Budget Camera Shootout - Eight Cameras Tested at Digital Camera Resource Page

[Lee Yuan Sheng]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.dcresource.com/reviews/2010-budget-camera-shootout' target='_blank'>http://www.dcresource.com/reviews/2...camera-shootout</a><br /><br /></div><p><em>"For many years now, the trend on this website has been to review the more expensive, cutting-edge cameras. Not only do those cameras capture my interest -- they are what the majority of DCRP readers are curious about, as well. Recently, I was reminded by a reader that I wasn't giving enough attention to entry-level cameras. These cameras may be boring to tech enthusiasts, but let's face it, millions of them are sold every year to regular folks who want something easy-to-use that takes decent photos."</em></p><p><img src="http://images.thoughtsmedia.com/resizer/thumbs/size/600/dht/auto/1277731626.usr15670.jpg" style="border: 0;" /></p><p>Jeff Keller of the <a href="http://www.dcresource.com" target="_blank">Digital Camera Resource Page</a> has done a nice roundup of eight budget digital cameras. As digital cameras becomes more commoditised, reviews tend to become fewer and fewer, especially in the budget section, where unfortunately it is an area where it's likely to be a big segment of consumers who will likely need some help in making their choices. So if you know of anyone who's just looking for a cheap, no-frills camera that won't let them down, send them over to this roundup.</p>

[Reid Kistler]

As the owner of 3 Canon digital cameras, was not shocked to see the Digital ELPH turn out on top - :D - even though it is out of a mediocre group, none of which would be likely to make a personal shopping list (expect, perhaps, as a gift....). ;)

That sounds a bit harsher then intended: Am certain nearly any new model would run rings around our old 3.2MP A70 - and do so for perhaps half the cost (?)
And certainly there is a place for the "I can literally slip it into my shirt pocket" models: but nearly every phone has a serviceable snapshot camera these days, and for anything beyond "Look what I found at the store" pictures, I still want a) an eye-level viewfinder, b) at least a small hand grip, and c) the ability to run off AA batteries (which a hand grip makes possible).

As with other models in their lineup, find it interesting that Canon can provide both a Waterproof Housing and an External Slave Flash for a "budget camera!" Advantages of standardization, one suspects.

OTOH, WAS a bit surprised not to see the Panasonic in the top grouping, as well as by the relatively poor showing of the Sony & Olympus models. Banking upon reputation? Or are models at these prices simply becoming truly commodity items?

[Jason Dunn]

Nice to see a review like this because, yeah, as a reviewer myself I don't like spending time on reviewing the mundane items - entry-level P&S cameras, budget 15.6" laptops, etc. - yet those are exactly what many people buy. Nice that this reviewer could break past the prejudice guys like us tend to have. :D

[Chris Gohlke]

Reid - glad to see I'm not the only one that finds running off AA's to be a positive!

Until the last year, I'd been using a cheapo Polaroid as my always with me camera and a Canon S2 IS for most other things, both ran on AA's.

Now my Droid is pretty much my pocket camera and I upgraded to a Rebel for anything serious.

[Lee Yuan Sheng]

The Canon is the most expensive camera in the lineup, so I guess those few extra tens of dollars help.

The Droid has a terrible camera, if it's anything like my Milestone. It's really terrible. My Nokia E72 has a way better camera; I'd use that for the casual stuff. It's a real shame too, because Android (and the iPhone) has the fun apps to use the camera with.

I dislike viewfinders in compact cameras. They're tiny, dim, and horribly inaccurate. It's a crapshoot using them. I'm saying that as someone who values viewfinders highly too. I never use them on compact cameras. Nowadays I'm leaning towards a good EVF on compacts instead.

[Jason Dunn]

Reid - glad to see I'm not the only one that finds running off AA's to be a positive!

It's just you and Reid on the whole planet. :D

(well, OK, anyone who needs to live on an African plain for six months also falls into this category...) :)

[Jason Dunn]

I dislike viewfinders in compact cameras. They're tiny, dim, and horribly inaccurate.

Yeah, I remember a few years back, in the Canon S100/S110 days, I refused to consider any P&S camera without an optical viewfinder. It was just something I *had* to have...then when more cameras started to drop that feature, and I basically had to buy one without...well, wouldn't you know it, I quickly realized I didn't need it. I think it's human nature for us to cling to things that we think we need, but when they're gone, many is the time we realize they weren't so critical after all...