Best Budget Cameras

Best photos and zooms under $200

Cheap digital cameras sometimes pile on gimmicky features to cover up their dismal photo quality -- but experts say the Canon PowerShot Elph 100 HS (Discontinued) does the opposite.

"The Canon Elph 100 HS is as close to point-and-shoot perfection as we've seen," say editors at DigitalCamera-HQ.com. Most experts agree that the 100 HS sets a new standard for budget photo quality. While other cheap cameras use CCD image sensors, the 100 HS steps up to a superior 12.1-megapixel CMOS sensor -- the type you usually find on more expensive cameras -- that delivers "unmatched" photo quality for the price, even in dim light, says Steves-Digicams.com.

PCMag.com casts the dissenting vote: Testers there use software to judge photo quality, and they call the 100 HS "mediocre." But to the eyes of expert photographers at DigitalCamera-HQ.com, DigitalCameraInfo.com and DCResource.com, photos from the 100 HS look so terrific that it's easily their favorite budget camera. "The 100 HS takes arguably the best photos of any sub-$200 camera on the market," says Liam McCabe at DigitalCameraInfo.com.

Speed is another strength. The 100 HS powers up quickly and can shoot faster than other budget cameras -- up to 8.2 frames per second (fps) at a reduced 3-megapixel resolution suitable for web use or small prints. DigitalCameraResource.com actually achieves a "blazing" 8.9 fps in this mode. At full resolution, the 100 HS advertises 3.4 fps, but testers at DigitalCameraResource.com and DigitalCameraInfo.com actually get only about 1.7 to 2.3 fps -- although that's still twice as fast as other budget cameras.

Finally, the 100 HS shoots full 1080p HD video, which you won't get with most other under-$200 cameras. It has an HDMI port, too, so you can hook it directly up to your TV. The modest 4x optical zoom of the 100 HS doesn't work while you're shooting video, but that's common in this price range.

The Panasonic Lumix DMC-FH25 (Discontinued) offers something that's uncommon in this price range: an 8x zoom. Its Leica-branded lens extends from a wide-angle 28 mm to 224 mm, with an anti-shake optical image stabilizer that "works wonderfully, especially when zoomed all the way in," says Emily Raymond at DigitalCamera-HQ.com. You still can't zoom while shooting video, though, just like the Canon PowerShot Elph 100 HS.

You'll have to take a few mild trade-offs in exchange for that zoom, reviews say. Photos from the Panasonic's 16.1-megapixel CCD sensor don't look quite as fine as the Canon's, "but the FH25 can still hold its own," according to editors at DigitalCamera-HQ.com. It's not quite as fast-shooting as the Canon, either, and the Panasonic's HD video tops out at 720p. Its LCD screen is smaller, too -- 2.7 inches diagonally, versus 3 inches for the Canon -- although testers don't complain about using the smaller screen.

CNET editors pick the zoomable Panasonic as one of their favorite budget cameras, and DigitalCamera-HQ.com editors pick it as the runner-up to their favorite Canon PowerShot Elph 100 HS. It's also the best-rated under-$200 camera at Amazon.com, where owners are wowed by its photo quality. CNET's Joshua Goldman says, "There are a lot of people out there who simply want an affordable camera that takes a decent picture in auto, has some extra zoom power, and can still be slipped in a pocket. The Panasonic Lumix DMC-FH25 is just that."

Runner-up budget cameras

Canon keeps a stable full of under-$200 cameras, but none as well-liked as the Canon PowerShot Elph 100 HS. The step-up Canon PowerShot SD4500 IS (*Est. $180) packs more high-end specs into a body nearly as compact as that of the Elph. You'll get a CMOS image sensor (10 megapixels) and full 1080p HD video capture just like the Elph, but with a longer 10x zoom that even works while shooting movies. Unfortunately, experts and owners warn that you'll have to put up with a frustratingly feeble rechargeable battery, tinny sound with your movies and no real wide-angle option on the lens (36 mm at its widest setting). A couple of consumer organizations say the SD4500 IS is a feature-packed value buy, but photography websites don't tend to recommend it.

