Canon PowerShot SD1200 IS Blue Digital Camera

Canon PowerShot SD1200 IS

The Canon PowerShot SD1200 IS ($230 as of 7/20/2009) fits all my requirements for the ideal summertime camera: It's pocketable and affordable, with an interesting variety of shooting modes, excellent image quality, and optical image stabilization. A few design flaws keep it from being perfect, however, and image quality did suffer with certain manual settings.

A follow-up to the massively popular PowerShot SD1100 IS, the ultracompact SD1200 comes in six eye-catching colors (silver, dark gray, pink, blue, green, and orange). It measures 3.5 by 2.2 by 0.9 inches--about the size of a deck of cards--and weighs in at 4.2 ounces.

The SD1200 received a Very Good rating in the PC World Test Center subjective tests for imaging quality, earning particularly high marks in terms of lack of distortion, color accuracy, and overall exposure quality.

It also scored higher in overall image quality than the Sony Cybershot DSC-W290 and the Canon PowerShot SX200 IS; both cost more than the SD1200, but come equipped with wide-angle lenses. The new PowerShot doesn't have much in terms of wide-angle capabilities or optical zoom range, as its bare-bones 3X optical zoom reaches from 35mm on the wide-angle end to 105mm telephoto.

The button layout is typical of Canon point-and-shoots, with a switch for toggling between three shooting modes (automatic, program/scene, and video) and, to the left of it, a play button for reviewing photos. Beneath them is a four-way directional pad with a center button, as well as dedicated buttons for the display (for controlling text that appears on the LCD) and the menu.

While the button organization is easy enough to figure out, I had a few design-related gripes. The buttons are flush with the body of the camera, which makes them difficult to press. In additon, this PowerShot's optical viewfinder, which is nice to have in theory, was simply too small to be of use. Normally, I find a viewfinder quite handy, especially when shooting outdoors when it is difficult to see the LCD screen. During my hands-on tests, I found myself wishing that Canon had either increased the size of the 2.5-inch display or gotten rid of the viewfinder altogether.

Navigating the menu is pretty straightforward, but I was a bit confused when shuffling through the shooting modes. Pressing Func Set displays five shooting modes along bottom of the screen, and it took me a second to figure out where the rest were hidden. It isn't until you highlight the last shooting mode listed that you'll see "DISP" pop up next to the mode name, indicating that you have to press that button to view the rest.

The 10-megapixel camera has as solid feature set for a novice photographer who's ready to move beyond snapping photos in automatic mode. Even so, the SD1200's Smart Auto mode produced pretty decent images, particularly outdoors. Colors looked vivid and accurate, and exposure, for the most part, was good, though sometimes details were a bit blown out.

The PowerShot SD1200 has 18 shooting modes, including a few ideal for summer outings. The Aquarium setting, for example, lets you snap photos of sea creatures without the annoying glass glare that often plagues such pictures. In my casual hands-on tests of a friend's 40-gallon fish tank, I found this setting quite effective. The camera also has an Underwater mode (which you must use with the proper waterproof casing, of course), plus Fireworks, Foliage, and Beach modes, among others.

Shooting in program mode gives you a little more control; you can adjust ISO, light metering, focus, white balance, and color effects manually. Going above ISO 200, though, isn't recommended: In my casual tests, I found that my images became grainier and lost detail the higher I went.

The SD1200 IS has a variety of white-balance settings (Daylight, Cloudy, Tungsten, and Fluorescent, to name a few). I was very pleased with the quality of my photos using these settings, particularly the Fluorescent mode. Shooting under fluorescent lighting generally results in overexposed highlights and blown-out details, but the Fluorescent mode prevented this.

In PC World Test Center battery life tests, the SD1200 received a rating of Very Good, lasting 352 shots on a single charge. That's in line with the battery life of some of the better point-and-shoots we've seen over the past few years. As with most cameras that have rechargeable lithium ion batteries, you need to remove the battery to recharge it.

For the price, the SD1200 packs in the right amount of features for casual photographers and summer vacationers. More-experienced photographers will be pleased with the image quality, but the lack of aperture and shutter priority, plus the limited zoom range, may leave them wanting a bit more.

Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W290 Digital Camera

Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W290

If you're looking for fun in-camera extras and editing tools in a point-and-shoot digital camera, the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W290 is a great option. A wide-angle lens, a sharp 3-inch LCD screen, and a 720p HD movie mode also add to its overall appeal, but we have seen better image quality from similarly priced cameras in 2009.

The 12-megapixel Cyber-shot DSC-W290 ($250 as of 7/10/2009) has a 5X optical-zoom Carl Zeiss lens, starting at 28mm on the wide-angle end to 140mm on the telephoto end. It's a bit thicker than many competing point-and-shoots, but still pocketable: about 4 inches wide, 2.5 inches high, and an inch deep.

Overall image quality was rated as Good, according to PC World Test Center jury evaluations. The W290 fared well in terms of overall exposure in our tests, but image sharpness and distortion were shortcomings. The identically priced Panasonic Lumix DMC-FS25, for example, outscored this Sony in most imaging categories.

In informal hands-on tests, I found that the W290 takes good high-ISO shots in low light, although noise is visible at ISO 3200 and ISO 1600--not enough to ruin the shots, however. The W290 also takes about a second or more to save photos at high-ISO, low-light settings. During hands-on tests, it also became evident that the Cyber-shot W290's optical image stabilization is effective with a small level of shake, but struggled to take a sharp image when the camera was shaken more vigorously.

The W290 has only ten scene modes, which is a low count compared with competitors in its price range, but that also means it's bloat-free: You get all the essential and often-used modes, such as high ISO, Landscape, Snow, Fireworks, and Soft Focus.

As usual with Sony cameras, the camera settings are easily accessible via a mode dial on the back, and the user interface is helped by the excellent and intuitive on-screen menus. What's more, this model has a dedicated "Smile Shutter" button on the top of the camera (next to the shutter button); this lets you quickly turn on the camera's smile-triggered shutter feature. Smile Shutter automatically takes a picture once the subject smiles, and you can even adjust the sensitivity of the smile trigger in the camera.

The smile-triggered shutter is pretty commonplace among point-and-shoots these days, but a few features in the W290 set it apart from other pocket cameras. First and foremost is the range of creative image-editing features you get in this camera. Instead of applying "live" effects to your photos, many of these features can be applied after you take your shots: You can add fish-eye effects, radial blur, or red-eye correction; isolate one color in your photos while turning the rest of the image black and white; and apply a "retro" effect that mimics a pinhole camera.

But by far the weirdest--and the most fun--in-camera feature is the "Happy Faces" mode, which lets you add a fake smile to underwhelmed photo subjects. You can see for yourself how the "Happy Faces" mode can put a smile on the face of the Mona Lisa and on a serious-looking Barack Obama.

The advantage to adding these effects after your shots are taken is that you preserve the original image; cameras such as Panasonic's Lumix DMC-FS25 and Canon's PowerShot SD780 IS have pinhole-camera simulators and color-isolation modes, respectively, but both cameras apply those effects to the source image as it's being shot.

Battery life is a huge plus: the Cyber-shot DSC-W290 fired off 342 shots on a single charge of its lithium ion battery, good enough for a PC World Test Center score of Very Good. Unfortunately, you need to remove the battery from the camera to charge it; the camera comes with a plug-in battery charger.

