Compact cameras that shine in the dark

Lori Grunin, Senior Editor November 19, 2009

I'll begin with a caveat: snapshot cameras simply don't perform well in low light. Read through the user opinions of any model and you'll see complaints referring to graininess, poor color, colored dots, fuzzy photos, and so on--all different ways of describing how noise manifests itself in digital images.

That said, some cameras are better than others, especially if you understand their limitations. Rule No. 1: don't use Auto ISO in dim light. The camera will automatically crank it up to one of the highest sensitivity settings (so that you can use a relatively fast shutter speed) and the photos will likely look awful. I mean really bad. You're far better off raising the ISO sensitivity setting to its highest usable level, turning on hardware image stabilization where available, and remembering to stand very, very still because the shutter speed will likely be very, very slow.

Of all the snapshot cameras we've tested recently, these are the models that fare best at ISO 400. A few of them employ special technologies to attain better low-light performance. The Canon PowerShot S90 takes the simple approach: a relatively large, comparatively low-resolution sensor coupled with a fast lens. Then there's the Fujifilm FinePix F200EXR, which allows the sensor to switch between a high-resolution mode and a lower-resolution, lower noise mode. In the Cyber-shot DSC-WX1, Sony combines a lower-noise, back-illuminated sensor with a feature that combines multiple shots for improved noise, higher dynamic range photos in dim light.

That said, while these are the best of the lot, their low-light photos still frequently look smeary from the noise suppression algorithms, especially if you view or print them larger than 4x6; below that, you may be OK. But if you're still not happy with your nightclub or school play photos, then your only recourse is to spring for a digital SLR. Unfortunately, as your low-light demands increase, so does the price of the camera.

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