Best digital cameras

We've picked our top choices from among the best digital cameras to hit the store shelves this year.

It’s easy to get swept up in the holiday hoopla and ensuring shopping chaos, and cutting through all the coupons, discounts, and deals can make it difficult come decision time. Couple all that with the headache of foraging through electronics specifications, and some might admit defeat. We’re here to help, and consider this your guide to picking out the perfect digital camera. Whether you’re looking for a starter DSLR, need that first point-and-shoot, or want to branch out into the mirrorless realm, we’ve picked and pulled our favorites from among the bestselling and best-reviewed devices from the past year or so. 

Point-and-Shoot

Sony Cyber-shot TX55 ($350)

Sony’s Cybershot series have been popular point-and-shoots, with their sleek build and—dare we say iconic—sliding front panel. Fans of the lineup will approve of the Tx55‘s upgrades and incredibly small packaging (it’s the thinnest Cyber-shot yet). It includes a host of features that point-and-shoot buyers are expecting more and more, including a touchscreen, face detection, and sweep panorama.

Key specs

• 16.2 megapixels
• 5x optical zoom
• ISO 100-3200

Canon PowerShot ELPH 310 HS ($200)

When it comes to point-and-shoots, you can’t really go wrong with a Canon. The ELPH series has become something of a legacy name within a legacy brand, and the ELPH 310 HS doesn’t break tradition. This tiny device manages to fulfill all of your basic photography needs with impressive results, as well as boasts a nice bright LCD display and it can hold its own in low light.

Key specs

• 12.1 megapixels
• 8x zoom
• 1080p HD video capture
• ISO 100-3200

 

Canon PowerShot S95 ($319.95)

The Canon PowerShot S95 is not a new camera, but if it ain’t broke don’t fix it. The compact camera is over a year old but it remains a choice point-and-shoot for a variety of reasons, including it’s affordable price and ease of use. It also performs above average in low lighting situations for a pocket cam.

Prosumer compacts

Nikon Coolpix P500 ($400)

This superzoom camera from Nikon lives up to its category with a 36x zoom. But it packs a real punch with its adjustable LCD display and commendable image quality. With the P500, ultra-wide panoramas become a possibility, and impressive close-ups are guaranteed, all in a very ergonomically thought-out package.

Read our full Nikon Coolpix P500 Review.

Key specs

• 12.1 megapixels
• 1/2.3-inch CMOS sensor
• 36x lens zoom
• f/3.5-5.7
• ISO 100-12800

Canon PowerShot S100 ($429)

The high-end point-and-shoot is becoming an increasingly popular device, and many users’ first digital camera. Which makes sense for a few reasons, but primarily if you’re going to learn to shoot even a little bit, don’t limit the playing field by buying a below average product. That will just lead to years of incremental upgrading. The Canon PowerShot S100 means you have all the thin goodness of a pocket cam with the ability to step up your manual shooting cam at whatever pace you choose. The obvious caveat is the high price, but this thing has staying power.

Key specs

• 12.1 megapixels
• 1/1.7-inch CMOS sensor
• GPS
• ISO 80-6400

Canon PowerShot G12 ($500)

The G12 has some bulk to it–to say the least. There’s nothing streamlined about this device, but its machine-like exterior aptly represents its insides. This prosumer beast is a favorite shooter that continues to hold its own among new competition, with its HD video recording, adjustable screen, and 28-140mm focal range.

Fujifilm Finepix X100 ($1,200)

The Fujifilm Finepix X100 was the belle of the digital camera ball last year, although it tends to deny further definition. The vintage body captivated consumers for its striking beauty, and features like the hybrid viewfinder and DSLR-comparable sensor mean it produces some of highest quality stills from a fixed-lens camera on the market. You’ll have to put up with some hardware quirks and a bit of an isolating in-camera user interface, but those don’t distract from the photo results. No matter its issues, it remains a top choice among photo enthusiasts.

Read our full Fujifilm FinePix X100 Review.

Key specs

• 12.3 megapixels
• 23.6mm x 15.8mm (APS-C) CMOS sensor
• f/2-f/16 aperture

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