The button layout is straight-forward: On top of the camera are the power button, the shutter button, and the Smile Shutter button. On the back, next to the big and clear 3-inch LCD, are the zoom toggle, the mode dial, the playback button, and a four-way directional pad for menu navigation (doubling as one-touch access to the flash settings, macro mode, self timer, and display settings), as well as a menu button and a delete button. One lack: The camera has no optical viewfinder.

On the bottom of the camera is the A/V-out port for transferring photos and movies to your PC; unfortunately, it's a proprietary connector on the camera's side of things, so you can't swap in a mini-USB or micro-USB cable for that task. Another downside is the plastic battery door on the bottom of the camera--it feels as if it could snap off way too easily. Besides the battery itself, this compartment holds another proprietary item: a Memory Stick storage slot. (You don't get a Memory Stick card with the camera.)

In addition to the scene modes, four top-level shooting modes are also accessible from the mode dial. Easy Auto Mode automatically optimizes in-camera settings for a scene and hides all the more-complicated settings from the shooter. Intelligent Auto Mode combines automatic scene optimization, optical stabilization, and face detection. Program Mode lets you adjust white balance, exposure compensation, dynamic range settings, ISO levels, and metering options; however, you don't get anything in the way of shutter and aperture controls, but that's common in a camera of this price and size. Lastly, Movie Mode lets you shoot 720p high-definition clips or 640-by-480 standard-definition clips, both as MPEG-4 files at 30 frames per second. You can't use the zoom in movie mode, which is common in point-and-shoots.

The Cyber-shot W290 may not have the sharpest image quality in its price range, but casual photographers looking for a big display, ease of use, and good battery life will likely be pleased with it. Those looking for fun in-camera features and editing tools will be delighted.

Canon PowerShot SD780 IS

Canon PowerShot SD780 IS

Quite possibly the most fashionable of the point-and-shoot cameras out right now, the sleek, solid-colored Canon PowerShot SD780 IS ($280 as of 7/10/2009; available in gold, red, black, and silver) isn't just a looker. It also performs very well, with great image quality, a powerful flash, nice high-ISO shots in low light, a great selection of scene modes, and excellent optical image stabilization.

This is a very slim-and-stowable camera, measuring just 0.72 inches thick and 3.4 inches wide; it's about the size and thickness of a half-deck of playing cards. The metal lens casing is surrounded by a plastic, but durable, body--both are the same color--and the contoured edges of the camera add to its slick looks.

In PC World Test Center jury evaluations, the 12-megapixel PowerShot SD780 IS netted an overall image quality score of Very Good, earning some of the highest marks we've seen for a point-and-shoot this year for its lack of distortion, its color accuracy, and its image sharpness.

And that's just in well-lit conditions. In hands-on informal tests, I was amazed at the color accuracy and lack of noise in low-light shots at high ISO levels. The manual ISO settings (ranging from ISO 80 to ISO 1600) are complemented by a special ISO 3200 scene mode. There is definitely some visible speckling at ISO 3200 and ISO 1600, but low-light images taken at these settings with the flash turned off are impressively bright, crisp, and colorful.

Battery life isn't terrible, but we've seen much better. In PC World Test Center battery tests, the PowerShot SD780 IS took 261 shots on a single charge of its lithium ion battery. That was enough to earn a battery life score of Good, but far short of the 300-plus shots now fairly common in today's pocket cameras.

Other than that, this camera really has only a few drawbacks, and none of them hurt much. The 2.5-inch-diagonal LCD screen on the back is a bit small by today's standards, but it's bright and vibrant enough to see in practially every lighting condition (you also get an old-school optical viewfinder above the LCD--a nice touch). The zoom range is a bare-bones 3X optical, with a shrimpy wide-angle end (33mm to 100mm). Because it's such a slim, sleek, and pocket-friendly camera, the control buttons are fairly small and may prove difficult for the meaty-handed to use. And as usual, the plastic doors that cover the HDMI port, A/V out ports, and battery feel like they could tear off really easily.

Despite the slim frame, the SD780 IS is a bit more advanced than your basic point-and-shoot, but it's still definitely for casual shooters. You don't get many manual controls, other than ISO settings, white-balance settings, and exposure compensation values. However, the collection of shooting modes and scene selections in the camera (20 in all) make up for that quite a bit.

At first glance, you won't see that many scene modes; most of them are "hidden" from the main scene selection navigation and are accessible only by pressing the Display button once you've navigated all the way to the right of the scene menu. It's a minor irritation that could have been obviated just by letting you repeatedly press the right navigational button to scroll through all the available scene modes.

In addition to old standbys such as Portrait, Sunset, Fireworks, and Snow, some really creative scene options are in the mix. Two of the best are Canon's Color Accent and Color Swap modes. Color Accent lets you isolate a single color in an otherwise black-and-white shot, while Color Swap lets you change all instances of one color in your shot to another color. They're fun to use and work well, and are even accessible in the SD780 IS's movie mode (which shoots 720p HD movies at 30 frames per second; clips are saved as .mov files).

To complement its HD video chops, the SD780 IS also has another nice feature: an HDMI-out port for viewing images and videos on an HDTV (but no included HDMI cable). In addition to its 720p HD mode, the SD780 IS also shoots 640-by-480 and 320-by-240 standard-definition clips, both at 30fps. A minor disappointment is that you can't zoom in and out while filming.

Canon has taken the concept of a fashionable, easy-to-use point-and-shoot that also performs well and knocked it out of the park. The SD780 IS is sure to turn heads and keep casual photograpers happy with its image quality and fun features. It's the best-looking point-and-shoot camera we've seen in 2009, and it's one of the best basic point-and-shoots, period. The trade-off is that you don't get much in the way of manual controls, and the $280 price tag is geared more to its style and performance than its specs.

Canon PowerShot SX200 IS

Canon PowerShot SX200 IS Point-and-Shoot Camera

For $350, the Canon PowerShot SX200 IS serves up a heaping helping of camera. The marquee feature in this recent addition to Canon's point-and-shoot line is its 12X-optical-zoom lens, which reaches from 28mm on the wide-angle end to 336mm on the telephoto end. That alone is a major selling point for this camera, and it just gets better when you factor in its image quality and fun features.

A little over a year ago, to get that kind of power in a fixed-lens model, you needed to buy a megazoom camera that was nearly the size of a digital SLR. These days, the SX200 IS represents a growing trend among point-and-shoot digital cameras: high-zoom models (10X optical and above) that are merely a bit bigger than average compact cameras but still stowable in a bag, purse, or large pocket. Let's call them "pocket megazooms" and see if the nickname sticks. (For more pocket-megazoom options, read about the Kodak EasyShare Z915, Nikon Coolpix L100, Olympus Stylus-9000, and Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS3.)

Though certainly bulkier than a typical point-and-shoot, the PowerShot SX200 IS feels more like a camera than the newfangled, dainty playthings people call cameras nowadays. It looks like it just ate three ultraslim cameras for lunch, and the body is big enough to accommodate a roomy, 3-inch LCD screen on the back. The display is sufficiently bright for composing shots in sunlight, but in direct sun the on-screen colors were a bit hard to distinguish.

