Cheap Digital Cameras: Reviews

Updated November 2011

Finding a quality digital camera for under $200 is no easy task. After scouring reviews from tech magazines, consumer publications and users, we found a selection of quality point-and-shoot cameras that are ideal for beginners. While you'd expect these cameras to be stripped of features, our research yielded models with image stabilization, large LCD screens, and even high definition video.

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Best budget digital camera

Canon PowerShot Elph 100 HS

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With two features you won't find on other under-$200 cameras -- full 1080p HD video and a high-sensitivity CMOS image sensor -- experts say the Canon PowerShot Elph 100 HS sets a new standard in the budget camera class.… expandIts 12.1-megapixel sensor cranks out better photos than other budget cameras, especially in dim light, and it's quicker to power up and recover between shots than other cheap cameras, too. The Canon's tiny, slim body -- about the size of a credit card and less than an inch thick -- houses a full 3-inch LCD screen, HDMI port and 4x optical zoom. If you need a longer zoom, reviews recommend the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FH25 (*Est. $155). collapse

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Expert & User Review Sources:

PCMag.com: "It doesn't do anything spectacularly well, but it does it serviceably and simply, and the price is definitely right," says David Pierce.

PhotographyBlog.com: Gavin Stoker says the Canon Ixus 115 HS (the U.K. version of the Canon PowerShot Elph 100 HS) "surpasses what one would normally expect from a budget model." The camera has a decent build, easy operation and fun creative filters, plus it excels at general snapshot photography.

Which? magazine: Editors at Which? magazine give the Canon Ixus 155 HS (the U.K. version of the Canon PowerShot Elph 100 HS) a Best Buy award.

ConsumerReports.org: In rigorous lab tests, the Canon PowerShot Elph 100 HS is put to the test alongside more than 50 point-and-shoot models.

StevesDigicams.com: Editors say the Canon PowerShot Elph 100 HS delivers "awesome value," and it's a "no brainer" if you want a superior low-light shooter for less than $200.

Amazon.com: "It is a small camera and carries with it the baggage that comes with the convenience of having to carry so little baggage," one owner says about the Canon PowerShot Elph 100 HS. That said, more than 85 percent of users say the 100 HS delivers great features and performance for a budget camera.

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Buy from Amazon for $109.00
eBay for $149.99	TigerDirect- .com for $109.99	B&H Photo-Video- -Pro Audio for $109.99

Budget digital camera with longer zoom

Panasonic Lumix DMC-FH25

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The Panasonic Lumix DMC-FH25's 8x optical zoom extends about twice as long as other under-$200 cameras -- from a wide-angle 28 mm all the way out to 224 mm. That makes the FH25 more versatile than other pocket cameras,… expandand a favorite of both photography experts and everyday camera owners. Photo and video quality can't quite match that of the Canon PowerShot Elph 100 HS (*Est. $160) in tests (the FH25's video tops out at 720p HD), but reviews say photos from the 16.1-megapixel CCD sensor look very good, especially if you're shooting in bright light. It's not much bulkier than the Canon, either -- just a fraction of an inch longer and thicker. collapse

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Expert & User Review Sources:

DigitalCameraHQ.com: The Panasonic DMC-FH25 is one of two runners-up to this site's Best Budget Camera of 2011, the Canon PowerShot Elph 100 HS. The Canon offers better image quality, but the longer-zoom Panasonic "can still hold its own." This full review tests all of the Panasonic's major features and compares it briefly with other rival cameras.

CNET: With an unusually long zoom for its price, the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FH25 earns a spot on CNET's list of the top budget cameras.

Which? magazine: This British magazine, similar to ConsumerReports.org, tests and compares 285 digital cameras -- including the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FS35, known as the FH25 in the United States.

Amazon.com: Averaging 4.5 stars out of 5 with about 150 owner reviews posted, the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FH25 is one of the best-loved digital cameras at Amazon.com.

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Buy from Amazon for $132.52
eBay for $149.88	Walmart for $179.99

Best of the cheapest cameras

Panasonic Lumix DMC-S3

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Although its featherweight, 4-ounce plastic body makes it feel like a toy to some testers, the ultra-cheap Panasonic Lumix DMC-S3 impresses experts with its good bright-light photo quality, versatile lens (from wide-angle… expand28 mm to 4x optical zoom) and effective hand-shake stabilizer. It shoots 720p HD video that looks very good to some experts, but others complain of jerky motion, off-colors and soft edges in the video. As with most other budget cameras, you can't use the optical zoom while shooting video, and the 14.3-megapixel sensor can't quite keep up in dim light. If you want the best-quality photos and video from your budget camera, reviews recommend stepping up to the Canon PowerShot Elph 100 HS (*Est. $160). collapse

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Expert & User Review Sources:

PCMag.com: When PCMag.com tests eight super-cheap digital cameras, the Panasonic Lumix DMC-S3 walks away with the Editors' Choice prize.

PhotographyBlog.com: After a full test, Mark Goldstein awards the Panasonic Lumix DMC-S3 a 4-star (out of 5) Recommended rating.

ConsumerReports.org: ConsumerReports.org includes the Panasonic DMC-S3 in its rankings of 180 point-and-shoot cameras.

CNET (U.K.): "The Panasonic Lumix DMC-S3 is by no means perfect, but it's still head and shoulders above most other budget compact cameras," Nik Rawlinson concludes after testing it.

Amazon.com: More than 30 owners have reviewed the Panasonic Lumix DMC-S3 here, almost all awarding it 4 or a perfect 5 stars -- and none of the ratings dips below 3 stars.

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