Adorama Camera
Adorama Learning Center
Gear Guides & Reviews
Compact Digital Cameras

Compact Digital Cameras

Back to Gear Guides & Reviews page


Small cameras, big features

Forget the pixel count and look for the best features in these miracles of miniaturizatoin!

By Mason Resnick - May 23, 2013


First things first: Don't worry about how many megapixels a compact digital camera boasts. At this point, that number is irrelevant since all compact digital cameras enough resolution for big blow-up prints. 8MP will do you just fine. Since your smart phone already has that resolution, why buy a compact digital camera? There are other features and capabilities to look for in a compact digital camera:

  • Lag time: Lag time has been virtually eliminated in premium compact digital cameras. Not so much in cell phones.
  • Smarts: Most compact cameras offer a plethora of scene modes, and the newest models have some variation of "Smart Auto," which analyzes the scene and determines which scene mode combination of settings will give you the best exposure--all in a fraction of a second.
  • Face recognition: Most cameras can identify faces in a scene and optimize exposure for them. Some will even warn you if your subject blinked!
  • Ruggedness: Once upon a time, if you dropped a camera or got it wet, it was dead. Now a new generation of ruggedized cameras are starting to hit the market so if you're a spaz or have an active lifestyle, this is an essential feature that isn't available on camera phones.
  • Advanced features: If you already have a DSLR or simply like taking control of the camera from the camera, some models have manual exposure and focus overrides as well as other advanced features, so you can get the benefits of a DSLR without the bulk.
  • Bigger sensors: Even the smallest compact camera sensor is bigger than sensors found on cell phones, which leads to better image quality. A new generation of premium compact cameras even have DSLR-sized sensors that produce pro—yes, pro—image quality.

Use this section to find out how compact cameras work, and which one may be right for you. But remember: pixels don't matter any more.

 

100 Articles
Popular Tags
RSS feed
compact digital camera system compact digital camera camera digital compact compact camera APS street photography nikon canon photography mode Olympus Panasonic scene mode Focus on Street Photography Product Review test how-to MILC Mirrorless Interchangeable-Lens Compact resolution ricoh adorama EVF Fujifilm image quality Leica review buying guide buying tips Casio Leica X1 Mirrorless Interchangeable Lens Compact Olympus E-P3 Ricoh GXR samsung tips Adorama TV exposure
Items per page
Showing 10 of 100 results
Page:
  • ...
Tested and Compared: 21 Top Cameras For Digital Low-Light Photography

These Digital Cameras Can Almost See In The Dark! UPDATED FOR SUMMER 2013:

ArticleBuying Guides Gear Guides & Reviews - by Mason Resnick, 6 hours ago

view Comments (20)

If strobism is not your thing, there's good news. Boosting your ISO is an effective way to capture images in low light—and many digital cameras are getting better at handling low light photography. Here are 21 top low-light high-ISO cameras.

  Read more

TAGS: nikon,  canon,  buying guide,  Olympus,  Panasonic,  pentax,  samsung,  ISO,  buying tips,  high ISO,  hasselblad,  Phase One,  low-light photography 

APS Sensor Compact Digital Camera Shoot-Out

Which Posh Big-Sensor Pocket Camera is Best?

ArticleCompact Digital Cameras Gear Guides & Reviews - by Sandy Ramirez, 4 days ago

view Comments (5)

What do the Ricoh GR, Nikon Coolpix A, and Sigma DP-1 Merrill have in common? Pocket-sized, 28mm (equivalent) lens, and an APS sensor. Which is best...or is it a three-way tie? Let's find out!

  Read more

TAGS: compact digital camera,  system compact,  APS,  Sigma DP1 Merrill,  Nikon Coolpix A,  Ricoh GR 

What You Must Know About Optical Viewfinders for Compact APS Digital Cameras

Eye-Level Viewing Is A Necessity For New Serious Compacts

ArticleCompact Digital Cameras Gear Guides & Reviews - by Mason Resnick, 7 days ago

A new generations of pocket-size APS sensor compact digital cameras is here. Here's the one gadget that will complete the picture.