When you zoom in to the full extent of the SX 200 IS's 12X-optical-zoom lens (the circumference of the lens is about that of a can of Red Bull), the result can look downright comical: The lens is about twice as long as the camera is deep (1.5 inches).

The "IS" in the camera's name stands for image stabilization, a must-have feature in a camera whose main skill is zooming. Canon point-and-shoots normally have excellent optical image stabilization, and this model is no exception. It did a good job of keeping shots steady, except in extreme situations when I zoomed in to the full extent and shook the camera dramatically. The SX200 IS handily corrected jitter produced by normal, shaky hands; shots were clear and sharp, even at maximum zoom.

The SX200 IS also has a pop-up flash, which helped it score very well on flash exposure in our image-quality evaluations. While the flash performs nicely and looks retro-trendy, a couple of things bothered us. First, when you turn the camera on, your left index finger can get in the way of its popping up. Second, opening and closing the flash is a fully electronic process; you can't just click the flash closed with your finger.

In PC World Test Center evaluations, the PowerShot SX200 IS pretty much ran the table. Of the point-and-shoot cameras we've tested so far in 2009, it was among the best performers in overall image quality, earning particularly high marks for lack of distortion, for exposure quality, and for color accuracy. In flash-exposure quality, it outscored every point-and-shoot we've seen this year except for the Pentax X70, a 24X-optical megazoom camera with a DSLR-like size and a huge on-board flash. Overall, the Canon PowerShot SX200 IS earned an imaging score of Very Good.

Battery life also rated as Very Good. In PC World Test Center battery tests, the SX200 IS took 324 shots on a single charge of its rechargeable lithium ion battery. For a camera of this size, the ability to use AA batteries would have been a nice option (the SX200 IS seemed to have enough room to house a pair of AAs).

In my informal hands-on testing, I quickly became hooked on two fun in-camera features: Color Accent mode and Color Swap mode. In Color Accent mode, you can designate a color in your scene as the only color to show up in an otherwise black-and-white photo, meaning you can take no-brainer artistic shots. In the similar Color Swap mode, you can replace all instances of one color in your scene with another color--say, brown with blue.

Oh, and it gets better. You can shoot HD video in both of those modes, making for instant art-school films with no post-production work necessary. The PowerShot SX200 IS shoots 1280-by-720 HD video at 30 fps (it also shoots 640-by-480 and 320-by-240 standard-definition clips at that frame rate), and it offers an HDMI-out port so that you can show your clips on an HDTV set directly from the camera. Unfortunately, you can't use that whopping zoom while you're shooting video.

You get all the old standby scene modes, too: fireworks, snow, foliage, sunset, night-scene, beach, and aquarium modes are all in the mix. Also handy is the Stitch-Assist mode, which guides you along the way to making a panorama shot by showing the right half of the last photo you've taken. You just overlap your next shot with that image and then download your images to a computer, and the included PhotoStitch software (for both Mac and Windows) takes things from there.

Included as well is an ISO 3200 scene mode for low-light, no-flash shots--however, noise was very visible in our low-light shots taken in that setting. Manual ISO controls, ranging from 80 to 1600, are also available, and results were much better in that range; a bit of noise crept into shots at ISO 800 and 1600, but low-light images were surprisingly sharp.

One helpful design touch: Most of the SX200 IS's main features are accessible via a mode dial on the top of the camera. You still have to do a bit of on-screen navigation to access the contextual settings for each mode, but having auto mode, easy mode, manual mode, aperture priority mode, and shutter priority mode accessible with a turn of the dial was a time-saver.

Some frequently used scene modes--portrait, landscape, night-portrait, party, and pet mode--are accessible through the mode dial, as well. You access all the other scene modes by choosing 'SCN' on the mode dial and then using the on-screen menu to select them.

The controls layout is familiar and easy to master: The power button, mode dial, and zoom ring/shutter button are all on the top of the camera. On the back, surrounding the circular navigation button and scroll wheel, are four buttons: a print button for PictBridge-compliant printers, a playback button, a display button for showing various settings (and hiding them) on the screen, and a menu button. You can press or spin the four-way navigation scroll wheel to select menu items, depending on the context; when pressed, the four navigational directions also double as one-touch access buttons for exposure compensation, the flash (on and off), macro mode, and the self timer.

The HDMI and A/V ports on the side of the camera are covered by a gleaming, chromed-out plastic door. The door sure looks shiny and fancy, but it also feels a little flimsy when it's opened, and its durability could be cause for concern over the long haul.

The Canon PowerShot SX200 IS is one of those rare point-and-shoots that are as easy to use as they are versatile, thanks to its intuitive controls, its big-time zoom lens, its addictive in-camera features, and its stellar image quality. We can't find much to dislike about this camera. If you're not put off by its bulkier-than-usual size, it's a great buy for $350.

Kodak EasyShare M381

Kodak EasyShare M381 Point-and-Shoot Camera

The 12-megapixel Kodak EasyShare M381 ($170 as of 11/10/09) is a good low-priced point-and-shoot camera for anyone who doesn't want to fuss with a lot of controls--as long as they're also willing to deal with a few of the camera's quirks.

The 5X optical zoom (35mm to 175mm) EasyShare M381 looks and feels like many basic point-and-shoot cameras geared toward easy operation. The top of the camera hosts the shutter button, the mode dial, the power button, and a useful flash button for quickly switching flash modes.

Through the mode dial you get access to six shooting modes: Video, Smart Capture, Program, Blur Reduction, Sport, and Panorama. Most people using the M381 will set the mode dial to Smart Capture, which is essentially an automatic mode; the camera determines the settings based on the scene framed in the 3-inch-diagonal LCD.

In my informal tests for image quality, I noticed inconsistencies in exposure. Shots taken within a few seconds of each other in the Smart Capture mode varied noticeably; some images looked fine, while others seemed overexposed.

The exposure issues were especially apparent in outdoor shots. Colors were consistent and accurate, but seemed to lack pop. And sharpness was a little soft, so some fine detail became lost in a blur. Even so, the M381's overall image quality is acceptable for casual snapshots--aside from the exposure, nothing about the M381's images in my tests stood out as either problematic or fantastic.

According to the user guide, Program mode lets you access the manual settings, but the only such settings I saw in that mode were exposure compensation, the timer, and focus. That's a limited set of manual controls, but fairly standard for a bargain-priced point-and-shoot. Blur Reduction mode helps cancel out any camera shake; I found that it worked well, taking clear shots even when I purposely shook the camera while shooting. Sport mode is for action shots, while Panorama mode stitches together three pictures of a landscape taken as left, center, and right.

Also on the mode dial is the SCN selection, which lets you choose from 18 scene modes that automatically set up the camera according to the environment. The SCN options include such standards as Close Up, Museum, Night Portrait, and Portrait.

After you take a picture in Smart Capture mode, the camera automatically processes the image with its Perfect Touch technology, which adjusts the shot for backlighting or poor exposure. Perfect Touch worked well with many of the photos that I took in problematic lighting, and for the target audience (novices), it's a nice feature.

In Smart Capture mode, Perfect Touch makes changes to the original photo, not a copy. To get an unmodified original (ideal for performing adjustments after the fact in image-editing software), you must shoot in Program mode. You can still apply Perfect Touch after you have taken a picture in Program mode.

The M381 also lets you crop images while saving the original shot, and you can make copies of a picture in the camera.

