specs. Anybody with a computer and internet access can do that. Did you know the Nikon was shown to a very poor choice out of this group in a REAL side-by-side test? The G10 also showed poorly in that same test! Who blew everybody away? The DMC-LX3 that's who! Useless article, thanks.Dan makes this comment
Wednesday, 05 August 2009
Waste of time
I agree with Thomas DraytonGöranSjöberg makes this comment
Wednesday, 02 September 2009
G10 full of dust
After half a year in the pocket my G10 was full of dust. For my G9 that took a year. "Not covered by the guaranty."