If your ideal camera is a compact camera
The most popular choice of camera, offering great
features in a tiny package
Cannon IXUS 230 HS
- $259/12.1MP
The IXUS 230 HS has a range of auto features that make it
great for any subject, as well as Cannon’s HS system, making it ideal in
low-light situations. The simplicity and features make it perfect for easy
shooting.
The top three features to look out for in a compact
camera
- Optical zoom: getting a camera with a good optical zoom
will allow you to get closer to your subjects.
- Art modes: some compacts come with built-in art filters
and creative modes to enhance your images.
- Wi-Fi: if you want to share your shots straight to social
networking sites, look for built-in Wi-Fi.
‘Compact cameras are ideal for beginners, providing
simple photos with little effort’
Compact cameras are the most popular and therefore the most
common form of dedicated camera. They are fairly inexpensive, and do not
require any accessories to use them to their full ability, but it is ultimately
their portability that makes them so well-liked.
Compact cameras are very easy and intuitive to use, and
being almost entirely automatic they allow users to concentrate on taking
photos without having to worry about adjusting any settings. This makes them
ideal for beginners, providing simple photos with little effort. However,
recent models have started to include more and more shooting options that allow
the users to have control over the final image. These different modes are being
tailored toward people who want great shots instantly, so most compacts are now
incorporating automatic scene modes that prepare the camera for your particular
subject.
Pros
Compacts are generally very small, and therefore easy to
carry around
Recent compacts now come with a huge amount of auto featuers
They are relatively inexpensive when compared to other
cameras
Cons
Image quality isn’t as good as more expensive cameras
Compacts don’t have a full range of manual and creative
modes
They are mostly automatic, which can put off experienced
users
If your ideal camera is a tough compact camera
A simple camera for shooting in any situation
Olympus TG-820 -
$300/1.2MP
The TG-820 is a camera to take anywhere, being shock-proof,
waterproof and crush-proof. The camera features a 12-megapixel sensor, a 5x
optical zoom lens, a three-inch LCD and HD movies.
The top three features to look out for in a tough compact
camera
- Tough exterior: many tough cameras are dust-proof and
freeze-proof and can shoot in any situation.
- HD video: great for recording in extreme weather
conditions, lots of tough cameras shoot in full-HD video.
- Simple controls: the simple controls allow these cameras
to be used wherever they’re needed.
Tough compact cameras are a relatively new concept, and they
allow photographers to take their compact cameras pretty much anywhere, in any
weather, and in all conditions. They are commonly fully waterproof,
crush-proof, dust-proof and freeze-proof, meaning there are very little
conditions or places that they won’t function.
Due to the conditions that they are designed to withstand,
tough camera are very simple to use, coupling large buttons with simple
automatic controls. This allows adventurous users to take advantage of any
shooting situation, whether they’re underwater or wearing gloves.
This type of camera is generally as simple as they get,
usually containing everything a basic compact camera would. The technology used
to keep them waterproof and strong is ultimately what you pay for, but this
becomes a very useful feature in a huge variety of extreme shooting conditions.
Pros
The waterproof body lets you use it in the rain as well as
under water
They are very simple to use, often being completely
automatic
The strong exterior means they won’t be broken easily
Cons
They are completely automatic, so users have no controls
over settings
Image quality generally isn’t as good as comparable compacts
Due to having a watertight body, the zoom range is very
limited
