Snappy Digital Cameras

KIMA

Story Published: Jun 23, 2008 at 5:40 PM PST

By Heather Reese

In the market for a digital camera? Well, the good news, according to Consumer Reports, is they all take pretty good pictures. So how to pick one? There are lots of things to consider.

While many cameras offer face recognition, a handful now have “smile technology.” You set the smile mode, select the face, press the shutter, and the camera actually waits until the person smiles to take the photo. Consumer Reports tested this feature and finds it works pretty well!

The delay when you press the shutter is another important consideration—you want a camera that responds quickly so that you don’t miss the moment. Testers time how long it takes each camera to snap a shot.

And because real life isn’t always perfectly lit, a camera that can handle bright and low light is key. In a new test, Consumer Reports assesses how well a camera captures variations in brightness in a single picture.

When all the testing was done, Consumer Reports found several great options, including the $280 Sony Cyber-shot DSC-T70. It has a very quick shutter response and a big LCD display, along with smile recognition.

If you want to spend a little less, Consumer Reports says the Canon PowerShot A720 IS is another good choice. It lacks some bells and whistles, such as smile technology, but you’ll get a viewfinder and very good image quality for the bargain price of $180.

You can get more buying advice for digital cameras in a free video at www.consumerreports.org/cro/electronics-computers/cameras-photography/cameras-camcorders/digital-cameras/reports/how-to-choose/index.htm.

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