The main problem I encountered with the M381 was in the use of the controls. First, though the shutter button is easy to press, the camera has a short shutter delay. It's barely noticeable, and the lag probably won't come into play when you take posed shots. But when the action is fast, or when you're waiting for a precise moment, the delay is bothersome.

You'll also experience a delay when you're using the M381's 5X zoom. When you first press the zoom toggle on the back of the camera, there's no delay, but if you make adjustments and zoom in and out, you'll encounter a delay after you press the buttons, as if the motor were still catching up to your commands.

The M381's Video mode is limited to 640 by 480 resolution, with no support for 720p video. You can use the zoom when you're shooting a video, but it stutters--a lot. In some instances, the zoom stutter can seem like a neat effect, but if you want to zoom in smoothly, you're better off physically moving closer.

Because it's so fully automated, easy to use, and affordable, the Kodak EasyShare M381 is a solid point-and-shoot choice for anyone who doesn't want to have to deal with camera settings. It has a few usability quirks and it lacks excitement, but it takes a decent still photo with little work on the shooter's part.

Sony Cyber-shot DSC-TX1 Touchscreen Digital Camera

Sony Cyber-shot DSC-TX1: A Smooth, Stylish Touchscreen Camera

The holiday season is here, as are the accompanying parties and celebratory events. If you're all gussied up, you might as well bring a camera like Sony's fashion-conscious, 10.2-megapixel Cyber-shot DSC TX1 ($380 as of 11/23/2009), a touchscreen camera that lets you party instead of fussing with camera settings.

Measuring 3.75 by 2.38 by 0.66 inches and weighing five ounces, the DSC-TX1 is small enough to fit into a coat pocket, and it won't take up a lot of room in a purse. The metal body has a front panel that slides down to reveal the camera's 4X Carl Zeiss optical-zoom lens, which has a range of 35mm to 140mm. A power button is on the top, so you can turn on the camera to peruse your pics and still have the lens protected while the camera is in your hands.

Next to the power button is the shutter button, which, like the rest of the camera, is narrow. When using autofocus, I had a difficult time feeling whether the button was pressed halfway down; I relied on the audible cue to tell me when I had pushed the shutter button down far enough for focus. Fortunately, the button responds well when you push it down completely to take a picture, and I saw no shutter lag.

The zoom toggle is conveniently placed next to the shutter button, and very little lag occurs when you're zooming in and out to find the proper zoom point. However, the switch is a bit loose and doesn't feel sturdy, which made me wonder if it would snap over time.

The DSC-TX1 has a three-inch LCD that looks gigantic; it takes up practically the whole back of the camera, which has none of the buttons you'd usually see, because the DSC-TX1 uses an entirely touchscreen interface.

The icons Sony uses are clear and intuitive; for example, the Mode icon, used to change the shooting mode, is labeled "Mode," the playback icon uses the familiar Play arrow, and the flash icon uses a lightning bolt-like arrow. The touchscreen itself works well. The icons are responsive, lighting up when you touch them, and the audible response provides good feedback (you can turn the audio off if you wish).

The problem with the touchscreen isn't in its implementation. The problem is whether it's entirely practical: The touchscreen is a time-hogging hindrance when you want to quickly change settings. With the typical mode dial that you find on most cameras, you can almost instantly change from, say, automatic mode to video mode by simply turning the dial. When you want to make such a change on the DSC-TX1, you have to push the Mode icon on the touchscreen, wait maybe a third of a second, and then press the icon of the mode you want. These steps take a couple of seconds, which doesn't sound like much, but in reality, it can be the difference between capturing or not capturing a key moment.

With this in mind, the DSC-TX1 is best for situations where you won't anticipate needing to adjust the camera (casual snapshot situations, parties, and other get-togethers), or when you don't think you'll need to switch between photo and video modes in an instant. Set the camera, and forget it.

If you do decide to change the recording mode, you have seven modes from which to choose. The Intelligent Auto Adjustment mode, which automatically sets the camera to what the manual calls a "guide," is what you'll probably have the camera set to most of the time. The camera has nine guides: Backlight, Backlight Portrait, Close Focus, Landscape, Portrait, Macro, Twilight, Twilight Portrait, and Twilight using a tripod. A Scene Selection mode lets you set the camera's settings to one of 12 scene types, such as Pet, Beach, Gourmet, and Snow. The other five recording modes are Sweep Panorama, Program Auto, Anti-Motion blur, Hand-held Twilight, and Movie Mode.

Using the Intelligent Auto Adjustment, you can see the camera change its settings. For example, if you're in a park and you aim at the scenery, the camera Intelligent Auto Adjustment switches to landscape mode. If you then decide to focus on an ant on the picnic table you're sitting at, the camera Intelligent Auto Adjustment switches to macro mode.

The Anti-Motion blur mode takes six pictures at one pressing of the shutter button. Sony says the camera then combines the information of all six pictures to create one sharp image. When I used this feature with moving people, I had a hard time noticing if the picture was truly a combination of information. To me, the pics looked like one blur-less image.

In my informal tests, the overall image quality was pleasing, with good color representation, although some skin tones weren't as smooth was they should be. The pictures also lacked sharpness; detail was noticeably soft. In pictures with shadows, image noise was visible.

In low-light situations--say, a fancy restaurant--the DMC-TX1 does a very good job of picking up detail, but images are still soft and lack sharpness, and you'll see some noise, but not enough to detract from the overall image quality. In fact, for common low-light scenarios, the quality is satisfying.

The DSC-TX1 has face detection, which sets the focus area on a person's face and optimizes exposure for portrait shots. It also has smile detection, which automatically triggers the camera to shoot when it detects a smile. The face detection worked fine, but the smile detection was hit-or-miss, even though you can set the smile detection to one of three levels, with a simple smile at the first level and a big toothy grin at the third level. Smile detection is very handy when you're doing a self-portrait.

Sony's implementation of Sweep Panorama in the DSC-TX1 is so well done that other camera manufacturers should consider a similar method; it's the same feature found in the Exmor sensor-equipped Cyber-shot DSC-HX1 and Cyber-shot DSC-WX1. When you take a panoramic picture, instead of taking multiple pictures that the camera stitches together, the DSC-TX1 has you simply pan from left to right in a single shot. The result is a seamless panorama that's very impressive. About the only problem is if you have extreme variances in brightness in a scene; detail in dark shadow areas are lost if the starting point is very bright.

The DSC-TX1 is capable of shooting video at 1280-by-720 HD resolution, and the videos are saved in MP4 format. If you decide to drag-and-drop the DSC-TX1's videos from the MemoryStick card, know that the camera keeps the video in a separate folder from the still photos.

While shooting videos, the zoom works smoothly. The video quality is like that of the stills: soft, with some skin tones not as smooth as others, but overall acceptable quality.

The Cyber-shot DXC-TX1 works great as a casual camera at times when you would rather socialize and enjoy your company than mess with a camera's settings. It's about the size of a mobile phone--but it takes much better pictures--so you might consider leaving your phone behind and taking the DXC-TX1 to that party. The touchscreen interface borders on gimmicky rather than practical, but it is well done--and would work even better if it were combined with quick-access hardware controls.

