Whether you've got gift bucks to burn or want perfection for a pittance, one of the cameras or camcorders on this list should tickle the fancy of your favorite digital-imaging enthusiast. As always, we recommend finding a way for the recipient to try before you buy--especially with the pricier items. Remember: tis better to give than to receive, but tis better to give the right gift than the wrong one.
Editors' top pick
The bottom line: Though it's not perfect, the Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ5's compact midrange megazoom feature set puts it in a class with just its sibling, the TZ4, and should deliver a satisfying shooting experience.
Price:
$349.99
The bottom line: Like the D80 before it, the Nikon D90 delivers an excellent dSLR for the money.
Price:
$1,099.00 - $1,299.00
The bottom line: Nikon scores big with the D80, its new 10-megapixel, sub-$1,000 dSLR.
Price:
$1,399.95
The bottom line: Great photo quality and excellent continuous-shooting performance are just two of the Canon EOS 40D's many attractions in the digital camera marketplace.
The bottom line: Part smart-looking snapshot camera, part 4GB portable digital photo album, the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-T700 will satisfy those who like showing off their pictures as much as they like taking them.
Price:
$599.95
The bottom line: 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.
Price:
$304.95
The bottom line: For most people, the excellent photo quality of the Canon PowerShot SD790 IS will more than make up for any slight performance deficiencies or minor shortcomings.
The bottom line: Other cameras may deliver better image quality and performance, but none can survive the range of conditions that the Olympus 1030 SW was designed for.
Price:
$599.00
The bottom line: Though its lens isn't as wide and suffers from many of the same lens artifacts as its competitors, the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-H50 is a good megazoom camera with a lot of features for experiment-minded snapshooters.
The bottom line: Despite some minor flaws, Pure Digital's Flip Video Mino is the best mini camcorder for straight-to-Web video currently available--but it also costs more, and it can't match the features of a video-savvy point-and-shoot camera.
Price:
$99.99 - $179.99
The bottom line: Sony's Handycam HDR-SR11 and SR12 60GB hard-drive-based AVCHD camcorders deliver top notch performance and image quality.
Price:
$1,529.95 - $1,629.95
The bottom line: Canon's first flash-based camcorder, the Canon Vixia HF10, delivers excellent HD video quality and performance in a tiny package.
Price:
$499.99 - $689.18
The bottom line: Convenient, well-designed camcorders that look pricier than they are, models in the Canon FS series--FS11, FS10, and FS100--nevertheless deliver typical budget video in line with their budget price tags.
Price:
$519.95
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