Dave's Picks

A pretty good SLR at a pretty astonishingly low price!... (more)

A pretty good SLR at a pretty astonishingly low price!
The Canon Rebel XS is a bargain 10-megapixel, image-stabilized digital SLR kit with impressive low-light performance and great optical quality. Though it's not made for enthusiasts, the Canon Rebel XS offers a lot to the consumer photographer, with a 2.5-inch LCD, a 7-point AF sensor, and a very good quality 18-55mm zoom lens with optical image stabilization. The Rebel XS is light, with a good grip and an interface that is easy to learn and use. Image quality is tuned for printing crisp images straight from the camera, and you can print even without a computer thanks to the Canon XS's built-in Print/Share button. While Canon left a lot of high-end features in the Rebel XS, like Live View and AutoLighting Optimizer, the frame rate isn't quite as fast as its sibling the Rebel XSi. Autofocus, though, is very fast, and the Canon XS's high ISO performance combines with the sharp, image-stabilized zoom lens to make a great camera for both indoor and outdoor photography. The Canon Rebel XS is a quality consumer digital SLR camera worth a closer look. Click here for our full Canon Rebel XS review! (minimize)

Canon's latest A-series delivers great images, and is well-built and reliable... (more)

Canon's latest A-series delivers great images, and is well-built and reliable
The Canon A2000 IS generally does a good job upholding the strong tradition of Canon's A-series cameras. Its 6x zoom lens shows very good optical quality, and its 10-megapixel sensor delivers plenty of detail at low ISOs. It does pretty well at high ISOs as well, as you can make 8x10 inch prints from its output up to about ISO 800, and ISO 1,600 images are usable at 4x6 inches. Important for family photography, the Canon A2000 IS also handles household incandescent lighting unusually well, producing very nice-looking images. The A2000 uses AA batteries, something many users look for in a camera, figuring they'll never be far from finding replacements when needed. Really, the Canon A2000IS has only a single defect, a slow flash recycle time. Still, there's no arguing with the high image quality, and the Canon A2000's ISO 800 setting ought to allow you to get good shots without a flash, making the Canon A2000 a Dave's Pick. (minimize)

Canon's latest G-series model is an impressive update to that fabled line!... (more)

Canon's latest G-series model is an impressive update to that fabled line!
The Canon G10 is an impressive photographic tool for the discriminating enthusiast. The switch to a wider-angle lens than the G9 makes the G10 more useful for more types of photography, yet the 140mm end still gets in reasonably close for tighter compositions. Optical quality is good, with only moderate softening in the corners, and image quality is also impressive, with good color control and low noise at most ISO settings, exemplified by the ISO 800 shots that are usable printed at 11x14. Autofocus performance isn't on par with SLRs, but action photography isn't what the Canon G10 is about; it's quality photography in a small package. Its small, solid body, analog ISO control, optical image stabilization, and tons of features tuned for the enthusiast photographer tell of the Canon G10's purpose. A close look at the Canon G10's images makes it clear that the Canon G10 meets the enthusiast's standard and is easily worthy of a Dave's Pick. (minimize)

A very compact digital camera with intelligent automatic features... (more)

A very compact digital camera with intelligent automatic features
Short, simple, and compact, the Canon SD960 is a digital camera with very few controls and a smart autoexposure system that can handle just about anything. The Canon SD960 IS automatically detects faces, motion, and distance, and can assess conditions well enough to assign a preset Scene mode or employ Image Stabilization. The PowerShot SD960's 2.8-inch widescreen LCD makes capturing HD (720p) movies easy. Combine that with a 12-megapixel CCD and 28-112mm equivalent, 4x optical zoom lens, and you have a very practical and fun digital camera that slips into a pocket with ease. Click here to read our Express Review of the Canon PowerShot SD960. (minimize)

A study in versatility, the SX110 IS sports a long, image-stabilized zoom in a compact body. A great "family" camera.... (more)

