Compact digital cameras that get the big picture

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Lori Grunin, Senior Editor October 20, 2009

It's difficult--but not impossible--to find a snapshot camera with the chops to capture scenic vacation vistas or real-estate interiors. Putting a lens with a wide-angle view in a compact camera is a technological challenge for a variety of reasons, and digital camera manufacturers are slowly chipping away at the problem. All of these cameras provide the 35mm equivalent of 28mm lenses at their widest, and 28mm should suffice--wider lenses can introduce disconcerting distortion.

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Features
Product name	Fujifilm FinePix F200EXR	Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX150 (silver)	Canon PowerShot SD940 IS (black)	Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W290 (silver)	Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS3 (blue)	Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS1 (black)
Price	$282.95 to $368.99	$363.99	$259.00 to $299.99	$195.95 to $279.95	$277.19 to $349.99	$228.95 to $279.99
CNET editors' rating	4.0 stars Overall score: 8.0 (4.0 stars)	3.5 stars Overall score: 7.4 (3.5 stars)	3.5 stars Overall score: 7.6 (3.5 stars)	4.0 stars Overall score: 8.0 (4.0 stars)	3.5 stars Overall score: 7.5 (3.5 stars)	3.5 stars Overall score: 7.4 (3.5 stars)
Average user rating	4.0 stars			4.0 stars
Review date	July 16, 2009	February 06, 2009	September 16, 2009	May 19, 2009	April 16, 2009	June 19, 2009
The Bottom Line	Don't let its new sensor technology scare you off: the Fujifilm FinePix F200EXR is an excellent compact camera with shooting features for just about every type of user.	The Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX150 is an excellent blend of usability, features, and photo quality.	One of the best ultracompacts available, the Canon PowerShot SD940 IS nonetheless falls short of greatness in performance and photo quality.	The Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W290 is an excellent, well-balanced compact camera.	As long as you don't want much in the way of manual features, the Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS3 is a very nice camera that can handle a variety of shooting situations.	With a flexible lens in a pocketable package, the Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS1 is a pleasing point-and-shoot megazoom--both in design and photo quality.
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Lens aperture	F/3.3-5.1	F/2.8-5.6	F/2.8-5.9	F/3.3-5.2	F/3.3-4.9	F/3.3-4.9
Equivalent 35mm focal length	28 - 140 mm	28 - 100 mm	28 - 112 mm	28 - 140 mm	25 - 300 mm	25 - 300 mm
Optical zoom	5 x	3.6 x	4 x	5 x	12 x	12 x
Light sensitivity	ISO 100 ISO 200 ISO 400 ISO 800 ISO 1600 ISO 3200 ISO auto ISO 6400 (6Mpix) ISO 12800 (3Mpix)	ISO 100 ISO 200 ISO 400 ISO 800 ISO 1600 ISO auto ISO auto (1600-6400)	ISO 80 ISO 100 ISO 200 ISO 400 ISO 800 ISO 1600 ISO auto ISO 3200 (2Mpix)	ISO 80 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 auto ISO auto (1600-6400)	ISO 100 ISO 200 ISO 400 ISO 800 ISO 1600 ISO auto ISO auto (1600-6400)
Display (projector) technology	TFT active matrix	TFT active matrix	TFT active matrix	TFT active matrix	TFT active matrix	TFT active matrix
Video input type	Digital camera	Digital camera	Digital camera	Digital camera	Digital camera	Digital camera
Digital zoom	4.4 x	4 x	4 x	2 x	4 x	4 x
Weight	6.2 oz	5.3 oz	4.2 oz	5.1 oz	7.2 oz	7.3 oz
Effective sensor resolution	12,000,000 pixels	14,700,000 pixels	12,100,000 pixels	12,100,000 pixels	10,100,000 pixels	10,100,000 pixels
Still image format	JPEG	RAW JPEG	JPEG	JPEG	JPEG	JPEG
Display (projector) diagonal size	3 in	2.7 in	2.7 in	3 in	3 in	2.7 in
Manual focus	Automatic	Automatic	Automatic	Manual Automatic	Automatic	Automatic
Full specifications	Full specifications	Full specifications	Full specifications	Full specifications	Full specifications	Full specifications
Buying choices	Newegg.com $289.00 In stock: Yes B&H Photo-Video $284.95 In stock: Yes Beach Camera $284.95 In stock: Yes Prices from 11 CNET Certified stores	eCOST.com $363.99 In stock: Price from 1 CNET Certified store	TigerDirect.com $299.99 In stock: Yes B&H Photo-Video $259.95 In stock: Yes Beach Camera $269.00 In stock: Yes Prices from 15 CNET Certified stores	TigerDirect.com $209.99 In stock: Yes B&H Photo-Video $229.99 In stock: Yes Amazon.com $229.99 In stock: Yes Prices from 12 authorized stores	TigerDirect.com $319.99 In stock: Yes Beach Camera $277.90 In stock: Yes B&H Photo-Video $349.95 In stock: Yes Prices from 13 CNET Certified stores	Newegg.com $266.99 In stock: Yes Amazon.com $279.95 In stock: Yes TigerDirect.com $249.99 In stock: Yes Prices from 16 CNET Certified stores