Samsung DualView TL225

Samsung's DualView TL225: Innovative Features, Exhausted Battery

The 12-megapixel Samsung DualView TL225 ($350 as of December 1, 2009) packs various never-before-seen features into a single point-and-shoot camera. As a feat of engineering and design, it's an astounding piece of work. Performance-minded photographers, however, will see past those nifty features and demand better battery life, sharper photos, and more manual settings for the price.

"Subtlety" isn't in the DualView TL225's vocabulary. When you tap the area to the left of its 4.6X (27mm to 124mm) optical zoom lens, its black front faceplate morphs into a secondary LCD screen. The front-facing LCD screen has several useful functions, depending on the mode you set the camera to.

In Portrait mode, you can aim the camera at yourself, compose a self-portrait, and have the shutter fire as soon as you smile (sometimes you have to exaggerate the smile for the feature to work, but it's still a neat trick--and if your nickname is Fang, you should have no problem). When the camera is in Self-Timer mode, the front screen displays a 3-2-1 countdown clock, eliminating some of the timing guesswork normally involved in unmanned shots. And when the TL225 is in the Children scene mode, the front LCD shows an enchanting animation of a clown, meant to capture a kid's attention just long enough to get a decent picture.

Fujifilm FinePix F70EXR

FujiFilm FinePix F70EXR Is a Compact Powerhouse

The Fujifilm FinePix F70EXR ($250 as of 12/14/09) is about as compact as cameras get, yet it somehow serves up a 10X-optical-zoom lens (spanning from 27mm to 270mm), dual image stabilization, and a 10-megapixel sensor. It generally emphasizes pocketability rather than advanced features, but despite the F70EXR's diminutive size, it manages to showcase a surprising number of advanced exposure controls.

What makes this camera much more than your average pocket megazoom is the fact that Fujifilm built this camera around the EXR sensor also found in the FinePix F200EXR and FinePix S200EXR. This sensor can create a standard 10-megapixel image, of course, but it can also reconfigure itself--by combining information from adjacent sensor sites--to take 5-megapixel images that offer improved low-light sensitivity or improved dynamic range.

You can treat EXR mode like an advanced Program mode setting; it'll choose the right EXR effect (full resolution, low light, or dynamic range) depending on the situation. You can also dial in the mode you want directly. As I found with the camera's big sibling (the FinePix S200EXR), EXR mode is effective--but often very subtle. When shooting in EXR mode, you need to weigh the advantages of exposure settings versus the loss of resolution.

The F70EXR includes a few other shooting modes designed to help you eke out superb photos with minimal effort. The Natural & Flash mode, for example, is sort of like a flash bracketing mode: It takes two images back to back, one with the flash enabled and one without. I found this to be the single most useful mode in the F70EXR, because it simplifies a huge problem that photographers commonly face: Flash or no flash? Now you get both, and you can just pick the better photo afterward.

Another cool feature is Pro Focus, which makes it easy for anyone to get the classic portrait effect of a sharp subject and a blurry background.

This isn't just a matter of shooting with a wide open aperture; the camera actually takes a pair of photos with different aperture settings and combines them into a single composite shot. When it works, it's pretty neat. But I found that the camera balked more often than not, complaining that it could not create the effect (presumably because I hadn't put enough distance between the camera and the subject, or the subject and the background).

In addition to the special exposure modes, you'll find a standard Program mode and full Manual. You choose from the usual assortment of scene modes, including portrait, beach, sports, and night, through the on-screen menu. That keeps the physical controls very simple--the command wheel, for example, has only about a half dozen settings.

One oddball button, called F-mode, is a sort of feature overflow through which you can set ISO (all the way up to 12800), set the size and aspect ratio of your photos, and access a film simulation mode that lets you set the color response and saturation of your photos using the names of old 35mm film standards. (Velvia mode, for example, has a high color saturation and is great for nature photos. Thank goodness the camera gives you on-screen help to explain these options, since most of today's photographers probably never used any of the old films.)

In PC World Labs imaging tests, the FinePix F70EXR earned an overall photo-quality rating on a par with that of its early-2009 predecessor, the FinePix F200EXR. The F70EXR's strengths included color accuracy and lack of distortion; it didn't score as highly in sharpness and flash exposure quality. Overall it received an imaging score of Good.

In battery-life tests, the F70EXR received a mark of Very Good, taking 322 shots per charge of its included lithium ion battery. We've seen examples of better battery life in 2009 point-and-shoots, but that 320-plus-shot count still puts this model among the top performers of the year.

The F70EXR makes fewer compromises than you'd expect in a camera of this size. On the minus side, the F70EXR captures video, but only at a maximum of 640 by 480 pixels (shot at 30 frames per second and saved as AVI files). More frustrating is the fact that the camera has just two f-stops for aperture settings (f3.3 and f5.6--that's it). On the plus side, the camera's continuous shooting mode is so fast that you'd swear you were using a digital SLR. It's easily up to the task of shooting a sporting event.

The camera itself is very compact--almost too compact. When I wrapped my fingers around the body, I tended to obscure the lens or the flash; those with smaller hands may fare better. I also found the exterior just a little slippery, so you'll want to use the wrist strap. Of course, no camera this size will include an optical viewfinder, but the F70EXR's 2.7-inch LCD was bright enough that I never had trouble seeing my subject, even outdoors.

It isn't often that you encounter such a tiny camera that aspires to be so much more. The EXR sensor, combined with its wide array of features that make advanced shooting techniques accessible, make the Fujifilm FinePix F70EXR a compelling option as both a pocket megazoom and as an everyday compact camera.

Panasonic Lumix DMC-FP8

Panasonic Lumix DMC-FP8: Solid and Stylish, With Some Design Quirks

The durable and compact Panasonic Lumix DMC-FP8 ($300 as of January 10, 2010) point-and-shoot camera offers an ultraquiet, recessed lens that focuses very quickly, but you'll need to make sure that its design works for you.

The 12-megapixel Lumix DMC-FP8 has a boxy but stylish frame, made out of metal and seemingly impervious to anyone with a mild case of fumble-itis. However, though the camera build is durable, the 4.6X-optical-zoom wide-angle lens (28mm to 128.8mm) is prone to scratching or damage if you put the camera in a bag or purse. The lens is recessed into the faceplate, but since the camera has no slide-over lens cap, the glass is left unprotected.

The position of the lens might also be a drawback for two-handed shooters: It's in the upper-right corner of the front panel, so your left index finger may creep into the foreground of some shots.

Otherwise, the lens is superb, for a few reasons. The folding optics that Panasonic has used allow for not only a compact design but also an extremely quiet zoom lens. It offers quick, silent autofocus for both stills and video; on all of my test shots, the autofocus popped into focus immediately instead of searching in and out.

The nonprotruding lens also allows the design of the camera to be evenly weighted and square, which means you won't need a tripod for many casual shots. The camera rests square on a table or on any even surface, which is helpful for slow-shutter and self-timer shots.

The dead-quiet zoom comes into play during video capture, too, as the lens motors aren't audible in your clips. The Lumix DMC-FP8 shoots 720p MPEG-4 video at 30 frames per second, and the video quality is more than satisfactory for sharing clips via YouTube or other online video services. The camera has no HDMI-out port, but you can play videos back on a TV set with the included component cable.

