Advanced Digital Cameras

Compact cameras with manual controls, HD video and lightning fast performance

More advanced digital cameras offer lots of manual controls to supplement auto settings so users can play around with different exposures and focus modes. Some have manual controls that rival DSLR cameras. Among these advance digital cameras, we have seen the most enthusiastic reviews and recommendations for the very capable Canon PowerShot G10 (*Est. $475).

The G10 is an upgrade to its highly rated predecessor -- the Canon PowerShot G9 (*Est. $750) – and the new version of this camera benefits from the addition of a wider-angle 28mm lens. The boost to 14.7 megapixels, on the other hand, actually harms image quality at higher ISO settings, say reviewers. In between are some tweaks and refinements to the camera's controls and a higher-resolution 3-inch, 461,000-pixel LCD display. The Canon PowerShot G10 also has a coveted optical viewfinder (a feature that's getting harder and harder to find).

While enthusiasts say that the real fun in using the G10 digital camera comes from the manual mode -- which includes aperture and shutter priority controls for greater creative flexibility -- Canon has included a selection of automatic and scene modes to give those with less experience a bit of help when needed. In addition to the manual focus mode, the DIGIC 4 processor included on the Canon PowerShot G10 has three autofocus modes, intelligent contrast correction, face- and motion-detection technology, red-eye correction and optical image stabilization.

Experts say that the Canon PowerShot G10 digital camera can produce outstanding photos, particularly when shooting in RAW mode, although noise is a problem. Cliff Smith at TrustedReviews.com spots image noise at ISO 200, while Don Wan at DPReview.com says some noise can even be seen at ISO 80. Wan adds that as long as you stay below ISO 400, the digital camera is capable of good -- and even spectacular -- standard-sized prints.

The closest contender to the G10 is the highly rated Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX3 (*Est. $700), which outranked the Canon in our last report. However, the Panasonic has ceased manufacturing the Lumix DMC-LX3 with no successor in sight (the camera is still available at some online and local retailers but at an inflated price). Critics who have seen both the Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX3 and Canon PowerShot G10 mostly tilt to Panasonic. Smith sums up the typical reaction: while the G10 digital camera is still a "benchmark" camera, "It is beaten on picture quality and portability by the smaller, lighter... Panasonic LX3."

Canon recently announced the Canon PowerShot G11 (*Est. $500), which offers an articulated, variable-angle LCD screen and a 10-megapixel sensor. While the G11's resolution has been decreased from the G10's 14 megapixels, the two cameras share the same sensor size, which bodes well for overall image quality. (Fewer megapixels in the same size sensor typically means less image noise.) Reviews have yet to surface for the PowerShot G11. So, for this round, the Canon PowerShot G10 wins based on ratings, availability and price.

Best digital cameras for video capture

Experts agree that the video capabilities of compact digital cameras are still in their infancy. Nevertheless, this feature grows more robust with each generation of cameras. A case in point is the aforementioned Casio Exilim EX-FC100 (*Est. $290), which can shoot HD video at an astonishing 1,000 frames per second (fps). Like most specialty cameras, however, the FC100 excels in a few areas at the expense of overall performance, especially still-photo quality. For a capable all-around compact digital camera that also offers HD video, critics point to the Canon PowerShot SD970 IS (*Est. $320).

While several models in the Canon PowerShot SD series offer standard and high-definition (HD) video-shooting capabilities -- including the feature-packed SD960 IS (*Est. $260) and the pocket-friendly SD780 IS (*Est. $225) -- the PowerShot SD970 IS nabs the highest grades. The SD970 IS digital camera shoots in three movies modes: 320 pixels by 240 pixels, 640 pixels by 480 pixels and HD, which records at 1,280 pixels by 720 pixels. Files are stored as QuickTime files for easy uploading to YouTube. An HDMI cable connects directly to an HDTV for perusing photos and watching videos; reviewers particularly like the gorgeous 3-inch, 461,000-pixel display which they say delivers spectacular playback.

