We were frankly surprised by the tremendous functionality offered by the QV-8000SX: Its fully-automatic exposure mode is perfect for novices, yet it offers one of the broadest range of exposure options of any camera we've tested. Its 8x optical zoom ...

In January 2007, Casio launched the EXILIM Hi-Zoom EX-V7, said to be the world's slimmest 7x zoom digital camera. Just 25mm thick, the EX-V7 crammed in a seven megapixel CCD image sensor mounted on a moving platter so as to provide for CCD-shift type ...

Long zoom in a small package ; CCD-shift image stabilization ; Face Recognition technology ; Good optical quality overall ; Good macro detail ; Good corner sharpness at wide angle ; Faithful color reproduction ; Good low light performance ; ISO 50 ...

Wide angle isn't wide enough ; Non-standard icons can be confusing ; Lack of a grip makes camera harder to hold ; Heavy barrel and pincushion distortion ; Noise suppression blurs detail even at the lowest ISO setting ; Highlights tend to blow out in ...

The other main change Casio made between its V7 and V8 models was to reposition the flash strobe, now located behind a small, clear window in the sliding lens barrier. This allows a bit more distance between the flash and the lens, designed to reduce ...

The Canon PowerShot A650 IS is based around a 6x optical zoom lens -- the 35mm equivalent of a 35 to 210mm zoom, an excellent range for all-purpose photography. It also includes a high resolution 12-megapixel sensor, more than enough for tack-sharp ...

Optical image stabilization ; Articulating LCD ; Accepts conversion lenses ; Face detection sets focus, exposure and flash power ; Flash power is variable so you can shoot fill flash ; Good macro performance ; Above average scores on most performance ...

Noise evident at ISO 80, getting quickly stronger at 200 ; Barrel distortion at wide angle is moderately high ; Chromatic aberration is moderately high in wide angle shots ; A bit too big and heavy for a pocket ; Optical viewfinder only shows about 78 ...

The Canon A650 IS sports an articulating 2.5" rear-panel LCD and a real-image optical viewfinder. In addition to fully automatic shooting, it features aperture-priority and shutter-priority exposure modes and even fully manual shooting, welcome ...

In the "subcompact" camera market, Sony has developed a unique line of cameras with a thin, elongated profile. This shape lets the cameras slide easily into even small pockets, yet gives even relatively large fingers plenty to grab hold of. With ...

Sony's top-of-the-line subcompact digicam last year was the three megapixel DSC-P5, a slim, trim three megapixel model with a 3x zoom lens. This year (this article is being written in July, 2002), they've built upon the P5's strengths, broadening the ...

The Sony Cyber-shot T-series of digital cameras is all about good looks and ease of use. Typically slim and stylish with minimal external controls, the T-series is sleek and user-friendly, and most importantly, pocketable. The Cyber-shot DSC-T300 ...

Small, compact size ; Smile Shutter and Face Detection for good, in-focus pictures of kids ; Good selection of useful preset shooting modes ; Touchscreen works well ; Good overall color ; Steady Shot reduces blur ; Manual AF point selection ; Large 3 ...

High lens distortion at full wide angle and full telephoto ; Image noise and noise suppression high at ISO 400 and up ; Slightly pinkish Caucasian skin tone, plus some oversaturation of strong blues and reds ; Some blurring in corners at both zoom ...

Automatic exposure control, plus a range of preset Scene modes and a handful of creative shooting tools give the Sony T300 enough capabilities without being too complicated. Novices will appreciate the ability to let the camera do all the work, and ...

The Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W300 features a 13.6-megapixel 1/1.7-inch CCD image sensor which is coupled to a Carl Zeiss Vario-Tessar-branded 3x optical zoom and a 2.7-inch LCD display

Titanium body resists scratching ; Image-stabilized zoom lens ; Extra high-speed burst mode captures five 3-megapixel shots per second ; ISO extends to 6,400 but shows improved noise and detail at lower sensitivities ; User-selectable noise reduction ...