  Read more

TAGS: optical,  optical viewfinder,  compact digital camera,  compact camera,  system compact,  APS,  viewfinder,  Voigtlander,  Sigma DP1 Merrill,  Nikon Coolpix A,  Ricoh GR 

Product Review: Nikon Coolpix A

APS-C sensor produces best-in-class image quality

ArticleAdoramaTV - Product Reviews Gear Guides & Reviews - by Mason Resnick, 13 days ago

view Comments (2)

Can this minuscule marvel rival DSLRs for image quality and performance? Check out how the Nikon Coolpix A did on the street and in the lab in this exclusive in-depth Adorama Learning Center product review.

  Read more

TAGS: nikon,  street photography,  compact digital camera,  compact camera,  system compact,  APS,  Nikon Coolpix A 

Product Review: Ricoh GR

Compact Camera with Film-Era Roots Is A Game-Changer

ArticleCompact Digital Cameras Gear Guides & Reviews - by Mason Resnick, 25 days ago

Can this quick little pocket camera rival DSLR image quality and performance? It is the world's smallest APS sensor camera; that changes everything.

  Read more

TAGS: street photography,  photojournalism,  compact digital camera,  system compact,  documentary,  APS,  candid,  Ricoh GR 

The Best Smart Phone Waterproof Cases and Waterproof Digital Cameras Right Now

Waterproof Protection for Smart Phones And Cameras: Time To Hit The Beach! UPDATED AND EXPANDED FOR SUMMER 2013

ArticleCompact Digital Cameras Gear Guides & Reviews - by Mason Resnick, 25 days ago

view Comments (31)

Are you the adventurous type? Like to be one with the mud? Want to get great underwater snorkle shots? Don't mind getting wet, gritty, dusty, and dirty? These protective cases for your fragile mobile devices, as well as the latest compact waterproof digital cameras, are designed for you.

  Read more

TAGS: digital camera,  summer,  weather,  weather-resistant,  compact digital camera,  underwater,  waterproof,  rugged,  dustproof 

The Best Advanced Compact Digital Cameras Right Now!

UPDATED FOR SPRING 2013

ArticleThe Best...Right Now Gear Guides & Reviews - by Mason Resnick, March 15, 2013

view Comments (4)

The high end of compact cameras with built-in lenses—also known as System, Advanced, or "Posh" compacts—has never been more diverse than it is today. Here's a look at today's top models.


  Read more

TAGS: nikon,  canon,  digital camera,  Panasonic,  sony,  system compact,  Leica X1,  Ricoh GXR,  Sony NEX,  Fujifilm X100,  Olympus E-P3 

The Best EVF Cameras Right Now!

UPDATED FOR SPRING 2013

ArticleThe Best...Right Now Gear Guides & Reviews - by Mason Resnick, March 14, 2013

Whether they have built-in long-range zoom lenses or interchangeable lenses, the Electronic Viewfinder camera category (sometimes referred to as “bridge” cameras) has undergone a resurgence in the last year.

  Read more

TAGS: nikon,  canon,  buying guide,  Casio,  Fujifilm,  Kodak,  Panasonic,  Leica,  samsung,  buying tips,  sony,  EVF,  EVIL,  MILC Mirrorless Interchangeable-Lens Compact 

5 Green Digital Cameras That Let You Shoot Irish-Style

It's easy shooting green!

ArticleCompact Digital Cameras Gear Guides & Reviews - by Mason Resnick, March 7, 2013

Saint Patrick's day is coming. If you're wearing the green, try shooting the green as well.

  Read more

TAGS: compact digital camera,  compact camera,  system compact,  Mirrorless Interchangeable Lens Compact,  mirrorless 

Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX7 Product Review

Trip The Light Fantastic

ArticleCompact Digital Cameras Gear Guides & Reviews - by Mason Resnick, December 4, 2012

view Comments (1)

The Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX7 promises exceptional low-light performance in a small package. Is this the Little Deuce Coup of compact digital cameras?

  Read more

TAGS: Panasonic,  compact digital camera,  compact camera,  system compact,  Panasonic LX7 

Items per page
Showing 10 of 100 results
Page:
  • ...
Bookmark this page