Can you find photographic happiness for $200 $150 $130 or less? These compacts offer great features and won't break the bank.
When I first started writing this feature three years ago, it was with a sense of amazement that I reported on the first sub-$200 compact digital cameras that could give you a decent picture. Times have changed, now technical marvels that are capable of delivering outstanding-quality snapshots can be had for $150 130 or less. (That's why we've crossed out the $200 and $150 in the title.)
In fact, the least expensive of the models listed here costs as little as $70. That's a pretty fancy stocking stuffer!
Many snapshooters who don't want to be bothered with confusing features will find these cameras to be just fine for their needs. But they are also ideal for teens and pre-teens. Unless you are buying for a precocious budding photographer who wants DSLR-like control, budget cameras are the best way to go.
The problem with sub-$130 cameras is that there are so few unbiased equipment reviews; on the other hand, overall quality has improved in this competitive category. Shopping by features may be the best way to go. You may be surprised at how many of these cameras have state-of-the-art technology like face detection and anti-shake. We'll show you what kinds of features give you the most bang for your buck--and how to avoid buying a camera that will disappoint you.
When shopping for a $130-and-under digital camera, understand that there are some features you won't find. For instance, the cameras won't be built as ruggedly as higher-end models and should be handled with relative care. Lens quality might be a bit lower than more expensive cameras. With notable exceptions, ISO range will be limited, and noise levels above ISO 200 will likely be high (of course, this may also be the case for more expensive compact cameras). These cameras may not react as quickly when you press the shutter release, and may take a bit longer than pricier models when storing the image to the memory card.
While speed, ruggedness and image quality may be deal-breakers if you're an enthusiast or professional, these cameras are designed for snapshooters. Even the most pedestrian of these cameras may be sufficient for snapshots, making them ideal gifts.
Compact Camera or Camera Phone?
Most cell phones today have built-in cameras. Are they a reasonable replacement for a low-end digital camera? In most cases, no. Most camera phones have lower-resolution cameras, in the 2-megapixels-or-less range. To get an acceptable quality 4x6 print (and 95 percent of all prints made are 4x6), you need at least 5MP so most camera phones fall short in the print department.
In most cases, camera phone lenses don't zoom optically, and the sensors are even smaller than those in compact cameras, which means pictures will have unacceptable graininess at any setting, and will basically be unprintable. At best, they'll be marginally OK for viewing on a computer screen. Even the least expensive of the cameras described here will give you much better image quality and performance than a cmaera phone.
Most camera phones are phones first, and accessing the camera controls takes more steps than simply hitting the "power" button. Control over simple things like focus and exposure are either non-existant or buried in the menus (the Apple iPhone is a notable, expensive exception). Only a handful of high-end camera phones have a built-in flash, making it virtually impossible to capture decent low-light images.
The strongest argument in favor of camera phones is that it means you have one less gadget to carry, and that's true. But remember the phrase "jack of all trades, master of none"?
Features to look for
Back to proper low-cost digital cameras: Even the least expensive model has a 3x optical zoom lens, typically in the 38-110mm (35mm equivalent) range, and focuses automatically. Flash will generate enough light for close portraits, but that's it. Flash controls should include auto and a way to override the flash when you don't want it, and a way to turn it on when you need it. Red-eye reduction preflash is standard even on cheap cameras.
Look for a camera with at least some "scene" settings, which optimize the camera's exposure settings for specific occasions such as when shooting sports, landscapes, and portraits. As the price rises, models may offer a dozen or more such settings One of the cameras reviewed here has over 20 settings!
Exposure is automatically set, but make sure the camera has variable shutter speeds and a range of apertures. Finally, while you might think you have to sacrifice LCD monitor size to save money, this is not necessarily the case. Even one of the least expensive compacts has a 2-inch LCD. 2.5-inch LCDs are no longer uncommon for this price range.
Surprisingly, in order to get an optical viewfinder (which promotes good camera-holding practices that prevent camera shake), you may need to buy an inexpensive cameras. With pricer cameras getting smaller and LCD screens getting larger, optical finders are, sadly, rapidly becoming extinct.
