Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS20
From inexpensive point-and-shoots to compact interchangeable lens cameras to full-size digital SLRs, this is a list of our favorite cameras to give and receive right now, no matter what kind of photographer you're shopping for.
Budget compact megazoom
The ZS20 is our top camera gift pick because it offers excellent photos and videos for its class, a broad feature set, and fast shooting performance, all at a reasonable price. It's a great fit for anyone who's looking for a long zoom lens in a pocketable package that can be used for snapshots and movie clips.
The good: The Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS20 has an excellent design and feature set, including an ultrawide-angle 20x zoom lens, GPS, and semimanual and manual shooting modes, as well as fast shooting performance and improved low-light photo quality from previous versions.
The bad: Using all of the ZS20's high-performance features, such as its near-pointless touch screen, can really cut into battery life. Also, photos are noisy and soft when viewed at 100 percent.
The bottom line: The Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS20's 20x zoom lens might be the main attraction, but the camera is all-around excellent.
October 31, 2012 3:00 PM PDT
Photo by: Sarah Tew/CNET
