Gizmodo
I have a confession to make: I've never owned a digital camera. I've played around plenty with friend's point-and-shoots, and I have picked up a DSLR on occasion too. But I never saw the point of paying $300 for something my iPhone could pretty much do well enough. Now that summer's coming up and the price of high-megapixel cameras is going down, though, I figure it might be time to pick one out for myself—on the cheap. Let someone else waste money, I want to know what's good at $150 and not a penny more. I'm gonna be picky: I only want a camera that can take shots that make me look like a photography genius while in truth I'm a photography dumbass, but still, the key is to keep the price down. I tried out five $150-and-under cameras, and here's what I found:
Kodak EasyShare M853 ($150 , 8.2MP) - The Best UI
The Good: The UI is clean and straightforward. On-screen menus explain the different options very clearly. The color in outdoor, well-lit settings was very accurate. Macro shots were clear.
The Bad: For such a great UI, I was surprised at the mediocrity of certain features. The most problematic issue I found was the M853 wouldn't mount to my Mac. Neither iPhoto nor Image Capture recognized it as a USB mass-storage device. The display is too small to get a decent field of vision. There are few options for taking manual shots, and the buttons used for these limited options aren't labeled. The M853 had the worst battery life of any camera I tried. Low light/no flash situations yielded poor pictures.
The Verdict: A beginner will be taking pictures right away, but it's not worth the frustration that comes later.
Nikon CoolPix L18 ($140 , 8MP) - The Easiest to Use
The Good: The CoolPix is so simple that it pretty much has two modes: Auto and Easy Auto. No pure manual mode exists, but there are some scene options available if you need something more specific. Outdoor pictures as well as close up macro shots looked good. Most of all, I really loved the 3" LCD display—larger than any other I tested.
The Bad: It may be too simple for people who like to tinker with their shots. You can adjust exposure and ISO, but the options don't help very much and you may not have as much control over your pictures as you'd like. Low light shots came out very blurry. I am not fans of AA batteries in cameras, and this one takes two.
The Verdict: This camera is a no-brainer for those with no-brains. It's pretty much the digital equivalent of a disposable camera—decent pictures for a decent price.
Canon PowerShot A580 ($150 , 8MP) - The No-Frills Camera
The Good: This camera takes pictures and it takes them well. Outdoor pictures came out bright and colorful, and turned out best when we were able to get a clear shot of the subject without background distractions. Manual options are comprehensive and show changes live, allowing you to see your alterations. The A580 took the clearest pictures of any of the cameras in dim light/flash free situations.
The Bad: It's bulky and unattractive. Pictures taken from a distance were out of focus and came out bad. The UI is cumbersome. Indoor, well-lit, no flash macro shots did not come out well (though maybe that's asking too much). It too runs on AAs, which I have avoided buying since 2002.
The Verdict: If you want the best pictures you can get in this price range, the A580 is a good choice. If you want to win the $150-and-under point-and-shoot beauty contest, you better keep shopping.
Sony Cyber-shot DSC-S750 ($150 , 7.2MP) - The Fiddler's Delight
The Good: Pictures on the S750 turned out bright and crisp. Outdoor shots looked good, and so did indoor macro shots. Plenty of manual options put you in control of the pictures you take.
The Bad: It helps to have some experience with digital cameras if you want to get the most out of the Cyber-shot. The auto mode is fine, but the manual options are the stars of the show. The scene modes are few and located on the camera dial itself, not a menu, adding some awkwardness. Low light shots were blurry. It uses Sony's proprietary Memory Stick, and not SD, a big no-no in my book.
The Verdict: The Cyber-shot is a very complete camera, it takes good pictures in different situations, has many options as well as a solid UI. I think it's worth learning all of the features on the camera; after all, this will be an investment, and it could improve my photo-taking skills.
GE A735 ($100, 7MP) - The Cheapest
The Good: The A735 is seriously cheap—$40 to $50 less than the rest—and holds its own when it comes to features. Manual mode is full of options. Bright light pictures had rich, deep colors.
The Bad: Most pictures didn't come out well and were very dark. Indoor and low-light situations were blurry and unfocused. The UI is a mess, way too many options and not easy to figure out. I've said it before and I'll say it again, I don't want no stinking AA batteries!
The Verdict: If you're super-broke, wait until you save up some more and get something nicer than this. It will take pictures, but you won't be happy with most of them.
The Final Word: Point-and-shoots in this price range will never be masterful at taking great pictures. However, if you don't have the money or desire to make the DSLR investment, or even spring for the next step up, you don't have to be stuck with junky pictures or a junky camera. There are different things I liked about each one I tested, especially the screen on the Nikon and the picture quality of the Canon. But for the best all around package, I'd spend my hard-earned $150 on the Cyber-shot DSC-S750.
Comments
Excellent. Thanks so much; I really want a camera and this'll definitely help me decide. :D
Sorry for the double-post, but also, nice picture selection for the galleries.
i want the
Lumix DMC LZ8K
[www2.panasonic.com]
$179.95 comes out in 2 weeks
You'll wish you had those AA batteries when you are out somewhere and your camera dies and the local gas station doesn't carry your brand.
