Best of the Best

A consumer digital camera is one that can usually fit in a man’s shirt pocket or inside a small ladies purse. These cameras are self-contained and usually don’t need to have any additional accessories to operate. They are point and shoot and this is certainly true of the consumer digital cameras reviewed in the best value category.

Digital cameras continue to acquire more mega-pixels (MP), are becoming slightly smaller and contain new software features. New models are released 2-3 times per year, so it doesn’t necessarily make sense to wait for the next model. What this means to you is that consumer digital cameras have become a commodity. If you see anything related to digital zoom, completely ignore this specification; it’s a marketing ploy to make you think you are getting more ‘power’ with your camera.

You need to look for consumer digital cameras that have the best optics, (the larger optical zoom the better), the smallest sensor size (measured by the smallest number denominator), and the largest MP count for your budget. If you select a camera with rechargeable AA batteries, you will be able to save more money over the life of your camera. All cameras reviewed have some sort of image stabilization to help you get clearer photographs and most have an optical viewfinder so you don’t have to rely on the LCD screen only.

In this category, both Canon and FujiFilm offer more best value cameras. I like the Canon PowerShot A650 best with its good optics, small sensor size and high MP count. In addition, the A650 has image stabilization and takes rechargeable AA batteries. Also, many cameras in this category have the ability to operate in lower light by allowing you to raise the ISO (International Standards Organization) number from 100 or 200 to 1600 or even 3200. Remember high ISO numbers on cameras this small mean more digital noise.