Digital Camera HQ's 2008 Holiday Gift Guide: Best Point-and-Shoot Cameras

If you're looking for the perfect introductory camera for your mother, father, or child, or simply need an easy-to-use camera that just works for yourself, these point-and-shoot cameras will do the trick. Perfect for casual photographers who don't want to fuss with the details, the following cameras are designed to be straightforward and simply take great photos right out of the box, while still having some potential for growth should you be interested. These are perfect holiday gifts, ready to make memories for photographers of any skill level.

Affordable Point-and-Shoot Under $200 Canon A2000 IS from $179.88	The Canon Powershot A2000 IS follows the successful A-series formula, but not too closely. It has the same excellent performance and high image quality of its predecessors, but adds in some stylistic touches that make it a very attractive option for casual photographers. The A2000 IS has eliminated the curvy grip common on A-series Canons, slimming the camera's body and making it more portable than ever. Despite the reduction in size, Canon has still managed to pack in plenty of great features into this camera: a 10 megapixel sensor, a nice 6x optical zoom, and a vivid 3-inch LCD display for previewing shots.
Point-and-Shoot With Potential Fuji F60fd from $219.00	Fuji found much success with last year's S700 digital camera, and hope to strike again with the smaller, more compact Finepix F60fd. This sleek point-and-shoot camera has a 12 megapixel sensor and adequate 3x optical zoom, and a 3-inch LCD display. The F60fd is a great camera to grow with, providing substantial automatic functions with the ability to branch out into custom manual controls, as well. The features are there if you want them, but if you don't, you can let the camera do all the work. That's something worth considering if you think you might like a little more potential in your casual camera down the road.
User Friendly for Casual Photographers Canon E1 from $161.00	The Canon Powershot E1 is aimed at younger photographers, and would make an excellent first digital camera for someone just learning how to take great shots. The E1 is available in blue, white, or pink pastels for a dash of style, and has a very soft, approachable design meant to appeal to people who don't feel particularly gadget-savvy. The smooth body and straightforward controls are quite user friendly, as is the price tag. The E1 costs less than $200, an incredible bargain for a 10 megapixel camera with 4x optical zoom.