Beyond the snapshot: Compact cameras for fiddling photographers

Lori Grunin, Senior Editor

Updated March 10, 2008

Not everyone who wants a camera with lots of creative controls is looking to buy a digital SLR or even a pricey EVF model. Maybe you already own one and would like the convenience of having a compact camera in addition. Maybe you're just getting into photography and want a model that will let you learn and experiment without being overwhelmed. Or maybe you're just strapped for cash. Fortunately, there are affordable compact cameras that offer the manual exposure controls, a range of adjustable settings, and accessory compatibility you need to move beyond just pointing and clicking. These cameras don't have interchangeable lens systems or huge zoom ranges, but on the other hand, they'll give you the whole package for the price of a cheap SLR lens.

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Product name	Canon PowerShot A720 IS	Canon PowerShot A590 IS	Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX2K (black)	Canon PowerShot A650 IS	Fujifilm FinePix F50fd	Nikon Coolpix P5100

Review date	September 12, 2007	March 03, 2008	October 26, 2006	September 17, 2007	October 09, 2007	January 02, 2008

CNET editors' rating	7.8 Very good	7.8 Very good	7.4 Very good	7.6 Very good	7.5 Very good	6.2 Good

Users' rating	8.5 Excellent ( from 17 users)	8.0 Excellent ( from 5 users)	6.0 Good ( from 15 users)	7.4 Very good ( from 5 users)	5.7 Average ( from 12 users)	7.7 Very good ( from 10 users)

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Review summary	Unless you plan to shoot primarily in low light, the Canon PowerShot A720 IS makes a solid, affordable camera that produces great-looking pictures.	The Canon PowerShot A590 IS's manual exposure controls and surprisingly sharp pictures make it a great choice for almost anyone looking for a sub-$200 shooter.	The Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX2 is a good choice for an enthusiast looking for a powerful camera that can fit into a jacket pocket.	Performance issues aside, the Canon PowerShot A650 IS combines large, good-looking photos and a generous feature set into a fine midrange shooter.	The Fujifilm FinePix F50fd should please most snapshooters and its above-average exposure controls should appeal to advanced photographers, too.	Despite its image-quality strengths, sluggish performance tarnishes the appeal of the otherwise well-equipped, compact Nikon Coolpix P5100.

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Basic Specs
Video input type	Digital camera	Digital camera	Digital camera	Digital camera	Digital camera	Digital camera

Digital zoom	4 x	4 x	4 x	4 x	8.2 x	4 x

Effective sensor resolution	8,000,000 pixels	8,000,000 pixels	10,100,000 pixels	12,100,000 pixels	12,000,000 pixels	12,100,000 pixels

Light sensitivity	ISO 80 , ISO 100 , ISO 200 , ISO 400 , ISO 800 , ISO 1600 , ISO auto	ISO 80 , ISO 100 , ISO 200 , ISO 400 , ISO 800 , ISO 1600 , ISO auto	ISO 100 , ISO 200 , ISO 400 , ISO 800 , ISO 1600 , ISO 3200 , ISO auto	ISO 80 , ISO 100 , ISO 200 , ISO 400 , ISO 800 , ISO 1600 , ISO 3200	ISO 100 , ISO 200 , ISO 400 , ISO 800 , ISO 1600 , ISO 3200 , ISO 6400 , ISO auto	ISO 64 , ISO 100 , ISO 200 , ISO 400 , ISO 800 , ISO 1600 , ISO 2000 , ISO 3200 (5Mpix) , ISO auto (64-800)

Still image format	JPEG	JPEG	RAW , JPEG	JPEG	JPEG	JPEG

Lens aperture	F/2.8-4.8	F/2.6-5.5	F/2.8-4.9	F/2.8-4.8	F/2.8-5.1	F/2.7-5.3

Optical zoom	6 x	4 x	4 x	6 x	3 x	3.5 x

Equivalent 35mm focal length	35 - 210 mm	35 - 140 mm	28 - 112 mm	35 - 210 mm	35 - 105 mm	Info unavailable

Manual focus	Manual , Automatic	Manual , Automatic	Manual , Automatic	Manual , Automatic	Automatic	Manual , Automatic

Memory storage capacity	16 MB	32 MB	13 MB	32 MB	25 MB	52 MB

Display (projector) diagonal size	2.5 in	2.5 in	2.8 in	2.5 in	2.7 in	2.5 in

Display (projector) technology	TFT active matrix	TFT active matrix	TFT active matrix	Low Temperature Poly-Silicon (LTPS)	TFT active matrix	TFT active matrix

Weight	7.1 oz	6.2 oz	6.6 oz	10.6 oz	5.5 oz	7.1 oz

Flash memory form factor	Info unavailable	MultiMediaCardplus	Integrated	SD Memory Card	Integrated	Integrated

Battery technology	Info unavailable	Alkaline	Lithium ion	Info unavailable	Lithium ion	Lithium ion

Product name	Canon PowerShot A720 IS	Canon PowerShot A590 IS	Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX2K (black)	Canon PowerShot A650 IS	Fujifilm FinePix F50fd	Nikon Coolpix P5100

Full specifications	Full Specifications	Full Specifications	Full Specifications	Full Specifications	Full Specifications	Full Specifications

Price range	Check latest prices $167-250 from 15 stores	Check latest prices $149-180 from 21 stores	Check latest prices $353-400 from 4 stores	Check latest prices $290-435 from 21 stores	Check latest prices $186-266 from 9 stores	Check latest prices $273-400 from 18 stores