Digital Cameras for Christmasby Michele Cheplic | More from this Blogger 12 Dec 2007 10:00 PM Do you have someone on your holiday gift list who is requesting a new digital camera? As prices drop (you can get a decent digital camera these days for about $200) it seems as though the number of people without digital cameras is dwindling. The pocket-sized devices are becoming an indispensable part of everyday life and the statistics prove it. According to a recent study, more than 105 million digital cameras were purchased in 2006. So what happens if you have a loved one who is requesting a digital camera for Christmas, but you don't know which one to get? That's where this blog comes in. Obviously, it would be helpful if you knew what features your loved one was looking for in a camera, but if you don't want to give away the surprise you could consider purchasing one of the most popular and user-friendly cameras on the market. The following cameras have all scored high marks with photography experts. Each camera offers excellent image stabilization and face-recognition technology, which in my opinion are must-haves in a digital camera. For those of you who are unfamiliar with the terms, image stabilization helps eliminate blurry photos caused by slower shutter speeds and shots taken in low light, and the face-recognition feature allows the camera to adjust its own exposure and focus settings in response to the number of people in the picture. Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W200. This is one of Sony's most popular and affordable digital cameras. It offers 12.1 megapixels for less than $350. It also comes with a direct HD output via a proprietary cable and an MPEG movie mode that captures VGA (video graphics array) audio at up to 30 frames per second. Casio Exilim S880. This camera is barely a half an inch thick, yet it offers 8.1-megapixel resolution with a 3x optical zoom and 2.8-inch LCD screen. It retails for about $250 and comes with a YouTube-capture mode. Perfect for the teen or college coed on your gift list. By now you know I prefer to shoot with Canon cameras. And experts agree the company's PowerShot line of cameras "sport nearly everything you'd want in a point-and-shoot." The Canon PowerShot SD950 IS combines 12.1 megapixels with a 3.7x optical zoom and face-detection technology, while the PowerShot SX100 pairs 8.0 megapixels with a 10x optical zoom and image-stabilization technology. Related Articles: Photography Potpourri--More Matting Tips and the Perfect Camera for eBay Users The World's Slimmest Digital Camera Digital Photography 101: Choosing The Perfect Ultra Compact Camera Digital Photography 101: Picking The Perfect Camera Cameras: Knowing When To Upgrade Learn more about Michele Cheplic  Michele Cheplic was born and raised in Hilo, Hawaii, but now lives in Wisconsin. Michele graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison with a degree in Journalism. Relevantphotography tags User Comments No comments on this article yet. Be the first to comment! Community Tags cameras, digital cameras, digital photography, photography Discuss this article
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