Smart Buying
Fabulous Photos in a Snap
For $450 or less, you can get high resolution in a small package.
By Jeff Bertolucci, Contributing Writer
From Kiplinger's Personal Finance magazine, April 2006
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The latest digital cameras squeeze features once available only on top-of-the-line cameras into remarkably compact and reasonably priced packages. With a camera that costs $450 or less, you can get high-resolution images good for crisp 8x10s, first-rate optical zoom lenses and many shooting modes. And if you've already gone digital and you're ready to move up to Camera 2.0, the latest models are also worth a look.
Best packages
We tested point-and-shoot models from major vendors with an eye toward minimum hassle and maximum utility. Which digital camera is best for casual photographers? In terms of photo quality, there wasn't a bad one in the bunch. But two models stood out: the Canon PowerShot A610 ($300) and the Kodak EasyShare V570 ($400).
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The Canon and Kodak models appear strikingly different, but each takes clear photos and has easy-to-master controls. The Canon takes the best shots overall, with impressive color accuracy in still-life photos and clearly detailed outdoor shots. The Canon also takes the best action shots. Its sports photos were brighter and sharper than its competitors', and we found it very easy to change shutter speeds. The handy mode dial on the top of the Canon's case provided fast access to 20 shooting modes, including landscape and night-scene settings.
The Kodak V570 is the first digital camera to have two lenses: a 23-millimeter-equivalent lens for ultra-wide angles and one equivalent to a 5X optical zoom. We agree with Laura Whitby, Kodak's manager of corporate design and usability, who says, "the two lenses work hand in hand, almost in a relay fashion. You don't have to think about it."
The two-lens concept offers real advantages. For instance, the 23mm lens lets you capture a wide-angle shot without backing away from your subject -- which is sometimes impossible or inadvisable, as in the case of those precipice shots at the Grand Canyon. And the dual-lens design allows 5X magnification in a smaller package. Unlike other 5X optical zoom cameras, the Kodak V570 doesn't use a lens that extends from the camera body.
To see how the Canon, the Kodak and four other models measure up, we took a close look at their features, including size, optical zoom power and resolution (expressed in megapixels). We paid special attention to ease of use. The best models not only take great pictures, but they also have intuitive controls and menus.