On testDigital Cameras
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Canon
Ixus i7 Zoom £249
6/10 |
Casio
EXILIM Zoom £279.99
8/10 |
Fuji
Finepix F20 £199.99
10/10 |
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About this test
This
month we're looking at digital cameras and we've specially chosen Anna
Baria, amateur photographer and mum of three to test six of the latest
models on the market. Anna is an active member of the babyworld community
and was 'recruited' after we discovered her wonderful camera tips in babyworld's
Product
Talk forum!
Like many mums who visit babyworld, we knew she was the perfect person to help with this month's reviews and we think you'll find her knowledge of digital cameras a real help - especially if you're thinking of buying one this Christmas. Read on for Anna's top buying tips and find out more about the six cameras on test in the Test Overview.
Testing Criteria
- Style
- Ease of Use
- Features
- Picture Quality
- Value for Money
Buying tips
Camera size: What are you going to use the camera for? Carrying around with you all day so you never miss one of those great moments your child always provides you with? If so, a compact camera is just what you need.
You can keep it permanently in your handbag, nappy bag, coat pocket etc, ready to whip out at the drop of a hat. Compact cameras are so advanced now that they have everything you could need in a camera and unless you were a professional or a serious enthusiast you're unlikely to need any additional features.
Megapixels: On the whole the more megapixels a camera has the better the picture quality, but anything around the 6-8 mp range is a good size. The main feature of a bigger megapixel size is the ability to enlarge the photo, so anything 6mp and above should provide you with great poster sized prints with no loss of picture quality.
Zoom: You need to look out for cameras equipped with an 'optical zoom' - this uses the lens of the camera to bring images closer without sacrificing picture quality and resolution.Digital zooms are as good as useless, the picture is manipulated digitally to look as though it is bigger resulting in appalling picture quality, I don't know why manufacturers insist on putting digital zooms on cameras!
Manual Control: Sometimes it's nice to call the shots yourself by learning about exposure and changing the settings to achieve the effect you are after. Other times it's great just to pick up the camera, set it to 'Action' and snap away at little Johnny leaping down the track in his sack race, safe in the knowledge that every picture will turn out perfectly in focus.
It's up to you how much or how little you want to control your photographs and there are cameras out there that give lots or very little manual control. The choice is yours and worth checking up on when deciding which camera to go for.
Awards - which products won?
Anna felt that the Samsung NV7 OPS was the best camera overall and awarded it 'Best Buy' for it's 'amazing design, superior photo quality and high class features that allow you to create some amazing shots. The 'Best Value' award went to the less expensive Fuji Finepix F20, which Anna described as 'a wonderful, compact camera with a multitude of features usually found in more expensive models'.
To find out more about each of the cameras on test, make sure you read the Full results
Where to next?