A study in versatility, the SX110 IS sports a long, image-stabilized zoom in a compact body. A great "family" camera.
The Canon SX110 IS manages to pack an optically stabilized 10x zoom lens into a relatively compact body, but its image quality still competes very well with that of full-sized long-zoom cameras. In high ISO shooting, it gives up a little ground to Canon's own SX10 IS, which uses a more powerful version of Canon's Digic processor, but the SX110 IS's more compact body is much easier to pack along on outings and trips. Its 9-megapixel sensor may sound modest at a time when some consumer models are sporting 14- and 15-megapixel chips, but trust us: The Canon SX110 IS captures more than enough detail for any size print you're likely to want to make. Auto white balance is excellent, making this a good camera for indoor shooting, as it's able to handle difficult household incandescent lighting. Highly versatile; offering anything from fully automatic to fully manual exposure, the Canon SX110IS would make a great family camera, as it can easily accommodate the interests of everyone from first-time beginners to experienced enthusiasts. See our Canon SX110IS review for full details, or use the link above to shop for the best price. A great all-around digicam! (minimize)

For those times you want to capture all the detail of the outdoors and put it in your pocket... (more)

For those times you want to capture all the detail of the outdoors and put it in your pocket
Finding a pocket digital camera with high resolution isn't hard these days, but finding one that will output a 13x19-inch print from an ISO 400 shot, like the Fujifilm FinePix F100fd can, is something. With a 12-megapixel sensor, a quality 28-140mm zoom lens, and several wide Dynamic Range options, the Fujifilm F100fd has quite a lot to recommend it. The FinePix F100fd has one of the most advanced Face Detection features we've ever seen, capable of detecting faces from all angles, including from the side, and even upside down. Scene modes, Dual Image Stabilization, and adjustable Dynamic Range options make the Fujifilm FinePix F100fd versatile, while its automatic options are perfect for novices. But it's mostly the high resolution for outdoor shots that lead us to recommend the Fujifilm F100fd. Click here to read our review of the Fujifilm FinePix F100fd for more. (minimize)

Once again, one of the finest long zoom digital cameras on the market... (more)

Once again, one of the finest long zoom digital cameras on the market
Few long zoom digital cameras are as well-received as the Panasonic FZ line, and that trend continues with the Panasonic FZ35. As we expected, the Panasonic FZ35 is one fine digital camera, with a great lens, good image quality, and more than a few smart features. With a zoom range from 27 to 486mm, the Panasonic Lumix FZ35 will meet just about every need you have on your next outing, and do it in a small package weighing less than a pound. New to the line is HD video capture, allowing up to 1,280 x 720p movie capture, complete with stereo sound. A stack of scene modes, face detection, and several Intelligent exposure modes round out the Panasonic FZ35's features, but it's the relative speed and printed image quality of this digital camera that impressed us so. Click here for our review of the Panasonic Lumix FZ35. (minimize)

Rugged never looked so good... (more)

Rugged never looked so good
Finding a good quality waterproof digital camera is one thing, but finding a waterproof digital camera that takes great pictures like the Panasonic TS1, that's another. Most waterproof digital cameras lean heavily on their rugged capabilities to attract users, but the Panasonic Lumix TS1 delivers better quality images thanks to its 12.1-megapixel sensor, excellent 4.6x optical zoom, and optical image stabilization. The quality is so high, in fact, that we're pretty sure Panasonic is doing special post-processing in the TS1 to nearly eliminate chromatic aberration and other forms of distortion. That translates into better image quality from center to corner, despite the 28mm wide-angle lens, supporting some pretty big prints. We haven't seen a better rugged digital camera than the Panasonic TS1. Click here to read our Express Review of the Panasonic TS1. (minimize)

Pocketable 25-300mm zoom range with no frills and a low price... (more)

Pocketable 25-300mm zoom range with no frills and a low price
The Panasonic ZS1 looks like a simple pocket digicam, but when you turn it on you find a very wide-angle 25mm lens that zooms optically 12 times, out to 300mm equivalent. That makes using the Panasonic ZS1 a pleasant surprise. In terms of optical and sensor quality, the Lumix ZS1 is essentially identical to the very popular and more expensive ZS3, but without a few niceties that you may or may not want (like HD video). If still photography is your only requirement, the Panasonic ZS1 is an excellent choice, and offers VGA and WVGA video as well. The Panasonic ZS1's optical image stabilization is rock solid, and low ISO images print well up to 16x20-inches without sharpening. Click here for our Express Review of the Panasonic Lumix ZS1. (minimize)

A great companion digital camera with a 25-300mm zoom that fits in a pocket... (more)

A great companion digital camera with a 25-300mm zoom that fits in a pocket
Panasonic practically created the pocket long-zoom digital camera category represented by the Lumix ZS3, and they continue to perfect it. Its 12x zoom and simple design will win you over right away, and the performance from its 10.1-megapixel sensor will make you want to take the Panasonic ZS3 along wherever you go. It's hard not to love a digital camera that takes you from a very wide 25mm out to 300mm, yet stashes in a medium-size pocket. Image stabilization makes the package even more compelling. Click here to read our Express Review of the Panasonic ZS3 to see how it measures up in image quality. (minimize)

