By Molly McLaughlin on October 28, 2009 in
If you're looking for a good deal on digital cameras this holiday season, Sears is not the place to shop - at least not on Black Friday. Their leaked circular from Sears offers a number of cameras for $100 or less, but there aren't any real deals to be had. For example, Sears is offering the Nikon L20 digital camera for $100, claiming a $20 price cut. But the L20 is already available at Sears.com and a number of online retailers for that price. In addition, that's $20 more than the $80 price promised by OfficeMax's leaked circular.
Another intriguing offering is the Fuji Finepix J29 for $90 - but this model is available only in the U.K., according to Fuji's website. Since this flyer is not the official version, that could very well be a typo. Sears.com currently carries the Fuji Z30, which has the same basic specs: 10-megapixel resolution, 3x optical zoom and a 2.7-inch LCD. The Z30 is selling for $180 on Sears' website, which is rather high - it can be found online for as little as $120-$150.
In his review at PC World, Tim Moynihan calls the Z30, which comes in super-bright colors, a "teen-centric toy" with a "My Little Pony color scheme," though he concedes that it takes excellent photos. Alexandra Savvides at CNET Australia agrees that the design is a bit loud, but says images are "soft," navigation is "cumbersome" and the price is too high. Owners commenting at Amazon.com are mostly pleased with their purchase, recommending it for kids or as a cheap back-up camera. If Sears does indeed plan to sell this camera for $90, then it might be a deal - for now, there are other worthy cheap cameras to consider.
We stand by our recommendation of the easy-to-use Canon Powershot A480 ($100-$120 online) as the best camera for those on a tight budget.