The Canon PowerShot A3300 IS (*Est. $100) is a step down from the Elph series -- but it costs about the same as the better Elph 100 HS. This flagship of Canon's lowest A-series downgrades to a CCD image sensor (although Imaging-Resource.com says its 16-megapixel photos still look "gorgeous") and 720p HD video. It does offer a slightly longer 5x zoom, but testers say shot-to-shot times and shutter lag feel sluggish. Although experts agree that the A3300 IS is a solid point-and-shoot, it doesn't make many "best" lists. DigitalCamera-HQ.com points buyers toward the Elph 100 HS instead, saying it's "clearly a better camera for not much more money."

The Nikon Coolpix S6100 (Discontinued) strikes DigitalCamera-HQ.com as "basically a prettier FH25," referring to the top-rated Panasonic Lumix DMC-FH25, our pick for best cheap camera with a longer (8x) zoom. The two cameras are almost exactly the same slim size, but the Nikon weighs almost an ounce more (6.2 versus 5.3 ounces) and has a 7x zoom compared to the Panasonic's 8x. Both zoom out to a true 28 mm wide-angle setting and offer effective hand-shake stabilizers, 16-megapixel image sensors and 720p HD video, and the S6100 camera lets you use the optical zoom while shooting video (the Panasonic and most other budget cameras don't).

The Nikon also includes a 3-inch touch-screen LCD, but experts and owners say it's balky -- "not near as sensitive as a touch screen cell phone," says Steves-Digicams.com. Testers there also complain that the Nikon's battery runs out quickly, and image noise rears its ugly head even in bright light: "From ISO 400 on, the noise steadily increases and quickly becomes unacceptable." DigitalCamera-HQ.com says the Nikon "felt a touch more sluggish all around" than the Panasonic FH25, although editors there say "it's still a solid casual shooter."

The Sony Cyber-shot DSC-H70 (*Est. $160) is another longer-zoom entry, but sluggish operation and disappointing video quality keep it from being a top pick. Experts at CNET appreciate its wide-angle (25 mm) to 10x zoom lens and say its photo quality is "terrific for its class," although images start to soften at ISO 200 and by ISO 800 "look painterly from noise reduction, so subjects will appear soft and smeary." Still, the demanding testers at Imaging-Resource.com name the DSC-H70 one of their top two budget cameras, despite the fact that its 720p HD video quality "isn't particularly impressive." They like the limited manual controls the Sony offers -- a rarity on a budget camera -- as well as the advanced modes like Sweep Panorama, which lets you sweep the camera from one side to the other to create a stitched-together panoramic shot.

The Casio Exilim EX-H5 (Discontinued) offers the most versatile lens here, zooming from a true wide-angle 24 mm all the way out to 240 mm -- a 10x zoom. It manages to stay nearly as lightweight and compact as its short-zoom rivals, and most testers praise its photo quality. Steves-Digicams.com reports "usable photos all the way up to about ISO 800" -- a dim-light feat few other budget cameras can match. PhotographyBlog.com disagrees, though, reporting "noise and smearing of fine details" from the 12.1-megapixel sensor even at ISO 200. The EX-H5 shoots 720p HD video, but as with most budget cameras, you can't use the optical zoom in movie mode.

The waterproof Panasonic Lumix DMC-TS10 (*Est. $160) really lives up to its claims as a tough budget camera, experts and owners say: It's waterproof to 10 feet, shockproof to 5 feet, freezeproof to 14 degrees Fahrenheit, and dustproof too. As long as you keep all of the doors properly sealed, owners say the TS10 stays dry through sailing, swimming, snorkeling and more. One owner at Amazon.com reports that "the durability is through the roof, I'm in the military and I toss my helmet bag around with the camera in it quite a bit and so far no damage." Experts do say you'll sacrifice a bit of image quality with the 14.1-megapixel sensor, but photos and 720p HD videos shot in bright light look pretty good overall. Testers at Steves-Digicams.com say image noise is noticeable at ISO 400 and 800, and unacceptable in dimmer light. Short battery life is another hassle, as switching the battery means breaching the waterproof seals.