Red flag specifications
Here are some specs that should raise red flags that a particular inexpensive digital may produce disappointing results. Beware cameras that boast "Digital zoom" and do not offer an optical zoom as well. Digital zoom merely enlarges the picture, increasing pixel size and reducing image quality. While this is not much of a problem for cameras in the $70-$130 range, the el cheapo cameras ($50 and under) likely won't have optical zoom lenses. Cameras that don't zoom optically likely also won't focus, either. Just like single-use cameras, these sport simple lenses that are focused from about 4 feet to infinity, more or less.
Those are some general rules, and now you can go browse Adorama's compact digital camera department on your own if you wish. However, we've picked the following models (ranging from lowest to highest prices) as sterling examples of how you can get a pretty darn good camera without breaking the bank.
Top budget cameras
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 Canon Powershot A470
Price: approximately $115.
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What's the deal: Canon's A470 offers more than enough resolution for typical 4x6-inch prints and will even give you good enough 8x10s and 11x14s if you want to live large. It sports a 4x optical zoom lens, a generous 2.5-inch LCD monitor, face detection that optimizes focus and exposure for your people pictures, and lots of shooting modes. Available in Grey, Red.
What it has: 7MP sensor, 4x optical zoom (38-132mm 35mm equivalent), optical image stabilization, a 2.5-inch LCD monitor, low-light sensitivity to ISO 1600, movie recording capabilities, and a Print/Share button for direct-to-printer operation. The camera runs on a pair of AA batteries. It focuses as close as 2 inches in Wide-Angle macro mode, and has exposure compensation and manual exposure override options for more advanced photographers.
Scene modes: Auto, Camera M, Special Scene (Portrait, Foliage, Snow, Beach, Sunset, Fireworks, Aquarium, Indoor, Kids & Pets, Night Snapshot), Super Macro, Movie.
What it lacks: Durability, optical viewfinder, and speed of operation.
Who it's for: Primarily for snapshooters.
What's the deal: The Casio Exilim EX-Z29PE is slim (less than an inch thick), just like the rest of the Casio Exilim line of cameras. Second, it's web-savvy. It has modes that let you shoot photos optimized for eBay and videos that can be played on YouTube. It has Face Detection that can lock onto faces in a scene and optimize focus and exposure for flattering people pictures, and more than enough resolution for snapshooters. And it has an Easy Mode that basically lets the camera make all the decisions.
What it has: What it has: 10MP, 3x optical zoom lens (35-107mm f/3.1-5.6, 35mm equivalent), 2.5-inch LCD screen,1/2-1/2000 sec shutter speed range, ISO range 64-1600 (we recommend shooting at ISO 64-200 for best image quality), multi-pattern, center-weighted and spot metering, VGA and wide 848x480 video capture, close focus to within 6 inches, voice recording. Available in Black, Vivid Pink, Blue, Pink, Silver.
What it lacks: Optical viewfinder, longer-range zoom, shake reduction
Who it's for: Social networkers, snapshooters, kids and teens.
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Fujifilm FinePix A150
Price: approximately $70.
Current pricing and availability.
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What's the deal: This is about as bare-bones as it gets. What kind of camera can you get for seven ten-spots? Much more than you’d expect: A generous-sized LCD monitor, Face Detection (which can identify and optimize exposures for up to six faces in one scene), automatic red-eye removal gets the red out after the fact, clearly-written on-screen guides to the camera’s different settings, and even anti-blur, which automatically boosts the camera’s light sensitivity to reduce the chances of shaking the camera. It runs on easy-to-find AA batteries. The downside? The batteries run down faster.
What it has: 10MP sensor, 3-inch LCD monitor, 3x optical zoom (36-107mm 35mm equivalent, f/3.1-5.6), ISO 100-1600, ¼-1/2000 sec shutter speeds, focus as close as 1 foot, VGA movie recording, auto red-eye removal during playback. Available in Silver.
Shooting Modes: Modes: Portrait, Landscape, Sport, Night, Fireworks, Sunset, Snow, Beach, Museum, Party, Flower, Text, Baby, Anti-blur, Natural Light, Movie.