Across the board, experts agree that HD quality from the Canon PowerShot SD970 IS digital camera is remarkable. "Handsome color and decent sharpness," sums up Steve Morgenstern of DigitalCameraReview.com, while PCMag.com says the footage "looks spectacular in playback mode." In tests at InfoSyncWorld.com, the Canon SD970 IS delivers great photos in bright and low light, outperforming the Canon SD960 IS and the Canon SD780 IS digital cameras. Shooting speeds are "surpassed" only by the Casio Exilim EX-FC100, according to the review in PCMag.com.

Although smitten by shooting performance, experts have a few beefs with the Canon digital camera. For one, the microphone is easily covered up because it's placed on the top left of the digital camera where the left index finger naturally falls. Because of this design issue, Morgenstern's first videos "turned out to be silent movies." The 5x zoom included on the SD970 IS, while equipped with optical image stabilization, isn't available when shooting video. The SD970 IS is also hefty; compared to the sleek chassis of the HD-capable Sony Cyber-shot DSC-T900, Morgenstern likens the 1.04-inch depth of the SD970 IS to an SUV.

While formidable, the 12.1-megapixel Canon PowerShot SD970 IS targets the point-and-shoot crowd. The DIGIC 4 image processor has plenty of automatic settings, but it lacks manual focus, exposure and priority controls. The Canon PowerShot SD780 IS and svelte Sony Cyber-shot DSC-T900 offer more compact, stylish and affordable alternatives, but their overall image quality and HD video do not rate as highly.

Casio cameras can capture split-second moments

Fast shooting has long been the domain of expensive DSLR cameras with interchangeable lenses and a steep learning curve, but one compact digital camera outpaces the competition when it comes to shooting fast action -- the lightning-fast Casio Exilim EX-FC100 (*Est. $290). Casio also offers a speedy ultra-zoom camera, the well-reviewed Pro EX-F1 (*Est. $1,000). The FC100, which snaps still photos at a 30 fps and records HD video at a whopping 1,000 fps, is an "utter speed demon of a camera to the extent that we're tempted to put chrome rims and a spoiler on it," says Tim Barribeau at DigitalCameraInfo.com in his review of the Casio digital camera.

The Casio EX-FC100 camera accomplishes this feat with an ultra-compact stature that measures less than an inch thick and weighs about 5.1 ounces. The sprite chassis hauls a 9.1-megapixel sensor and a 5x zoom lens with optical image stabilization. It also manages to squeeze in a 2.7-inch LCD. The result, however, is tiny, hard-to-find control buttons. Steves-Digicams.com notes that menu navigation demands two-handed operation of the Casio digital camera.

What the FC100 camera lacks in design it makes up for in speed. The 30 fps alone is "astounding," say editors at Steves-Digicams.com in their review. By comparison, the Canon PowerShot SD990 IS -- the class leader -- chugs along at 1.3 fps in continuous mode, while the highly regarded HD capabilities of the Canon PowerShot SD780 max out at 30 fps. Unlike its rivals, the Casio EX-FC100 can capture the "split-second perfect moment," says Barribeau, and he adds that the "insane" HD video speeds create incredible slow motion. It's a feature that comes in handy if you want to be able to snap a shot of a hummingbird in the backyard or do a video analysis of your kid at batting practice.

The Casio EX-FC100's speed, however, is gained by recording at reduced resolutions. The 30-fps mode records at 6 megapixels, whereas the 15-fps shots soak up all 9.1 megapixels. Image quality at the lower resolution comes at the expense of sharpness and color and increases noise. But in standard shooting modes, image quality fares better. Steves-Digicams.com says exposures are excellent with vivid colors, and Barribeau praises the "pleasantly low" noise below 800 ISO.

In reviews of the Casio EX-FC100 digital camera, the trade-off of image quality for extra speed is worth it in the eyes of experts and users. As Barribeau contends, the FC100 is no match for the photographic abilities and feature set of Canon SD990 IS digital camera, nor can it compete with the superior design of Sony's sleek T900. But likewise, these cameras barely make it out of the starting gate in a race against the FC100's shooting times. As a number of owners at Amazon.com conclude, the 1,000 fps alone is worth it, especially in a point-and-shoot digital camera.