Small Digital Cameras

Since the appearance of the first digital cameras, at least ones that were actually any good, it seems that they are getting smaller every day. The smallest digital camera available will fit on a key chain however please don’t expect it to rival a decent digital camera of the aptly named compact variety.

Tiny key chain cameras are really cool but they will not offer much in the way of quality pictures or functionality. For the majority of people looking for small digital cameras most will opt for something that will fit easily in a pocket or handbag yet host dozens of features that often rival a decent DSLR (digital single lens reflex) used by a professional or skilled amateur.

Early digital cameras were expensive but as the technology advanced prices fell while quality and features have risen. The vast majority of so called ‘point and shoot’ digital cameras around today are more or less the volume and weight of a deck of playing cards. A good quality small digital camera from manufacturers like Canon or Nikon will set you back anything from $100 or so to several hundreds. As always the price you pay is dependent on functionality and you need to decide early on what are’ must haves’ and what features you can do without.

All digital cameras use an image sensor to capture and process data which ultimately makes up the picture you see on the LCD viewer or on your computer screen. Picture quality is almost always associated with the size of the sensor, this is measured in megapixels. Early digital cameras were lucky if they had a one megapixel sensor, these days some small compact cameras boast twelve megapixels and these cameras will produce really excellent photographs. What this means in plain English is that you can enlarge the photos without compromising picture quality so if this is important, and for most of us it will be, get a digital camera with a high megapixel count.

Many small digital cameras are of the point and shoot variety which simply means that they are ready to go right out of the box. The more you pay the more functions will be included which usually makes the camera more versatile. For example if the camera has a good optical zoom it is easy to capture those distant shots that you would otherwise miss. If you want a camera with a zoom lens always opt for optical one which means that the lens itself magnifies the image. Many small digital cameras have digital zooms which simply enlarge the image on the sensor, this reduces picture quality and should be avoided if you want to maintain best performance.

Another thing to look for are settings that setup the camera for different lighting conditions without having to shift through menus and posess a degree in digital photography. The Casio Exlim range is an excellent exponent of this, just one click on the best picture button gives easy choices to scroll through to meet every eventuality  from indoor, outdoor, shade, backlight, night shots, fireworks etc, its all there.

Many small digital cameras don’t have a viewfinder, usually these will have the biggest viewing screen that can be fitted in the rear of the camera. That’s fine but watch out in bright sunshine, many LCD viewers fade away to almost nothing in bright light and if you cannot easily see the screen how are you going to take the picture? Try to find a camera that has both viewfinder and viewing screen, trust me, having used these cameras personally since their inception, you will be glad you did.

There are many small digital cameras that take good quality photographs for less than $200 one such is the Kodak EasyShare M1093 IS.  A 10 megapixel digital camera it has a short shutter delay, a three inch LCD viewer and has a 3x optical zoom.

For those who prefer  really slim cameras, the Sony Cyber-Shot T900 is a good option. Only a half inch thick, and very, very light it has a touch screen to set up the camera, boasts 12.1 megapixels, and even has a 4x optical zoom. Watch out though battery life can be poor depending on what you use it for so carry spares.

The Canon PowerShot SD1200 IS (also called the Canon IXUS 95 IS) is the latest in a line of ultra compact digital cameras. Part of Canons’ ELPH range it has 3x optical zoom, 10 megapixels and a 2.5 inch LCD screen. Moreover this camera has image stabilization and face recognition technology.

Sony have developed arrange of really small digital cameras, the slimmest yet is the Cyber-Shot T900. Only half an inch thick with touch screen controls and a 4x optical zoom it make you wonder how they fit it all in.  Battery life is compromised however so carry spares.

Nikon have been into small digital cameras right from the start, the Coolpix series is well known and respected. One of their latest models, the Coolpix S70, has a massive 2.5  inch viewing screen, touch screen controls, image stabilization and a really good 5 x optical zoom. Despite all this hardware the Nikon is less than four inches wide 2.4 inches long and less than one inch in thickness. There are some cutting edge features with this camera, for instance you can tap the touch screen on a subject and the camera will automatically focus. Like other small digital cameras with lots of high end features the drain on battery life is evident so carry a spare.

Many small digital cameras now rival there bigger brothers, the DSLR’s both in functionality and picture quality. There has never been a better time to splash out on a good quality digital compact.

Buying a small digital camera these days is easy, getting exactly what you want is not, so take a look at the major manufacturers websites, this may help you decide. There is no one manufacturer better than another although well known suppliers like Canon, Nikon Olympus and Pentax are the first choice for many.  Sony & Samsung are probably more famous for producing really first rate camcorders and as such have really innovative functions on many of their cameras. Strong too are Panasonic and Fujifilm both these manufacturers are very popular and produce really high quality cameras. Take a look at Casio too, their Exlim range of point and shoot compact digital cameras are now really sophisticated.

Finally don’t forget Kodak, the name was first registered in 1888 and the Kodak company was founded in 1892 so they know a thing or too about picture taking!