I have a higher end just-under-DSLR camera and personally, I prefer AAs. I bought a small form-factor battery charger that I keep in my camera bag. It charges the 4 AAs in 15 minutes, came with a car adapter, was around $35 AND came with 4 batteries that supposedly last longer in digital cameras.
When my friend and I went on a trip, when his battery died we would have to go to the hotel and wait and hour or two for the batteries to charge. When mine ran out, I ran into any store anywhere and was back in action in no time. That is if I didn't have a 15 minute stop somewhere with a wall/car power outlet where I could charge the damn things.
The AAs would have to be replaced maybe a little more often as any proprietary battery would, but the cost would probably be comparable in the long run.
Umm, where's Olympus?! Olympus hands down makes the best Point and Shoots on the market. This test means nothing without them.
@lafond66: I spoke to Olympus, but they had nothing that fit our price range (under $150) ... so they missed the cheap camera cut.
In speeding through this review. . I didn't notice any reference to viewfinders. If you find your self in bright sun or wear reading glasses then a viewfinder option is essential. therefore the Canon makes most sense. However I would cross check any choice with one of the many pro review sites i.e. stevesdigicam or dppreview among others.
[www.letsgodigital.org]
Yeah Where's Olympus? It may be the Kodak camera. Its design is ripped off from Olympus, who had it first.
No, no, no! The best camera at the $150 price point is the Canon SD1000. It's last year's model, but it's better than the new SD1100. Since they are clearing them out, you can find them as low as $140 if you look hard (or wait for a clearance). Fantastic compact form factor (slips into a pocket). Great features (7.1 MP, rechargeable battery, 3X optical zoom, etc.) Much better all-around than any of the ones above. Go to the usual sites for a full review (dcresource.com, for example).
GE makes cameras??
I have a cannon A720IS, nice little camera, but not cheap.
@bandit: I work at Target, and I've seen them as low as 70 dollars.
of course it was a clearance price, but still it's worth a shot to ask and see if they have any of them left over.
you're right though, for the price, even before the clearance markdowns, it's an excellent deal.
@bandit: I completely agree.
AWESOME camera that I bought for my mom for Xmas, and it's just awesome.
She likes it because it is very simple, but has a lot of options that she can meddle with.
Her favorite part is the skinny factor, that it can be put in a purse no problem, and she uses it all the time. The screen is also 2.5 inches, which isn't too shabby.
I just bought a Nikon S210 today for $179.99 at costco (came in a bundle with case and 1 gb lexar SD card). I wasn't expecting much, but they didn't have any SD1000s left. It seems like a SD1000/SD750 with VR and a nicer LCD. Picture quality is on par but shot to shot speed is slower. Plus its small as hell.
@rdldr1:
F- Olympus and F- xD cards. F- them right in the A-.
i readmodo the articulemodo lolmodo.
...........
Had no idea GE made digital cameras. It looks like they shouldn't. I looked into point and shoots a couple years ago, and Sony and Canon always excelled. I think Sony used to (and still may) make the cmos sensors for many of these cameras, and Sony optics were generally decent. Canon tended to produce better pics, often offering great the best of manual control options. Perhaps Sony's caught up. I got a Sony eventually because form factor, ISO and shot to shot time were more important to me than the best image quality, which cannon had. Sony's was still pretty good.
If you are using manual controls, then you should rarely come across blurry pics as long as you compensate for the zoom by opening the aperture and increasing the shutter speed. This will affect your depth of field, and if it's dark, there might not be much you can do without a tripod or steady placement (don't increase the film speed or iso too much on these inexpensive cameras--it'll all be noise). And don't trust the camera suggesting that the photo will be stable, and make sure to keep the shutter speed faster than the length of the lens (if you are zoomed in all the way at 105mm, you won't get a steady shot at a shutter speed of 1/60, though that would be fine if you were not zoomed in at all--or at 35mm)
Double AA batteries is the ONLY way to go...eneloops are the best of the lot.
I want a camera that costs $250 and records at least average 720p video, until then I'm sticking with my 4.2mp Samsung.
I'm happy with my Pentax Optio SV. It's a few years old, but it does it's job.
Some good deals can be found on used or older cameras, as well.
cannon powershot a460 "only 5mp"
new in da box. $85.00 @ microcenter!!!!!!!
Hey commenters, where's all the spit and vitriol ala the last camera battlemodo? Oh right, no one cares about low end cameras. Oh and by the way, there's speculation about a Nikon D90 coming soon: [www.bythom.com]
Oh and I third that observation... GE make cameras? Who knew.
@itb: I've owned 4 models of Canon's ELPH line (SD110, SD400, SD600 and now the SD1000). The SD1000 is by far the best they've ever made in this form factor. They simply did a great job. So good that the biggest benefit of the 1100 model seems to be the choice of pastel colors (and poo brown, if you like that).