Reflecting a growing trend for Panasonic's Lumix cameras, the DMC-FP8 offers instant one-touch access to Intelligent Auto mode by way of a button that resides next to the shutter and zoom controls. In addition to optimizing the in-camera settings based on the scene you're shooting, Intelligent Auto mode switches on the camera's optical image stabilization.

Stabilization did the trick for most shots, but it was a bit disappointing at full zoom; moving the camera slightly while taking a shot resulted in a blurred image.

In PCWorld Labs imaging tests, the Lumix DMC-FP8 produced good--but not great--results. Its strong suits, by far, were the sharpness and the lack of distortion in its test images. Its color accuracy scored lower than that of similarly priced competitors, as did its overall image quality in comparison with rival point-and-shoot cameras. Overall, the DMC-FP8 earned an image-quality score of Good.

In my hands-on casual tests, the DMC-FP8 did surprisingly well in two specific scenarios: at high-ISO levels and in macro mode. I was able to take shots at ISO 1600 without much noise appearing in the resulting shot, and I could practically touch the subject with the lens and get a clear macro shot.

In Intelligent Auto mode, the camera did a good job adjusting between lighting in scenes, as long as the scene changed from a darker environment to a lighter one. When I moved from a well-lit room to a darker locale, the exposure levels stayed a bit dark.

As for scene modes, the camera has 28 selections available via a dedicated mode button on the back. In addition to the usual suspects--Portrait, Panorama Assist, Sunset, and the like--you also get a few unique options, such as High Dynamic mode (which works well in boosting colors and details in shadowy areas, but at the expense of image sharpness), Starry Sky mode (a slow-shutter mode that lets you take a 60-second exposure), and modes that simulate a pinhole camera and grainy film.

The controls on the DMC-FP8 are all buttons and switches. The on/off control is a switch on the top of the camera, while capture/playback is a switch on the top right edge.

Menu navigation is a bit different. Instead of a standard-issue directional pad, you use light-up buttons on the back of the camera. While the illumination helps you locate the buttons in the dark, their text doesn't light up--you still need to know what each button does. The setup would be more intuitive, too, if the Select button for menu options were in the middle of the crosshair of buttons; instead, it's the top-right button above the four-button cluster.

Battery life is a major plus: In PCWorld Labs testing, this camera took 392 shots on a single charge of its lithium ion battery, good enough for a battery life rating of Superior.

The Panasonic Lumix DMC-FP8 is a durable, stylish point-and-shoot camera that performs well. The ultraquiet lens and fast autofocus are huge draws, but the lens placement and controls may annoy some people.

Canon PowerShot SD940 IS

Canon PowerShot SD940 IS: Great Looks, Great Performance

The Canon PowerShot SD940 IS ($300 as of 1/19/2010) might look familiar to you, especially if you've seen the Canon PowerShot SD780 IS. Both models have an eye-catching design--including a lens casing that's the same color as the camera's body--and both are available in a range of colors (the SD940 IS comes in black, brown, blue, and silver).

The similarities between the two cameras go beyond aesthetics. Both offer 12-megapixel image resolution, effective optical stabilization, 720p high-def movie capture (in MOV files at 30 frames per second), an HDMI-out port, the same fun Color Accent scene mode (along with about 19 other scene modes), and very good image quality for a pocketable camera.

The differences between the two models are minimal, but they may be enough to justify the extra $50 for the PowerShot SD940 IS (the SD780 IS currently sells for about $250). For one thing, the PowerShot SD940 IS fared a bit better than its earlier sibling in PCWorld Labs imaging and battery tests.

In the Labs' subjective testing for image quality, the SD940 IS earned a higher score for overall image quality, with particularly high ratings for color accuracy, exposure, and flash exposure. Though the PowerShot SD940 IS lagged behind the SD780 IS in sharpness and distortion, both cameras earned an imaging quality score of Very Good.

In battery testing, the PowerShot SD940 IS took 290 shots on a single charge of its rechargeable lithium ion battery--about 30 shots more per charge than the PowerShot SD780 IS. The SD940 IS earned a battery life score of Very Good, versus its sibling's score of Good.

Other than the higher overall scores for image quality and battery life, the key differences between the two cameras are these:

-- With the PowerShot SD940 IS, you get a 4X optical zoom with a wider-angle lens (28mm to 112mm). The SD780 has a 3X optical zoom lens that offers 33mm on the wide-angle end.

-- The SD940 IS has a slightly bigger LCD screen (2.7 inches, versus the SD780's 2.5-inch LCD screen). The tradeoff is that the SD940 IS doesn't have an optical viewfinder above the screen; the SD780 IS does.

-- The PowerShot SD940 IS fixes the menu navigation quirks found in the SD780 IS. That is, all the scene mode options are available simply by scrolling through a list; you don't need to press a Display button to access "hidden" scene modes.

And that's about it for the differences, which is a good thing for the most part. This is a slick, easy-to-use camera with impressive image quality, and it shares the SD780's decent performance at high ISO levels. At ISO 3200 and 1600, details are splotchy, but the camera did a good job of snapping bright and usable shots without a flash in near-pitch-black settings.

The SD940 IS also has a few of the same drawbacks as its nearly identical sibling, such as a zoom ring and buttons that are a bit too small for comfort, as well as flimsy plastic doors to cover the HDMI port, the A/V-out ports, and the battery. While shooting video, you're limited to a digital zoom; you still can't zoom optically. And the lack of an optical viewfinder will be a disappointment for some--but keep in mind that the tiny viewfinder on the SD780 IS was barely big enough to be usable.

If you've been considering the SD780 IS, I'd pick the PowerShot SD940 IS instead. It has the same great looks, the same quality performance, and a step up in specs that make it one of the best ultracompact point-and-shoots we've seen in the past year.

Nikon D50

Nikon D50

Nikon's 6.1-megapixel D50 digital SLR model is no photographic marvel, but it does fit nicely into the latest digital camera trend: making interchangeable-lens photography accessible to shooters who don't have deep pockets.

If you already have Nikon lenses from a film camera, you can use them with a D50 body, which sells for $750. Nikon also sells the D50 with an 18mm-55mm zoom lens for $900, a price a bit less than that of the D50's direct rival, Canon's 8-megapixel Digital Rebel XT, and about $400 less than the Nikon D70s.

The choice between the D50 and the 6.1-megapixel D70s is an interesting dilemma. (For more info on the Digital Rebel XT, the D70s, and other digital SLRs, see "Powerful Cameras, Lower Prices.") The two Nikons are near twins in look (both have 2-inch LCDs), function, and megapixel count. The D50 is a bit smaller and lighter, though, and it accepts SD (Secure Digital) media cards exclusively (the D70s accepts CompactFlash).

The D50 also lacks some controls as compared with the D70s. You'll still get most of what a hobbyist photographer might look for, though, and intermediate photographers should find the D50 easier to use than the D70s.

A surprising difference between the two models: Shooting in automatic mode, our shipping D50's images were brighter and had livelier color. According to Nikon, this is by design: The D70s is biased toward underexposure by default, while the D50 is tuned for those photographers who want to minimize the time they spend tweaking their shots on a computer.

The D50 is a fine entry-level digital SLR--particularly if you own some Nikon lenses. Some may even prefer it to Canon's popular Rebel XT.