Menu system with Home and Menu options is confusing ; Only a 3x optical zoom ; HD output but no HD movies ; No HD cable or dock included ; No zoom in Movie mode ; Optical viewfinder is extremely inaccurate ; Sluggish startup and shutdown ; Slow flash ...

The Cyber-shot W300 includes Sony's face detection technology, not only capable of detecting up to eight faces simultaneously, but of differentiating between adults and children, and of automatically triggering the shutter when your subject smiles. ...

Panasonic released the TZ5 in March of 2008, updating the TZ3 with a new sensor, slightly new styling and a few new features

10x optical zoom with true 28mm wide angle ; Almost distortion-free lens ; Excellent quick menu system ; Compact body for zoom range ; Optical image stabilization ; Sturdy build ; Big, 460,000-pixel, 3-inch LCD ; Easy to Use ; Simple mode for handing ...

Anti-noise processing muddles detail at all ISO settings ; Moderate chromatic aberration at wide angle and telephoto ; High contrast in harsh outdoor images ; Somewhat subdued color compared to other cameras in this class ; Flash coverage is uneven at ...

Panasonic has made some subtle alterations to the body and interface dials to make it simpler and easier to use. The Panasonic TZ3 crammed 10 settings onto the main mode selector dial; the TZ5 removes four of these settings to the operation menu, and ...

With its simple design and small size, the Sony Cyber-shot S750 is exactly what it looks like: a basic point-and-shoot digital camera geared toward novices, anyone who doesn't want to fiddle too much with exposure controls. The DSC-S750 fits into ...

Small, compact size ; Face Detection Technology ; Good selection of useful preset shooting modes ; Good Macro mode ; 5-point AF for accurate focus ; Large 2.5-inch LCD is usable in very bright light ; Available manual controls for sharpness, metering, ...

Poor lens quality yields soft shots across the zoom range ; Noticeable barrel and pincushion distortion ; Bright chromatic aberration at wide angle ; Strong blurring the corners of the frame at wide angle and telephoto ; Pinkish Caucasian skin tones ; ...

Small, simple, and easy to use, the Sony S750 is handsome and has an attractive price, but it is unfortunately marred by image quality issues that prevent quality enlargements above 5x7 inches. If that's all you'll want to print, read on

The Nikon Coolpix S510 features an 8-megapixel CCD coupled to a Nikkor-branded 3x optical zoom lens with VR optical image stabilization. The Coolpix S510 offers a 2.5-inch 230,000 pixel LCD for framing and playback, but like many other small cameras ...

Very compact and stylish body design ; Quick startup ; Well-organized, easy-to-read menu system ; Integrated Help system ; Responsive shutter with good pre-focus shutter lag speed ; Vibration Reduction lens for slow handheld shutter speeds ; Accurate ...

Slightly soft images ; Some flaring of strong highlights ; Corner shading ("vignetting") visible in some wide-angle shots ; USB 1.1 connection slows downloads ; Prints better kept to 8x10, even at lowest ISO

Nikon is known for a few special features that are included in the Nikon S510, including D-Lighting (which enhances darker images to improve shadow detail), Best Shot Selector mode (which takes a series of shots, letting the camera automatically pick ...

The Sony H50 offers a sensor resolution of nine megapixels along with a Carl Zeiss Vario-Tessar branded 15x optical zoom lens that includes Super SteadyShot optical image stabilization. Other H50 features include ISO sensitivity from ISO 80 to 3,200, ...

Long zoom with a reasonable wide angle ; Very good resolution with high-contrast subjects ; Digital zoom holds detail ; Remote control included ; Good macro performance ; Good color performance ; Large LCD with clear EVF ; 9.1 megapixel sensor with ...

Wheel Dial is difficult to use ; Soft on the right side of the image ; Strong chromatic aberration at all focal lengths affects sharpness at outer edges ; High barrel distortion at wide angle ; High pincushion distortion at telephoto ; Noisy images ...

The Sony Cyber-shot H50 has a suggested retail price of US$400, but can be found for quite a bit less via the shopping links above right or below