Actually, I wouldn't mind a recommendation for a very cheap and durable, simple camera that I can give to my 3-year-old kid to play around with. Big buttons and a decent screen will suffice as probably no photos will make it to the computer. Would be nice if I could set a long review time so that the kid can stare at her own photos between shots without having to switch to "review" mode. The ones they sell as toys are really terrible and cost as much as a mid-range model. That GE sort of looks tempting for this purpose, at $80 from Radio Shack.
@thechansen: just saying Kodak should't copy directly from Olympus' designs.
I have a hand-me-down olympus camedia d-565 4 megapixel (it was my sister's, but she got a fancy dslr).
I like it, but it has extremely shitty battery life. I went to a party with it and it wasted 4 batteries with moderate use through the night. thats crazy!
I personally prefer the Canon - I have an old-ish A530 and it's fine for casual photographers like myself.
Did you review the video-taking features?
@rdldr1: that's the same camera I used to have before I got my cannon A720IS
Canon.
Always choose canon.
best picture quality, if you choose to upgrade later the layout of the cameras are the same. Canon has been in the photo game a long time and they do digital best.
I have a Powershot A20 that I've had for 7+ years and still works like a charm, I've since upgraded, but the powershot is a great "purse/pocket" camera.
As far as point and shoots go, only the Sony w-series stacks up IMO. Went from the dsc-w5 to the w200, haven't looked back since.
Thank-you for proving that the world doesn't rotate around DLSRs
So Benny, for the last 10 years you've not had a digital camera because your iPhone that only came out a year ago has a camera? Hmmm...
I think you're just trying to namedrop the iPhone.
Or perhaps you're force to mention the iPhone due to Gizmodo's daily iPhone quota?
Canon, FTW. End of story. My A530 has taken many a great picture over the years.
The one thing I hoped they improved in the A580 was the battery life. Using zoom as much as I do eats AAs like nobody's business.
Invest in a set of good rechargeable batteries and you're set though!
The canon is a far superior camera. It has the truest colors by far. Kodaks look yellow and Sony's look blue. I spend a lot of time with these, and Canon has the best image sensor.
The AA battery thing I agree with. But, instead of getting rechargeable, get the Lithium. Take one out when you aren't using the camera, even if you are just done for the night and you are gold.
@bandit: We just bought the GE a couple weeks ago for our daughter's 3rd birthday. It takes reasonably good pictures, and even has an image stabilization mode, which is handy for a 3 year old. It's pretty solid too, but fortunately we have a very careful kid so it doesn't get dropped really. It's good enough to last her a few years I think. Those "kid's cameras" are junk- they are basically phonecams in a big housing.
lol my step dad has the same coolpix L18 and my mom has that exact same cannon camera.
Is Casio a bad word on here or something? I LOVE my Exilim. Slim, great pix, lots of manual options, li-ion battery, SD storage. I haven't priced them lately, though. Are they all above $150 or something?
I would like to see a 8 or 10MP version with a manual setting of the Kodak EasyShare One. Best camera I ever had. My brother's Panny literally pans on everything and my mom can't even use the Sony I gave her last christmas.
The old 4MP Kodak clunker is always in my back, always ready to upload anything.
I like my fuji- I have an A610 that I got for somthing like $110- $120 (I forget the exact price) but besides taking pretty damn clear pictures with reealy good color accuracy, it is fast as hell- wheras most cameras take up to a second to take a shot- in anywhere near decent light mine is pretty near intantaneous which is awesome when you are out and about and need to take pics of something (or someone) before they run away.
@LittleJon: I though the exact same thing when I read it.
@LittleJon: Perhaps he was simply referring to the fact that he's never felt the need for a real camera, because his cell phone's camera has always proved sufficient. Common sense?
im gonna second or third or fourth or however many its been the sd1000. it dominates everything.
Want a damn good camera under $100? Shop eBay for models a couple years old and you will find much better cameras than the ones tested here.
@JustEaton: You're too generous! Why didn't he just say, "...I never saw the point of paying $300 for something my cellphone could pretty much do well enough"?
Sounds like he was taking the opportunity to make sure we knew he has an iPhone (which he probably paid $600 for, even though he considers $300 to be a lot for a camera)!
Maybe this an attempt by the Apple fanboys to turn "iPhone" in to the shorthand for cellphone in the way "iPod" is widely used to mean any PMP/MP3 player?
The Canon A570 IS is around $150 and has tons of great features and has Image Stabilization (a great feature to have)
actually olympus makes two cameras at that price point. the fe 310 ($149) and the fe 770 ($99) both are indeed decent cameras for the price. they are a bit bulky and take double aa batteries. also like sony the use a brand specific card that cost twice as much as the sd card. panaramic feature is pretty cool though!
So I've been messing around with this Nikon Coolpix S210 for a few hours and I would like to throw out a little review.
Good:
Image quality is on par with SD1100, SD1000, SD750 (These three I see as the S2