Gift guide - Compact cameras

by Staff writers on Nov 11, 2008

If there's someone in your life without a digital camera, there's never been a better time to get them started. Compact cameras now offer 8-12 megapixels for under $500, and provide large LCDs for easy viewfinding and shot setup as well as automatic face recognition, multiple focal points and more!

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Panasonic DMC-TZ15

$516

http://www.panasonic.com.au

from www.digdirect.com.au
The payoff for the DMC-TZ15’s size is its Leica-branded lens which boasts a generous 10x optical zoom, and wide 28mm-equivalent focal length which is great for dramatic scenery or architecture shots. The bright 3in screen leaves room for controls in the familiar place down the right-hand side. Stills aside, the TZ5 excels with video. It’ll shoot video in HD 720p resolution at 30fps and, unlike most compact cameras, the autofocus and zoom remain active. It makes for a fine stand-in camcorder. Image quality is generally good with the exception of some softness at full zoom, but the camera is considerably slower than Canon or Sony models. The DMC-TZ5 probably won’t be for you if you’re in the market for a straight-ahead pocket compact, but for something with a bit more versatility, it’s well worth considering.

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Sony Cyber-shot DSC-T77

$365

http://www.sony.com.au

from www.mwave.com.au
Keeping with traditional Cyber-shot sleekness, only four buttons and a large touchscreen adorn the entire back face of the DSC T77. Its small size and internal lens make it highly portable and its ready to go at a moment’s notice.Design aside, the features are fairly standard for a modern point-and-shoot camera, with 3x optical zoom, a 10MP sensor and all the usual image controls in the menus. Image quality was good: well-lit shots were crisp and macro shots were excellent, but in low light images suffered noise and artefacts as well as slow shutter speed. Included memory is a diminutive internal 16mb. The touchscreen lacks a hard protective layer and will be prone to damage. Overall, we can only recommend it for happy snaps. read full review

Canon Powershot 2000

$250

http://www.canon.com.au

from www.digidirect.com.au
While the Powershot doesn’t quite fit elegantly into your pocket, it’s for a good reason. The stunning 3” LCD, generous 6x optical zoom and quality lens lift it above the usual point-and-shoot fare. The Powershot uses the same image processing chip as Canon’s high-end digital SLRs and it shows: you’ll get crisp shots even under low light. The AA batteries mean you always have to carry spares, but may prove useful for backpackers and occasional shots. The 32MB included memory isn’t large enough, but $10-15 will get you 1GB, considerly cheaper than the equlivalent memory stick for the Sony. If the bulky size and plain looks don’t deter you, the Powershot provides a seriously good camera for the price.

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Kodak EasyShare Z1085 IS

$186

http://www.kodak.com.au

from www.jantech.com.au
The Z1085 is, like the Powershot, a little on the bulky side. It won’t win any awards for beauty, but does boast 720p HD video in addition to the usual compact camera features. Included is 5x zoom and a 2.5-inch LCD monitor, but you’ll also get manual exposure settings and, like the Canon, AA batteries. The 10MP photo sensor delivers brightly detailed portraits in good light, but we found that pictures were noisy above ISO 400. For video users, we were happy with crispness for most uses, but pan and tilt problems mean that sports enthusiasts may find the results too jerky. Still, it’s a nicely designed camera with specs above many others in its price range. read full review

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Canon IXUS 80 IS

$239

http://www.canon.com.au

from www.megabuy.com.au
Anyone who’s used an Ixus will be familiar with the 80 IS’ arsenal, starting from the 8MP lens, this is an excellent camera. An excellent panorama utility is included which aids stiching together photos to make single panoramic shots. The Ixus offers a full complement of pre-set exposures for the likes of beach, snow, underwater and night modes. Macro, exposure compensation, timer and flash options (like slow-shutter and red-eye reduction) are also close at hand. Face detection is superior: you can make it active only when shooting and you can optimise it for panning. The control panel’s mode switch and superior menus make it easier to navigate. Most of Nikon’s advanced menus are accessed via a single ‘star’ button and we frequently got lost and struggled to get back to picture-taking. read full review

This article appeared in the December, 2008 issue of PC Authority.