What it lacks: Optical viewfinder, long zoom range, larger aperture lens
Who it's for: Teens, grads, snapshooters on a really tight budget.
What's the deal: The Kodak EasyShare M340 offers enough resolution for 11x14-inch prints and has features typically found on cameras that cost twice as much or more. Built-in image stabilization (the digital kind) boosts ISO sensitivity, allowing for low-light, flashless photography (although there will be some graininess). The camera has a bevy of scene modes so you don’t have to guess about exposure for specific shooting situations, and has red-eye reduction. The camera lets you wirelessly send and receive pictures with Kodak’s picture mall feature. Available in Green, Silver, Blue, and Red.
What it has: 10MP sensor, 3x optical zoom (35-105mm, 35mm equivalent), ISO range 80-1600 (for best results, we recommend shooting at ISO 80-200), focus down to around 8 inches, VGA-quality Quicktime motion JPEG video, digital image stabilization using high ISO, easy to use in-camera slideshow feature with pre-loaded sound themes, 2.5-inch LCD monitor, shutter speeds 4-1/4000 sec, 16MB internal memory.
Shooting Modes: Portrait, landscape, close-up, night portrait, night landscape, snow, beach, text/document, fireworks, flower, museum/manner, self-portrait, high-ISO, children, backlight, panning, candlelight, sunset
What it lacks: Long zoom lens, optical finder.
Who it's for: Kids, teens, snapshooters on a budget, social networkers.
What's the deal: If you're looking for a camera with the cachet of Nikon and have your eye on fashion but don't want to break the bank, this camera is worth a serious look. It has a 3.6x optical zoom lens, a generous-sized LCD monitor, and enough resolution to deliver near poster-sized prints (and plenty for your typical 4x6 print). Smart Portrait system combines cutting-edge technologies (Face-priority autofocus, smile mode, blink warning and in-camera red-eye fix) to produce high-quality people pix.
What it has: 3-inch LCD monitor, ISO range from 64-1600, 10MP resolution, 38-136mm (35mm equivalent) optical zoom lens.
What it lacks: Fast reaction time, optical finder, long battery life.
Who it's for: Snapshooters who don't want to mess with photos after the fact in their computers. Great for teens and even pre-teens.
What's the deal: This is a really simple point-and-shoot camera designed with snapshooters and first-time photographers (read: kids) in mind. However, there’s an amazing amount of advanced technology, for the price, under the hood. This includes Intelligent Auto + Shadow Adjustment, that is designed to help snapshooters get accurate exposures in a variety of shooting situations without having to adjust any settings. The camera is well-suited for people pictures with Face Detection technology, which automatically locks onto faces in a scene and optimizes exposure and focus for the most flattering results. “Magic Filters” let you add artsy special effects to your images, such as Pop art, Pinhole, or Wedding. Available in Silver, Blue, Pink, and Black.
What it has: 12MP sensor, 3x (36-108mm) optical zoom lens, 2.7-inch LCD monitor, Face Detection, focus tracking (which follows moving subjects across the frame and maintains focus onthem) Super Macro focusing as close as 2 inches, ISO range 80-1600 (we recommend ISO 80-200 for best image quality), VGA video.
Scene modes: Intelligent Auto, Program Auto, Digital Image Stabilization, Magic Filter, Scene Modes (1. Portrait, 2. Landscape, 3. Night Scene. 4. Night+portrait, 5. Sport, 6. Indoor, 7. Candle, 8. Self Portrait, 9. Sunset, 10. Fireworks, 11. Cuisine, 12. Documents, 13. Pet), Movie, Magic Filter (Pop Art, Pinhole, Wedding)
What it lacks: A fast, longer-range zoom lens, optical viewfinder.
Who it's for: General snapshooting and standard TV-quality videos, snapshooters, kids and teens.
