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Best compact digital camera
Pros: Advanced image processor, plenty of manual settings, optical viewfinder, top-notch image quality.
Cons: Bulky size, relatively short 3.7x optical zoom, image noise at higher ISO settings.
Canon
14.8
1/2.3 inches
3.7x
Optical
28 mm to 112 mm
2.8 to 5.8
15 to 1/1,600 second
2.5 inches/230,000
Optical
SD/SDHC, MultiMedia, MMC Plus, HC MMC Plus
JPEG
80 to 1,600
Yes
Yes
.MOV
Linear PCM (mono)
Yes
Yes
Yes
Rechargeable Lithium-ion
310 shots
Yes
Silver, gold
2.24 inches by 3.69 inches by 0.93 inches
6.47 ounces
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Compact camera with advanced features
Pros: Full manual controls, rAW format support, wide-angle 28 mm lens, gorgeous 3-inch LCD display, optical viewfinder.
Cons: Bulky size, no articulated LCD display, image noise even at lower ISO settings, slow flash recycle times.
Canon
14.7
1/1.7 inches
5x
Optical
28 mm to 140 mm
2.8 to 4.5
15 to 1/4,000 second
3.0 inches/461,000
Real image optical zoom
SD/SDHC, MultiMedia, MMC Plus, HC MMC
JPEG/RAW
80 to 1,600
Yes
Yes
.MOV
Linear PCM (mono)
Yes
Yes
Yes
Rechargeable Lithium-ion
400 shots
Yes
Black
3.06 inches by 4.30 inches by 1.81 inches
12.3 ounces
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Best for indoor shots and low light
Pros: Cutting-edge sensor technology, boosts low-light conditions, helpful auto mode, 5x optical zoom lens.
Cons: Limited manual settings, cramped controls, no HD video, no optical zoom in video mode.
Fujifilm
12
1/1.6 inches
4.4x
CCD-shift
28 mm to 140 mm
3.3 to 5.1
8 to 1/1,500 second
3.0 inches/230,000
None
SD/SDHC/xD-Picture Card
JPEG
100 to 12,800
Yes
Yes
AVI
mono
Yes
Yes
Yes
Rechargeable Lithium-ion
230 shots
Yes
Silver, black
2.3 inches by 3.8 inches by 0.9 inches
6.2 ounces
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Best compact camera for fast action
Pros: Blazing-fast shooting speeds, slow-motion HD, optical zoom in video mode, ultra-compact size.
Cons: Average image quality, cramped controls, highest shooting speeds are at reduced resolution.
Casio
9.1
1/2.3 inches
5x
Optical
37 mm to 185 mm
3.6 to 8.5
1 to 1/40,000
2.7 inches/230,400
None
SD/SDHC
JPEG
100 to 1600
Yes
Built-in
AVI, Motion JPEG, HD
IMA-ADPCM
Yes
Yes
Yes
Rechargeable Lithium-ion
317 shots
Yes
Silver, champagne
2.30 inches by 3.92 inches by 0.88 inches
5.1 ounces
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Best compact camera for video
Pros: HD and VGA video, sharp photo and video quality, easy uploads to YouTube, gorgeous 3-inch, 461,000-pixel LCD, versatile.
Cons: Bulky size, no optical zoom in video mode, no manual settings, poorly placed mic.
Canon
12.1
1/2.3 inches
5x
Optical
37 mm to 185 mm
3.2 to 5.8
15 to 1/6000
3.0 inches/461,000
None
SD/SDHC, MultiMedia, MMC Plus, HC MMC
JPEG
80 to 1600
Yes
Built-in
.MOV
Linear PCM (mono)
Yes
Yes
Yes
Rechargeable Lithium-ion
270 shots
Yes
Silver
2.24 inches by 3.73 inches by 1.04 inches
5.64 ounces
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Most stylish digital camera
Pros: Svelte, whisper-thin design, gorgeous 3.5-inch LCD display, point-and-shoot convenience, hD video with optical zoom.
Cons: Fussy touch-screen interface, short, non-extendable zoom lens, no manual settings.
Sony
12.1
1/2.3 inches
4x
Optical
35 mm to 140 mm
3.5 - 10
1 - 1000
3.5-inches/921,600
None
Memory Stick PRO
JPEG
80 - 3200
Yes
Built-in
AVI, HD
Stereo/Mono
Yes
No
Yes
Rechargeable Lithium-ion
200 shots
Yes
Silver, red, bronze, black
2.38 inches by 3.78 inches by 0.66 inches
5.2 ounces
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Best waterproof digital camera
Pros: Waterproof up to 33 feet, freeze-proof to 14 degrees Fahrenheit, dust-proof and shock-proof, large, easy-to-use buttons, sharp image quality.
Cons: Bulky size, limited wide-angle lens, no manual settings, image noise at higher ISO settings.
Canon
12.1
1/2.3 inches
4x
Optical
35mm to 105mm
2.8 to 4.9
15 to 1/1500 second
2.5 inches/230,000
None
SD/SDHC, MultiMedia, MMC Plus, HC MMC Plus
JPEG
80 to 1600
Yes
Built-in
.MOV
Linear PCM (mono)
Yes
No
Yes
Rechargeable Lithium-ion
220 shots
Yes
Two-toned blue and silver
2.63 inches by 4.08 inches by 1.92 inches
6.70 ounces