FINALLY! A waterproof camera that's also a great camera!... (more)

FINALLY! A waterproof camera that's also a great camera!
We've been giving waterproof cameras somewhat short treatment around IR of late, because they've almost invariably been mediocre performers when it came to picture-taking. The Pentax W60 surprised us with its excellent image quality and performance, though, so we've sent it back into the lab for the full round of tests. The testing that we've done to date shows the Pentax W60 to be a waterproof (and freezeproof) camera that delivers excellent image quality or performance. Its pictures are sharp, with very good color, and good noise levels up to about ISO 800. It's also a very responsive camera, with shutter lag approaching that of entry-level SLR models, and continuous shooting speeds up to 5 frames/second, albeit at a reduced resolution of 5 megapixels (still plenty for 8x10 inch prints). If you're looking for the ultimate in a go-anywhere camera, the Pentax W60 deserves a closer look! (minimize)

Unique slim touchscreen with WiFi offers large storage, impressive connectivity... (more)

Unique slim touchscreen with WiFi offers large storage, impressive connectivity
Few WiFi digital cameras have everything we like to see in terms of image quality, usability, and functionality, but the Sony Cyber-shot G3 was a pleasant surprise. Slide the body open and you're wowed by the slick Sony engineering as the two shells click into their open position. On comes the wide, 3.5-inch LCD, displaying 921,000 dots, for smooth image framing and even smoother image playback. The Sony G3's onscreen buttons will have you navigating the G3 in no time; even uploading your images wirelessly from your digital camera to the service or computer of your choice. As for storage, you get 4GB built in, enough room to carry tons of images that you've shot over the years, syncing them from your computer into the Sony G3, making it a mobile photo viewer as well. Its 10.1-megapixel imager allows output of detailed 11x14-inch prints at the lower ISO settings, and even ISO 400 images are good at 8x10. Other features include a 4x optical zoom, sensitivity from ISO 80 to 3,200, Face detection, and Intelligent scene recognition. Using the Sony G3 is quite an experience. Click here for our review of the Sony Cyber-shot G3 for more on the finest WiFi digital camera we've seen to date. (minimize)

A long zoom, feature-packed digital camera that's a whole lot of fun... (more)

A long zoom, feature-packed digital camera that's a whole lot of fun
Sony took a different approach to maximizing the advantage of a CMOS sensor in a long zoom digital camera, while keeping the resolution low to keep expectations a bit more realistic. The result is the Sony HX1, a 20x zoom digital camera that can do what most consumers want -- get in close -- while delivering good 11x14-inch printed results. The Sony HX1's 20x zoom ranges from 28 to 560mm equivalent, and it maintains good image quality across that range. Other unique features in the Sony HX1 digital camera include Handheld Twilight mode, which combines images in-camera for better low light performance, and Sweep Panorama mode, which makes capturing panoramic images as easy as scanning the horizon with your eye. The Sony HX1 is a unique digital camera, one we enjoyed a lot. Click here to read our review of the Sony Cyber-shot HX1. (minimize)

An affordable, pocketable, EASY digital camera from Sony... (more)

An affordable, pocketable, EASY digital camera from Sony
The entry-level model of their W-series digital cameras, the Sony W220 is a camera that grew on me the more I used it. I'm no fan of Sony's menu system, but once you're used to it, works well enough. When it comes to picture-taking, the Sony W220 does just fine. Like a lot of digital cameras today, the W220 is a result of the megapixel race: 12 megapixels in a consumer digital camera is just silly. Fortunately, at reasonable print sizes, output from the Sony W220 looks quite nice, despite the tiny pixels. Its "Easy" mode also delivers what many consumers want most in a camera: True "point & shoot" operation, able to capture good-looking shots under a wide range of conditions, with zero user input to determine settings, modes, etc. This makes the DSC-W220 a great digital camera for novices. The Sony W220 has its share of foibles (softness and chromatic aberration in the corners of the frame, for one), but at the end of the day, it proved itself well able to handle a lot of what the typical consumer will throw at it. Click the price link above to shop for the best price on a Cyber-shot W220, or check out our Sony W220 review for more details! (minimize)