Top Ten Gift Lists!

Small point-and-shoot cameras typically offer incredible depth of field, which makes them surprisingly adept for landscape work. Consequently, I tend to prefer compact cameras that offer a wider lens. In this list of top ten point-and-shoot cameras, I try to offer a nice mix: some are great for wide angle shooting, others offer zoom capabilities that make them a great choice for telephoto shots. Make sure you know what type of shooting you plan to do before you pick one of these great cameras. Better yet - buy two!

	1	Canon Powershot G10 At a photography workshop I recently attended, an instructor was asked what point-and-shoot camera he carried when he didn't want to carry his DSLR. The Canon Powershot G10 was his camera of choice, and no wonder - at 14.7 megapixels, this camera sports a 28-140mm lens, 3" LCD, and a hot shoe for external flash. It also includes face detection and image stabilization. If you're a sophisticated shooter, you'll love this camera - but be prepared to have it set you back almost as much as an entry-level DSLR.
	2	Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS1 Don't like having to choose between wide-angle or zoom? Why not have it all? The Lumix DMC-ZS1 has a 25mm wide angle lens to capture those sweeping vistas. But why stop there? The 12x optical zoom takes you all the way to 300mm! With a 10 megapixel sensor and image stabilization thrown in for good measure, the Pani Lumix DMC-ZS1 may just be the perfect do-everything camera.
	3	Fujifilm FinePix F200EXR We decided to include a Fujifilm camera on this list because of their reputation for high quality images at higher ISO. If you read the reviews on this camera, you'll see that achieving spectacular images may take a bit of coaxing on your part to override the camera's default settings (for example, you'll find several folks recommend shooting at 6 megapixel instead of the full 12). But once you start making the decisions, you'll be impressed with this camera's output. Nothing fantastic in terms of lens here (28-140mm), but for low-light shooting in a compact body, you should definitely take a look at the FinePix F200EXR.
	4	Nikon Coolpix S630 If you're looking for something a bit more compact, check out the Coolpix S630. With 12 megapixels and a 7x optical zoom (37-260mm), you won't get much on the wide end but this camera more than makes up for it in reach. The S630 also features a crazy 11fps burst rate. At less than $250 and with those gorgeous Nikon colors, you can't go wrong!
	5	Olympus SP-590UZ I'm a real fan of Olympus cameras. They're not afraid to go there own way, creating technology today that the other manufacturers roll in to their cameras tomorrow. If you're willing to go with a slightly larger point-and-shoot, the SP-590UZ definitely deserves a look. Like the Lumix DMC-ZS1, this Oly combines great wide angle shooting (26mm) with breathtaking telephoto capabilities (676mm). That's right - this camera covers 26-676mm. The SP-590UZ includes image stabilization (you'll need it at 676mm!) and an electronic viewfinder. Definitely worth a look if you're not ready to step up to a DSLR but need the extra reach.
	6	Olympus Stylus Tough-8000 True, the image quality from the Stylus Tough-8000 may not be what you'll get from some of the other cameras on our list. But if you're shooting in difficult situations - skiing, boating, fishing - you should take a look at this camera. It's not just water resistant - you can actually take shots under the water! With a 12 megapixel sensor and a fairly ho-hum lens (28-102mm), don't buy this camera if you're just planning to take a few shots of your kid's birthday at Chuck E. Cheese. No - you'll buy this camera if you need something you can beat up, drop, use in freezing weather, or take submerged shots of your buddy landing that 24" Brown trout.
	7	Canon PowerShot SX1IS At $600, the PowerShot SX1lS costs almost as much as an entry-level DSLR. So why would you pay this much for a 10 megapixel point-and-shoot? Perhaps its the f2.8-5.7 aperture? Or the 28-560mm reach of the lens? How 'bout 4 frame per second burst mode? Hold on - are you sure this isn't a DSLR? Nope - it's got image stabilization that works in video mode, 1080p HD video at 30fps, and an articulating 2.8" LCD! Now you're talking! This camera may not be the best in low-light, but for outdoor work, give it a look!
	8	Sony Cybershot DSC-HX1 Like the PowerShot SX1LS, the Cybershot DSC-HX1 sports a 10 megapixel sensor and 28-560mm lens. Where this Sony outshines the Canon is in its burst mode - a whopping 10fps! It also sports a unique panoramic mode, high-def video (1080p at 30fps). Oh - and there's an HDMI port for direct connection to your high-def flat panel to view your handiwork straight out of the camera. A 3" tilting LCD completes the package. Unfortunately, if you need to capture in RAW you need to look at the SX1LS. But at less than $500 street, you should definitely give this camera a look.
	9	Leica M8 Digital Rangefinder OK - let's be frank. You're not going to buy this 10.8 megapixel Leica because it's got all the bells and whistles. You're going to buy it because it's a Leica Rangefinder - and you want everyone who sees you shooting it to know that you found a spare $4Gs in your seat cushions to pick this baby up. Don't kid yourself - you need to know what you're doing to shoot one of these (which means we technically shouldn't have included it on this list of point-and-shoots). But hey - shooting a rangefinder is just flat out cool - how could we leave it out?
	10	Panasonic DMC-LX3 So let's say you don't have a spare $4000 to spend on the Leica Rangefinder you really wanted. What's the next best thing for the rest of us? Wide and bright, the DMC-LX3K sports a 24mm Leica lens that opens up to a whopping f2. Plus, you get that sexy rangefinder look for only $600! You'll also find the DMC-LX3 provides more hand-holding, so if you like the rangefinder look but not the roll-your-own nature of a classic rangefinder, this just may be the camera for you.

We hope this list of point-and-shoot cameras proves that all the action is not in DSLR's these days - there's still plenty of good reasons to give the point-and-shoot a serious look. Packing portability and power into smaller bodies, these cameras definitely have their place. Happy shopping!

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