Pentax *ist DL, Megapixel, SLR, Digital Camera (6.1MP, 2008x3008, SD)

Pentax *ist DL

With a street price of $600 (as of March 21, 2006) and a basic feature set, the Pentax *ist DL represents a good entry-level option for aspiring digital SLR shooters on a budget. Though it isn't long on features, the *ist DL provides the automatic and manual features that most photographers need, wrapped in a small body with a simple control layout. Unfortunately, the camera suffers from many of the same image quality problems as its predecessor, the *ist DS.

The *ist DL is a very well-designed camera. Its compact yet comfortable body is small without feeling cramped. Pentax deserves credit for making a smaller camera than the *ist DS that is no less comfortable. Build quality is excellent and free of creaking or flexing parts. A simple top-mounted LCD status display supplies basic camera stats, though I wish it included an ISO readout.

Pressing the function button on the back of the camera brings up a menu that lets you change ISO, white balance, flash mode, and drive mode. But while the interface is fairly simple, it doesn't work as speedily as dedicated buttons. You select the shooting mode by using a top-mounted dial, and a control wheel changes parameters within each mode. Fortunately, Pentax retained the exposure compensation button--a frequently used feature on any camera.

The power on the *ist DL is easy to access because it's a rocker switch surrounding the shutter button. One of Pentax's nicest interface innovations is the depth-of-field preview control, which you access by sliding the power switch into a third position. Because the control is right next to the shutter button, it's easy to reach with your shutter finger.

The *ist DL falls down in image quality. In JPEG mode, the camera's shots are soft and occasionally look underexposed. Increasing the default sharpening setting helps make images look crisper; and once you're used to the underexposure, you can compensate for it. We also had occasional trouble with JPEG artifacts, but the *ist DL lets you shoot in RAW mode, eliminating this issue. RAW shooting requires more storage, though, and can lead to a more complicated workflow, depending on the software you use for your postproduction work.

Olympus EVOLT E-330 Digital SLR W/14-45mm Lens (7.94MP, 3136x2352, CompactFlash/Microdrive/xD-Picture Card Slot)

Olympus EVolt E-330

The Olympus EVolt E-330 ($1100 as of March 21, 2006) is an upgrade of the company's previous E-300 model. The E-330 is unique among midrange digital SLR cameras in allowing you to use its LCD screen as a viewfinder.

The E-330 has an improved body design (slightly smaller than the E-300), enhancements to a number of features, and an LCD screen that you can fold away from the camera for easier waist-level, or over-the-head shooting. The LCD viewfinder will appeal to macro shooters and product photographers, who won't have to crane their necks to look through a viewfinder.

With a 7.5-megapixel sensor (as opposed to the E-300's 8-megapixel sensor) the E-330 is the first SLR upgrade I've seen that offers a lower pixel count than its predecessor--though the slight difference in pixel count doesn't affect image quality.

The new EVolt's image quality is good, with good detail and sharpness. Like many other Olympus cameras, the E-330 comes with factory settings that add a big contrast and saturation boost to your images. If you think it's too much, you can easily tone down the effects by adjusting in-camera settings. If you shoot in RAW mode, you won't have this problem.

We tested the E-330 with the included kit lens--a 14-to-45mm lens that delivers a 35mm equivalent focal length of 28-to-90mm. The lens is small and well built with excellent edge-to-edge detail and no discernable vignetting (a flaw in which the center of an image is brighter than the extremities).

Though available lenses for the EVolt are fewer than for a Canon or Nikon SLR, Olympus has done a very good job of expanding the lens selection to include everything from a 7-to-14mm lens (14-to-28mm equivalent) to a 90-to-250mm (180-to-500mm equivalent) zoom for telephoto shooters. Choices within this zoom range include fish-eye, macro, teleconverter, and other lenses. Unfortunately, none of Olympus's lenses provide any form of electronic image stabilization--a useful feature to have when you're using a telephoto lens or shooting in low light.

The fairly bright optical viewfinder provides a detailed status readout. To use the LCD as a viewfinder, you simply press the Live View button on the back of the camera. The LCD viewfinder operates in two modes: One provides 92 percent coverage of your scene, but does not show accurate depth-of-field; the other provides 100 percent coverage and accurate depth-of-field, but requires you to focus manually. Olympus has wisely added a magnification feature that makes it easier to judge focus, as focusing manually on an LCD screen can be difficult.

For certain situations, the LCD viewfinder is very handy, but in general, people choose an SLR because they want a traditional through-the-lens camera experience. Moreover, LCDs are difficult to see in low light, and they don't show the full dynamic range of a scene, which can affect your creative decisions.

Instead of providing a separate status LCD, the EVolt E-330 relies on one LCD screen to display all camera information. The status readout is incredibly detailed, providing all of the relevant data on your camera's current configuration. Unfortunately, when you look through the viewfinder, the screen can be very annoying because it's always on, and this makes the optical viewfinder unusable in low-light conditions.

The E-330 provides a full complement of features, including priority, manual, and various custom scene modes. Three different spot meters accompany the matrix and center-weight metering systems.

Other nice upgrades over the E-300 include a slightly faster burst rate of 3 frames per second, the ability to adjust ISO sensitivity in increments of one-third stop, support for both CompactFlash and XD-Picture Card storage, and an effective in-camera noise filter for shooting at high ISOs.

The camera's interface is adequate, permitting relatively speedy access to essential controls. And the E-330 includes Olympus's excellent automatic sensor-cleaning mechanism to keep dust from marring your images.

Samsung Digimax GX 1S Digital SLR Camera Body with D-XENON 18-55mm Zoom Lens, 11 Point AF

Samsung Digimax GX-1S

The Samsung Digimax GX-1S ($800 as of 5/5/06) is an entry-level digital SLR that's very similar to the Pentax *ist D2. Though the name on the front says Samsung, the camera has the same small, sturdy body and features as Pentax's latest entry-level offering. The two SLRs differ only in some minor cosmetic details and include different lens kits.

Overall, the GX-1S delivers perfectly acceptable prints for its target market. Its 6.1-megapixel sensor delivers up to 3008-by-2000-pixel images. The camera is compatible with all Pentax KAF-mount lenses, as well as with Schneider's D-Xenon series lenses. I tested the camera with its included lens kit, a Schneider f/3.5-5.6 18mm-55mm (28mm-84mm, 35mm-equivalent focal length).

The Schneider lens is compact, and the GX-1S delivers very good images, with nice color and good contrast. The camera breaks down on fine details; depending on your typical print sizes, however, this may not matter. There were low levels of noise up to ISO 400, and passable levels at ISO 800 (though you'll see noticeable noise artifacts, even when printing at small sizes). ISO 1600 is not useful unless you're willing to accept very stylized, noisy, grungy images.

The GX-1S is a well-built, well-designed camera that is small but doesn't feel cramped. Even if you have large hands, you will be able to get a firm, comfortable grip on the camera. The controls are simple: On the top are a power switch, a mode selection dial, and an exposure compensation control, alongside a status LCD. The back of the camera presents a bright, 2.5-inch LCD screen, some control buttons, and a four-way rocker switch to select further options.

The uncomplicated design makes the camera easy to learn for beginners, and its feature set provides all of the options a beginning to intermediate photographer would want. It includes a full assortment of priority and manual modes, as well as auto bracketing, drive modes, adjustable ISOs (from 100 to 1600 in one-stop increments), three metering modes, and RAW format.