Panasonic Lumix DMC-LS85
Price: Approximately $100
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What’s the deal: Panasonic may be moving towards more advanced (and pricier) compact cameras, but it does have a few bargains. The LS85 is the least costly Panasonic, and yet it has a lens with a wide enough aperture to give you decent pictures in relatively low light without flash. Resolution, at 8MP, is more than enough for up to 11x14-inch prints, and it has such modern amenities as Face Detection, an optical image stabilizer (an unexpected bonus for such a low-cost camera), 21 scene modes and the ability to intelligently select the best of these modes as you’re shooting. It also has 50MB of built-in memory, so if your card fills up, you have back-up.
What it has: 8.1MP sensor, 4x optical zoom lens (33-132mm, 35mm equivalent) with f/2.8 maximum aperture, ability to detect up to 9 faces in Face Detection, Quick AF, ISO 100-6400 (we recommend shooting at ISO 100-400 for best overall image quality), 8-1/2000 sec, QuickTime movie recording in VGA, 4:3, 3:2 and 16:9 aspect ratios, digital red-eye correction, Macro focus to about 1 ft., 2.5-inch LCD monitor.
Scene modes: Portrait, Soft Skin, Self-Portrait, Scenery, Sports, Night Portrait, Night Scenery, Food, Party, Candle Light, Baby1, Baby2, Pet, Sunset, High sensitivity, Hi-Speed Burst, Starry Sky, Fireworks, Beach, Snow, Aerial Photo
What it lacks: Optical viewfinder, longer range zoom, manual control
Who it’s for: Snapshooters who like to photograph active subjects and don’t like lag time (when the shutter release pauses before the camera takes the picture).
What's the deal: A high-resolution camera with cutting-edge technology living under the hood, the Pentax Optio E70 packs a lot of artificial intelligence-driven features designed to make it point-and-shoot simple to get high quality shots. It knows when subjects are smiling and will alert you if someone blinked during the shot, automatically reduces shake, and recognizes up to 32 people in a scene and optimizes focus and exposure for the people in your pictures. You could make sharp 11x14-inch prints from images shot with this camera (as long as you shoot at a lower ISO settings). And yet, it runs on easy-to-find AA batteries, and has easy-to-learn controls.
What it has: 10MP, 3x optical zoom lens (35-105mm, 35mm equivalent), 2.4-inch LCD screen, ISO 64-6400 (we recommend using ISO 64-200 for best image quality), claimed 0.23 sec shutter lag. Pixel Track Shake Reduction reduces camera shake, lowers grain at all ISO's, Advanced Face Recognition recognizes up to 32 faces in a scene, optimizes focus and exposure in 0.03 seconds, Smile Capture releases shutter when subjects smile, Blink Detection gives audio alert if subject's eyes are closed. Also available in Deep Blue and Gold.
What it lacks: optical viewfinder, longer zoom range.
Who it's for: Gadgeteers and high-tech nerds on a budget, or anyone who is digital camera-phobic but still wants the best quality people pictures.
Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W180R
Price: approximately $130.
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What's the deal: The Sony W180 strikes a balance between cutting edge technology and ease of use in a small package. For instance, there’s a Function Guide which explains the camera’s many settings as you use them and Easy Shooting mode, which automatically selects the best combination of camera settings for the best shot in most situations. On the other hand, it also has Histogram Display, which lets you see via a graph whether your picture is properly exposed and in-camera retouching tools so you can eliminate things like red-eye. It is powered by a long-lasting, rechargeable Lithium-ion battery. All this for under $130!
What it has: 10MP Sensor, 2.7-inch LCD monitor, Face Detection (optimizes focus and exposure for up to 8 faces in 1 scene), 35-105mm (35mm equivalent) f/2.5-5.1 lens, ISO 100-3200, ¼-1/2000 sec exposure, Smart Zoom, digital image stabilization, Histogram, QVGA movies. Available in Black, Silver, Red.
Scene modes: Auto / Easy / Program Auto / High Sensitivity / Twilight / Twilight Portrait / Soft Snap / Landscape / Beach / Snow
What it lacks: Optical viewfinder, optical image stabilization, long-range zoom lens, Mac support.
Who it's for: Snapshooters, beginners willing to learn more about photography.
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