The cheapest and best digital camera

It’s generally agreed that two hundred dollars is the optimum price for compact digital cameras.  Reviewers and buyers alike see that price as being the point where features reach an acceptable minimum and price reaches and affordable maximum.  But as with anything else in life, there are always a few bargains to be had if you hunt around and in fact there is a fair range of cameras to be bought for under a hundred dollars.  We look at some of the best of them here.

The GE A1250 isn’t the most compact of compacts, but it will fit in a largish pocket.  And there’s plenty of compensation for the chubby body in this camera.  First of all, it produces really sharp images from its 12.2 megapixel sensor, one of the biggest at this price range.  It’s also fast and responsive to use.  This one’s hard to beat at the price, although shooters used to modern LCD displays might find the one on the GE A1250 a bit small.
Fuji’s FinePix Z20fd is another compact that’s good value for under a hundred dollars, although the garish colours may be off-putting for some, unless you can find it in black.  Fuji has always performed well at the bottom end of the camera market and this model shows it knows its business.  The camera offers a decent range of features which include a 2.5 inch LCD, a 10 megapixel senso and a 3x optical zoom.
HP has produced a cheapie that’s unique in this price range: the CW450t’s LCD is only 2.7 inches, but it’s a touch screen which makes all the difference.  That’s an indicator of the quality in this brilliant little camera which boasts 12.2 megapixels and a 4x optical zoom.  This is a beginner’s camera that really outperforms its promise with good colours and sharp images.  The camera is also designed for one-hand operation which is a definite bonus in any compact.

Kodak has finally got the hang of making low-end digital compacts with its excellent EasyShare C195.  This point and shoot has a 14.1 megapixel sensor, a 5x optical zoom and a 3 inch LCD display.  For under a hundred dollars that’s a pretty good feature set.  It’s also has the ability to tag photos and upload them automatically to email or social networking sites.  Battery time isn’t a problem here either, as the EasyShare runs on two AA batteries which are easily replaced.  Like a lot of cameras in this price range, it comes in a number bright colours.

The Casio Exilim EX-Z16 is a camera for the most basic or beginner photographer.  It has a 12.1 megapixel sensor, a 3x optical zoom and a 2.7 inch display.  It’s cheap and cheerful and easy to use, but it does have one thing going for it: it takes excellent pictures.  Not bad at this price.

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