We've dug deep into our collection of owner reviews and ratings to bring you a comprehensive list of the most popular cameras, for point-and-shoot/ultracompact, extended zoom, and digital SLR cameras. These cameras succeeded in pleasing their owners and providing excellent performance when it counted.
The Canon Powershot SD880 IS has received plenty of acclaim from professional critics and everyday owners alike. This 10-megapixel ultracompact strikes an excellent balance between quality and price, bringing high-powered, easy-to-use features to consumers without burdening them with a large price tag. What's so great about the SD880 IS (and about Canon in general) can be boiled down into one word: consistency. The SD880 IS will provide consistently good photos and performance without you having to fuss and fight with it. Simply point and shoot and your memory is captured with remarkable clarity. Then you can tuck it neatly into your pocket.
Panasonic rules the compact zoom market, and the Panasonic Lumix TZ5 is the king. This diminutive camera somehow packs in a 10x optical zoom lens, allowing for extraordinary reach without adding any bulk to the body. It's small enough to fit into a pocket, with a solid, weighty feel that gives confidence in its durability. Additionally, Panasonic has added support for high-definition video clips, recording in 720p, which can then be viewed on your high-definition television. The TZ5 is a small camera, but it has lots of great features that you might not expect.
Though it's a little more expensive than the previous cameras, the Sony Cybershot W300 has carved out a niche of appreciation for itself, thanks to some appealing features that some consumers simply had to have. For starters, the W300 offers 13.6 megapixels. That's a lot, probably more than anyone really needs, but it's sure to provide very large, detailed photos. Image quality is probably the top thing that owners of the W300 talk about when praising this camera. If you're a fan of Sony, and are looking for a competent, well-developed digital camera to add to your collection of gadgets, the Sony Cybershot W300 is a solid choice.
The Olympus SP-570 UZ is an excellent 20x optical zoom camera that blends a comfortable, approachable design with features that you'd normally expect to find on a high-end camera or SLR. The result is one of this year's most pleasing photographic experiences. Simply check out the bevy of positive reviews that owners have submitted to Digital Camera HQ. You'll see that the SP-570 UZ is a crowd-pleaser, with on-screen guides and handy prompts that let novice users find their way and also advanced features like support for the RAW format and the zoom control ring, which appeals to experienced users. [Read our hands-on review]
Though it's "only" an 18x optical zoom camera, the Panasonic FZ28 is a great, lightweight zoom camera, perfectly portable and with the potential to turn you into a great photographer without much hassle. The FZ28 is the latest in a line of successful Panasonic extended zoom models, and the praise lavished on the FZ28 by owners so far this year indicates that the brand's streak will continue unabated. Like the TZ5 above, the FZ28 also offers support for high-definition video clips taken at a resolution of 720p, something neither the SP-570 UZ or the upcoming Canon SX10 IS provide. [Read our hands-on review]
Probably the largest and heaviest of the three popular extended zooms, the Canon Powershot SX10 IS has been garnering a lot of attention lately. The SX10 IS has a long 20x zoom and a large, curvy ergonomic body that conforms nicely to the hand. It's a solid-feeling camera, and almost certainly requires the use of a neck strap in order to operate it without straining your arm. Nevertheless, the effort is worth it, as the SX10 IS can take truly amazing photographs. Owners have declared the SX10 IS as being as near to an SLR as you can get without needing interchangeable lenses. That's high praise worth investigating further. [Read our hands-on review]
The Nikon D60 emerged this year as a great way for photographers who were not previously familiar with digital SLRs to get into high-end photography. The D60 is an affordable and easy-to-use digital SLR that allows users to start slow and build their skills until they feel comfortable with even the most complicated aspects of digital photography, leading to more and more impressive shots. Additionally, the D60 is quite compact for a digital SLR, making it perfect for travel and toting along to important events. You'll be hard pressed to find any negative reviews registered for this exceptional camera, and if you're looking to graduate to the next level in photography, this camera is a great teacher.
The D60's main rival is the Canon Digital Rebel XSi, another affordable, well-designed SLR intended for users who are wading into the deep end for the first time. The Digital Rebel line has long been known for its approachability and the Rebel XSi is another great entry for novice SLR consumers. Our users have sent us tons of reviews with titles like "Awesome for a Beginner!" or "Awesome for Intermediate!" Really, this camera is awesome for everybody, simple enough for a beginner to use without obstacles but versatile enough to grow with and develop into a serious photographer. [Read our hands-on review]
Though Canon and Nikon tend to dominate SLRs, the Pentax K200D has earned a lot of praise for being a solid, affordable alternative to the more prominent brands. As one of the owners who submitted a review of the K200D says, "The K200D may be labelled an "Entry level" DSLR but as far as I'm concerned, it's a PRO all the way." We're inclined to agree. Though Pentax has struggled with their point-and-shoot cameras, their SLRs are consistently well-made and present an interesting challenge to established cameras like the D60 or Rebel XSi.
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