You don’t need to take out a second mortgage for a DSLR to take great photos. Here are our favorite cameras that will do it for under $300.
While it would it would great spending $500 or more for a digital camera, getting the most bank for buck makes at lot of sense today—or anytime. What follows are 10 digicams that go for less than $300 online or in stores–and take great photographs. You won’t find any barebones sub-$100 cameras here simply because, for the most part, they’re not worth it even at the low price. Spend a bit more for a solid camera and you’ll have photographic payoff that’ll last for years.
Canon PowerShot SX120 IS<$199
This model proves you don’t have to bust your budget for a solid digicam. Available for less than $199, the 10-megapixel SX120 IS has a powerful 10x zoom meaning you can take nice people shots and great close-ups–the range is 36mm to a whopping 360mm. Running on easy-to-find AA batteries, the SX120 IS is as simple to operate as you’d like but also offers advanced options such as aperture- and shutter–priority modes as well as manual, features not typically found on such affordable cameras. Optical image stabilization helps you capture tack-sharp images and the 3-inch LCD makes framing shots a breeze. The only real drawback is the lack of HD video but you can still take 640×480 VGA clips.
Casio Exilim Zoom EX-FH100≈$289
Casio is known for its ultra-thin point-and-shoots but they’ve broken new ground with their latest line-up of high-speed cameras. In the case of the EX-FH100 (around $289) that means you can shoot action subjects such as kids playing soccer at 40 frames per second—light speeds faster than typical compacts. The camera uses a new 10-megapixel CMOS sensor to make this magic happen. It also has a 24-240mm 10x optical zoom, a 3-inch LCD screen and takes good quality DVD-level videos.
Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W350$179
One of DigitalTrends.com’s favorite new camera features is Sony’s Sweep Panorama. To grab beautiful vistas you simply press the shutter while “sweeping” across the scene. There’s no need for extensive post-processing on your computer—the panorama is stitched together in your camera. The feature first appeared in expensive models (naturally) but now it’s available in the very affordable ($179) 14-megapixel W350. Along with Sweep Panorama, the digicam has a 4x zoom (26-105mm), high-quality optical image stabilization, a 9-point auto focus system and a 2.7-inch LCD screen.
Nikon Coolpix S8000≈$299
DigitalTrends.com reviewed this camera and liked it a lot. We found that for around $299, the S8000 is a very good, lightweight 14MP camera that takes high-quality stills. It’s extremely simple to use and has a versatile 10x focal length of 30-300mm, making it a good choice for vacationers or anyone who wants a solid digicam at hand. Unfortunately its HD video quality is very low-definition but if you’re looking for a quality camera—i.e. a device for capturing photographs–keep the S8000 in mind.
Check out our full Nikon Coolpix S8000 Review.
FujiFilm FinePix Z800EXR$229
The soon-to-be-introduced Z800EXR is the replacement for the Z700EXR. While it has similar features, it’s actually $50 less than last year’s model ($229 MSRP). We’re big fans of trends like this. What we like about the Z800EXR is its extremely compact size (.8-inches thin) that easily fits in your jeans or handbag. Slide down the front panel and the 3.5-inch touchscreen LCD comes to life. The 12-megapixel camera has a solid 5x optical zoom and takes 720p HD videos. It’s available in red, gold, black and pink so it really stands out.
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