Fujifilm FinePix F60fd

The Fujifilm FinePix F60fd is one of the few budget digital cameras equipped with full manual settings in a slim, pocket-friendly chassis. These assets dish up competition for the F60fd's closest rivals -- the Canon PowerShot A1100 IS (Discontinued) and the ultra-compact Canon PowerShot SD1200 IS (Discontinued). For starters, the F60fd spreads 12 megapixels over a roomy 1/1.6-inch sensor, whereas the A1100 IS packs 10 megapixels over a smaller 1/2.3-inch sensor. The F60fd's 3x zoom lens has dual stabilization that combines image stabilization with an ISO boost to reduce shakiness. It also has a larger 3-inch, 230,000-pixel LCD monitor that Steve Morgenstern of DigitalCameraInfo.com says is by far one of the better monitors on a point-and-shoot model. On the downside, the LCD "swallows" real estate, resulting in cramped control buttons, according to CNET's Joshua Goldman, and it also lacks a viewfinder. Both reviewers agree, however, that the buttons are easy to access and responsive, even for Goldman's big fingers.

On the features front, experts concur that the F60fd excels. Face detection and scene recognition technology make automatic shooting foolproof for beginners, while full manual settings satisfy advanced photographers. Morgenstern says that Fuji's technology is one of the few with "substance more than gimmick." The face detection mode trumps Canon's with the ability to recognize up to 10 faces within a shot, even when angled at 90 degrees and with a 180-degree rotation. Morgenstern says it does a better job at identifying people's profiles than most point-and-shoots, and both he and Goldman find the scene recognition accurate. Speed is also an issue, with mixed reviews.

DigitalCameraInfo.com and CNET conduct thorough hands-on testing and detailed stand-alone reviews of the Fujifilm FinePix F60fd digital camera. David Pogue's digital-camera roundup in The New York Times compares the F60fd to seven other cameras. User comments at Amazon.com help to confirm expert findings and reveal potential problems with long-term use.