Sony Handycam HDR-HC7

Product summary

The good: Excellent video and performance; satisfying photo quality; a decent set of manual controls for the target audience; bundled FireWire cable.

The bad: Annoying touch screen interface.

The bottom line: A great HD camcorder for deep-pocketed leisure shooters, as long as you like the Sony Handycam HDR-HC7's touch screen interface.

Specs: Video input type: Camcorder; Optical zoom: 10 x; Media type: Mini DV (HDV) See full specs >>

Price range: $900.00 - $1,399.98

Sony Handycam HDR-SR7

Product summary

The good: Excellent video and performance; satisfying photo quality; a decent set of manual controls for the target audience; bundled dock.

The bad: No wind filter; no USB port on camcorder, just on bundled dock; annoying touch screen interface; cables not ubiquitous yet for mini-HDMI connector.

The bottom line: The hard-drive-based analog of the HDR-HC7, the Sony Handycam HDR-SR7 finally delivers a cutting-edge HD video experience, complete with great video and compatibility frustrations.

Specs: Video input type: Camcorder; Optical zoom: 10 x; Media type: Hard disk drive See full specs >>

Price range: $1,010.00 - $1,399.99

Canon HG10

Product summary

The good: The Canon HG10 camcorder has excellent image stabilization and generally great video quality.

The bad: Poor audio control; smallish EVF; some annoying ergonomics; no manual focus dial.

The bottom line: A solid hard-drive based HD camcorder, the Canon HG10 nevertheless has its share of annoying quirks.

Specs: Video input type: Camcorder; Effective sensor resolution: 2.07 megapixels; Optical zoom: 10 x See full specs >>

Price range: $675.00 - $1,099.99

Panasonic PV-GS320

Product summary

The good: Impressive video quality; decent low-light performance; very effective optical image stabilization.

The bad: No built-in flash or video light; no manual focus ring; no mic input or headphone output; all controls are menu-based.

The bottom line: Delivering high-quality MiniDV footage and decent still images, the Panasonic PV-GS320 should appeal to advanced amateurs searching for a tape-based camcorder.

Specs: Video input type: Camcorder; Effective sensor resolution: 0.54 megapixels; Optical zoom: 10 x See full specs >>

Price range: $372.00 - $559.95

Olympus Stylus 790 SW (Silver)

Product summary

The good: Camera is waterproof to 10 feet, shock resistant to short drops and mild impact, and freezeproof down to 14 degrees Fahrenheit; also, has nifty Perfect Shot Preview function.

The bad: No manual exposure controls; slightly soft images.

The bottom line: If you need a camera that you can take snorkeling or skiing, then the Stylus 790 SW might be just the ticket, but you can find better image quality elsewhere for the same price.

Specs: Digital camera type: Ultracompact; Resolution: 7.1 megapixels; Optical zoom: 3 x See full specs >>

Price range: $243.99 - $310.09

Kodak EasyShare Z712 IS

Product summary

The good: Has 12x optical zoom; optical image stabilization; manual exposure controls.

The bad: Noticeable fringing and artifacts in images; noisy images at ISO 800 and ISO 1,600

The bottom line: Kodak's EasyShare Z712 IS is a nice superzoom, especially for the price, though its image quality does falter at higher ISOs.

Specs: Digital camera type: Full body; Resolution: 7.1 megapixels; Optical zoom: 12 x See full specs >>

Price range: $206.49 - $261.95

Canon PowerShot A710 IS

Product summary

The good: Optical image stabilization; manual exposure controls; 6X optical zoom; usable ISO 800.

The bad: Sluggish flash recycling; widest angle of view is 35mm, auto white balance is very warm with tungsten lights.

The bottom line: Canon's A series continues to deliver tons of bang for the buck, this time including optical image stabilization, 6X optical zoom, and solid image quality in a midsize compact camera with a stylish design update.

Specs: Digital camera type: Compact; Resolution: 7.1 megapixels; Optical zoom: 6 x See full specs >>

Price range: $499.99

Fujifilm FinePix F50fd

Product summary

The good: This camera has aperture- and shutter-priority exposure controls, sensor-shift image stabilization, a nice slim design, and face detection that outperforms the versions offered by most of the competition.

The bad: The camera is sluggish between shots, shows minor noise even at its lowest ISO, and doesn't include a full-manual exposure mode.

The bottom line: The Fujifilm FinePix F50fd should please most snapshooters and its above-average exposure controls should appeal to advanced photographers, too.

Specs: Digital camera type: Ultracompact; Resolution: 12; Optical zoom: 3 x See full specs >>

Price range: $229.88 - $299.99

Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W80 (black)

Product summary

The good: Attractive new display; great performance and pictures.

The bad: Small buttons can sometimes feel awkward.

The bottom line: With a shiny new interface, fast performance, and great pictures, the DSC-W80 sits on the top of the budget snapshot heap.

Specs: Digital camera type: Ultracompact; Resolution: 7.2 megapixels; Optical zoom: 3 x See full specs >>

Price range: $169.99 - $229.99

Canon PowerShot S3 IS

Product summary

The good: Fast and responsive; comfortable design; decent movie capture; flip and twist LCD; fast, high-quality lens with effective optical image stabilization.

The bad: Tiny LCD; lacks raw support; faux wide-screen capture.

The bottom line: A very well-executed megazoom camera, the Canon PowerShot S3 IS reminds you why dSLRs still have competition for photo enthusiasts' hearts.

Specs: Digital camera type: Full body; Resolution: 6 megapixels; Optical zoom: 12 x See full specs >>

Price range: $269.95 - $417.95

Canon PowerShot SD850 IS

Product summary

The good: Great performance and image quality; solid image stabilization; face detection.

The bad: No manual exposure controls; on/off button a bit awkward; noisy images at ISO 1,600.

The bottom line: The Canon PowerShot SD 850 IS has just about everything you'd want in a point-and-shoot.

Specs: Digital camera type: Compact; Resolution: 8 megapixels; Optical zoom: 4 x See full specs >>

Price range: $250.95 - $499.99