Digital Camera Information

For anyone looking for a less expensive or beginner digital camera, our report on cheap digital cameras looks at entry-level models that cost less than $200. We look at more advanced models in our reports on ultra-zoom digital cameras and digital SLR cameras. Ultra-zoom digital cameras have special optical lenses with zoom capabilities of at least 10x or greater. A zoom of that size allows you to get very close to a faraway subject. But as you might expect, the camera body and lens is larger and bulkier. If you'd like a long zoom lens, see our report on ultra-zoom cameras.

Digital SLR (single-lens reflex) cameras, on the other hand, offer full manual shooting modes. DSLR models start as low as $500, but are compatible with external lenses and flash modules. We discuss these in a separate report on digital SLR cameras.

The websites and publications listed in the Our Sources section are the best places for more information on digital cameras. You could spend weeks reading the reviews on enthusiast sites such as Imaging-Resource.com, DCResource.com, Steves-Digicams.com and DPReview.com.

We also found some useful buying guides. PC World's "How to Buy a Digital Camera" walks readers through important digital camera specifications and what they mean. Editors rank factors such as battery life, resolution, focal length, exposure controls and others in relative importance. They also provide some pointers on buying a digital camera.

In "How to Buy Your Next Digital Camera," The Wall Street Journal's Katherine Boehret looks at features that typical consumers -- not serious hobbyists or professionals -- would do well to consider when selecting the right camera for their needs. Though she gives some specific albeit dated examples, this article is mainly useful for those just beginning their search.

To learn more about sorting through camera pixel fact and fiction, check out The New York Times articles "Breaking the Myth of Megapixels" by columnist David Pogue, and "Pixels Are Like Cupcakes. Let Me Explain" by Russ Juskalian. For the latest on the new 3-D sensors, take a look at Troy Wolverton's article "New 3-D Sensors Coming Soon to Computers, Cameras, Other Gadgets."

J.D. Power and Associates conducts a large owner survey that measures customer satisfaction with digital camera manufacturers. The article "2008 Digital Camera Satisfaction Study: Point and Shoot" looks at specific product line-ups of major brands versus individual digital camera models. PCMag.com conducts a similar reader survey titled "The Best (and Worst) Tech Support in America: Digital Cameras," in which readers are asked to rate camera manufacturers and their products in areas such as ease of use, reliability, technical support, frequency of repair and more.

You'll find detailed feature and spec information, as well as some owner reviews, on manufacturers' websites:

Canon

Casio

Fujifilm

Ricoh

Sony