The camera's control layout is so simple because many of its controls have been relegated to in-camera menus. While the essential settings like shooting mode and exposure compensation are accessible via external controls, any other adjustment will require a trip into the menu system, which can be a problem if you need to shoot quickly.

You get to secondary options such as ISO, white balance, flash mode, and metering mode by pressing a button on the back of the camera and then using the four-way rocker switch to select an option. This is not a bad mechanism, but it can be slow, and photographers who are used to making speedy adjustments will be a little frustrated. Color LCD screens can be difficult to read in full daylight, and though the GX-1S has a very good LCD, you might find yourself squinting to make menu selections in bright situations.

The Samsung Digimax GX-1S is a little expensive when compared with competitors such as the Canon EOS Digital Rebel XT, considering that the Rebel XT offers more controls, better image quality, and a larger selection of lenses. As with any digital SLR, it's best to get your hands on the GX-1S before making a decision. Its small size and thoughtful design may make it your obvious first choice.

Olympus SP-350 Digital Camera (8.3MP, 3264x2448, 3x Opt, 25MB Internal Memory, xD Slot)

Olympus SP-350

The 8-megapixel Olympus SP-350 is inexpensive ($325 as of August 25, 2006) for an advanced camera, yet it offers top-notch image quality. Its tiny, closely packed buttons, however, make the SP-350 most suitable for users who want the option of working with manual controls but don't plan to use them regularly.

In our lab tests, the SP-350 earned our top rating (Superior) for overall image quality. It also received very high marks for color and exposure accuracy, outscoring some significantly more-expensive models. Informal images I shot in macro mode were impressively sharp. Sometimes, however, the camera was a little slow to zoom, focus, and display images on its 2.5-inch LCD. The SP-350's CRV3 battery excelled in our battery life test, continuing to power the camera when we reached the test's 500-shot maximum.

The SP-350 measures just 3.9 by 1.4 by 2.6 inches, so it fits conveniently in a pocket or bag. At 8.2 ounces, it's significantly lighter than any other advanced camera we've tested recently, and more akin to a point-and-shoot model. The model's small size is possible in part to the SP-350's limited optical zoom range of 3X (many advanced cameras now sport a 10X or 12X zoom). Because there is room for only a few buttons, you have to dive into the on-screen menus to access settings such as macro mode and ISO. (Some advanced cameras offer dedicated buttons for these settings.) And since the SP-350's buttons are small and close together, people with large fingers may find the navigation a bit clumsy.

Useful features include a live histogram display, the ability to store four custom modes, and a flash shoe--though perching an external flash atop such a small camera could make the camera feel imbalanced.

In other respects, the SP-350 resembles a point-and-shoot. For example, it offers 24 scene modes--more than any other recently tested advanced camera. Some scene modes are so similar to settings in other modes--for example, "self portrait" (which resembles "portrait") and "auction" (which closely matches "indoor")--that they seem like overkill. Unfortunately, the control dial on top of the body doesn't include even the four most common scene modes (portrait, landscape, sports, and nighttime portrait), so you have to use the on-screen menu to select them.

Another weakness of the SP-350 is low-light photography. Its maximum light sensitivity of ISO 400 falls short of what some point-and-shoot cameras offer (some reach ISO 800). It doesn't allow you to make color adjustments either, though it does provide sharpness, contrast, and saturation controls. Some other advanced cameras include white balance bracketing and image stabilization, both of which the SP-350 lacks.

Nonetheless, if you can live without the fancier settings, this step up from a point-and-shoot delivers top-notch image quality for a very reasonable price.

Samsung DigiMax Pro 815 Digital Camera (8.0MP, 3264x2448, 15x Opt, CompactFlash Slot )

Samsung Pro815

The $700 (as of August 25, 2006) Samsung Pro815 is a dream camera for serious photographers. This bulky 8-megapixel camera looks like a digital SLR and packs a multitude of features and settings for the ultimate in control over your pictures.

Unlike a digital SLR, which lets you swap out lenses, the Pro815 comes with a fixed lens and a massive 15X zoom that extends from 28mm wide-angle to 420mm telephoto (35mm camera equivalents). If you think that's big, wait till you see the enormous 3.5-inch LCD, which dominates the back of the camera; it was a pleasure to use when composing and reviewing shots. Despite the Pro815's heft (it weights 30 ounces), the shape of its rubberized handgrip makes the camera easy to hold and shoot one-handed.

Samsung has put the Pro815's viewfinder at the left edge of the camera, where it better fits the contours of your face. Compared to an optical viewfinder, the electronic viewfinder--which lets you see your subject through the lens--suffers from TV-like quality. Nevertheless, I found it useful when dealing with extreme lighting conditions and when tracking moving subjects. The color LCD on the top of the camera resembles those used on digital SLRs to display current settings. Alternatively, you can use the top LCD for composing photos, which makes it easy for you to shoot from waist level.

In our image quality tests, the Pro815 rated Very Good. At its default settings, the camera didn't fare well in the distortion and noise tests, but it achieved better scores for shots taken under normal everyday conditions. The Pro815 responded nicely in tests where we adjusted its manual settings to achieve optimum quality--confirming that this camera is best suited for advanced photographers. In informal testing, I found it easy to overexpose my shots in bright sunlight. I also noticed some sharpening artifacts, particularly halos around strongly contrasting edges. Results improved somewhat when I adjusted the exposure compensation and set the sharpness to "soft." The Pro815 comes with an external charger for its lithium ion battery. The camera reached the maximum 500 shots we test for in our measure of battery life on a single charge.

Samsung has spread a daunting number of the controls at several different locations around the camera. With a little practice, though, I found them quite usable. A four-way controller below your thumb lets you navigate the simple yet functional menus and permits you to access several shooting functions. Buttons surrounding the top LCD enable you to set other shooting functions. To the left of the main LCD are controls for the display and for the camera's 11 scene modes. The mode dial on the top right of the camera includes aperture-priority, shutter-priority, and full-manual modes, as well as three user-configurable modes. Two jog dials--one in front of the shutter release and the other above the user's right thumb--set aperture size and shutter speed in manual modes.

Autofocus settings occupy the left side of the lens barrel; these include a switch that knocks too easily among its three positions (single shot, continuous focus, and manual focus). The lens barrel contains familiar rings for operating the zoom and manual focus, but Samsung adds an unusual third ring for exposure compensation. You can even shoot in RAW mode for manually processing later. Experienced photographers will love all this configurability, but the camera takes some getting used to.

The Pro815 lacks image stabilization, but its maximum aperture of f/2.2 supports fast shutter speeds in low lighting conditions. Its high-speed mode raises the ISO sensitivity at the expense of increasing noise in your images. The camera has a built-in flash, but it it also includes a hot shoe for attaching an external flash unit. Samsung's SEF-42A flash costs $300. The company also sells a remote shutter release for $19.

A few quibbles: the camera felt a bit slow in cycling between shots. And unlike many advanced digital cameras, the Pro815 won't let you use the shutter release to interrupt the review to return to shooting. Also, you can't instantly delete shots that don't come out as desired.

But if you're a seasoned photographer looking for maximum control over your images or if you're a novice willing to learn how to use all the manual controls, the Samsung Pro815 is a great, highly configurable camera.