Productopia | Digital Cameras

With smartphones chipping away at the low end of the compact digital camera market, manufacturers makers have been expanding their offerings in an effort to fill the gap between entry level point-and-shoot cameras and Digital SLRs. Panasonic and Olympus collaborated on the Micro Four Thirds standard, releasing a series of compact cameras with interchangeable lenses. Samsung and Sony followed suit, with their own interchangeable lens compacts. Nikon got in the action too, with its 1-series of cameras. And at CES this year, Fuji launched its interchangeable-lens compact, the X-Pro1. 

If you're planning to buy your first digital camera, a basic point-and-shoot loaded with automatic settings is a good choice -- and a cheap one; you can find a quality camera for $200 or less. Cheap digital cameras aren't the sleekest around, and you may have to give up some features, but they're ideal for first-time buyers and kids. Their bigger size means easier handling and larger buttons - good for small hands. These cameras are also more durable than their slimmer brethren, so they'll survive more bumps and falls. Here we recommend the best cheap digital cameras for you and everyone on your list.

As always, this year's Black Friday sales are a mixed bag. In the digital camera realm, most of the deals are small savings rather than deep discounts - though there are some very good models listed in the circulars. This is an improvement from last year, where most of the offerings were off-brand models and/or poorly reviewed ones. Like last year, however, there are several cameras that are actually cheaper now than in the circulars - including the Nikon Coolpix L22, which can be found for about $90 online - as opposed to $100 from Kmart and Office Max. We've noticed a pattern too, this year; anytime a camera is featured in more than one circular, it's for the same price at each store. (Could they be in cahoots?) Here's the best digital camera deals for Black Friday weekend - and what to skip.

You probably already own a digital camera, but is it time for an upgrade? If you find yourself frequently frustrated by poor photo quality (indoor shots are always tricky) or sluggishness (that squirmy baby isn't going to sit still) or a lousy LCD, it may be time to spring for a new one. You can begin by looking at your current camera and determining what it lacks, as well as extra features it might have that you've never used. If you're looking to buy your very first digital camera, our recently-updated report has helpful buying tips and top picks. Here are a few important features to think about if you're ready to buy a new digital camera.