The Best Point and Shoot Cameras

Point and Shoot of the Year:

Canon PowerShot S90IS ($400)

Nearly every professional photographer either has the Canon PowerShot S90IS camera high on their holiday wish list or it’s already in their pocket.

I have to applaud Canon for having the guts to not only drop out of the megapixel race but also to go a step further and reduce the pixel count on the S90 to 10-megapixels. Combined with it’s larger than average image sensor and super fast 28mm-105mm F/2.0 IS lens, it delivers exceptional low-light performance and unprecedented image quality for a pocketable point and shoot camera.

Like DSLRs, in addition to a full Auto mode, it has Manual, Aperture-prority, Shutter-prority, and Custom modes plus Movie and Scene Modes and can also capture your photos in RAW+JPEG.

The S90′s 3-inch high resolution 461,000 dot, high contrast ratio LCD with wide viewing angle and multiple coatings is bright, sharp, and impressive. Canon claims that the multiple coatings help prevent scratches and reflections. I’ve had mine in and out of my pocket probably a thousand times and it’s still scratch-free so they’re doing something right.

Not content with just blowing away all other pocketable cameras with the S90′s superior image quality, Canon also introduced an innovative Control Ring for customizable control and easy operation of Focus, Exposure, ISO, Step Zoom, or White Balance. For pros who want to set everything manually, it’s makes using a point and shoot FUN again and can even tempt novices to explore manual settings.

The S90 has only one standout fault: it only shoots Standard Definition (SD) video. At least the SD video (640 x 480 @ 30 fps, 320 x 240 @ 30 fps) it produces is sharp and very high quality. Frankly, I’d rather have its sharp/high quality SD video than the lousy quality HD video which many other point and shoots and even some DSLRs are crippled by.

Runner Up:

Fujifilm FinePix F200EXR
(Replaced with the Fujifilm FinePix F80EXR in February 2010.)

If you are lusting over the Canon S90 but can’t convince your wife to let you spend $400 for it, the Fujifilm FinePix F200EXR maybe the way to go. In terms of features, size, and other specifications its similar and has pretty good image quality. Even though it definitely doesn’t match the S90, it’s the closest you can get for over $100 less.

An added 6-megapixel High Sensitivity and Low Noise mode uses two adjacent pixels together to absorb more light in the darkest of conditions and produces low-light shots of good quality with minimal noise.

A Wide Dynamic Range mode combines two sequential exposures of the 6-megapixel High Sensitivity and Low Noise mode to produce an in camera, natural looking, High Dynamic Range photograph.

Best Hybrid (Still AND Video) Point and Shoot:

Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS3
(Replaced with the Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS7 in February 2010.)

If the absence of High Definition (HD) video recording in the S90 was a deal breaker for you, the Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS3 is your best bet.

It records in AVCHD (MPEG-4/H.264) format, via AVCHD lite or Motion JPEG at 1280 x 720 at 30 fps, 848 x 480 at 30 fps, 640 x 480 at 30 fps, or 320 x 240 at 30 fps. Its stereo microphone allows it to record Dolby AC3 stereo soun. For built-in mics/sound it’s not too bad; it’s noticeably a step above other cameras in its class.

As a still camera, the ZS3 holds its own against others in it’s class but it doesn’t come anywhere close to the Canon S90. At least its quick to startup, pretty quick to focus and has good image quality with decent high ISO output in smaller prints. Panasonic also throws in a 12x zoom (25-300mm F/3.3-4.9) IS Lens and a 3-inch 460,000 dots high-resolution LCD screen.

Best Value Point and Shoot:

Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZR1
(Replaced with the Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZR3 in February 2010.)

The Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZR1 is the little brother to ZS3 and shares many of the same features.

However, to cut costs, Panasonic outfitted it with a different sensor, a smaller and lower resolution screen (2.7-inch LCD with 230,000 dots), and it only shoots SD video. It’s slightly slower to zoom as well but it still delivers very good image quality, reliable focus and exposure, good colors and decent high ISO output in smaller prints.

If you can’t cross the $250 barrier, right now the Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZR1 is the way to go.

Best Waterproof/Ruggedized Point and Shoot:

Pentax Optio W80
(Replaced with the Pentax Optio W90 in February 2010.)

The Pentax Optio W80 is ideal for the outdoor adventurer or anyone who has a serious case of the dropsies.

Pentax claims it can withstand the impact from falls of more than three feet. It’s also waterproof up to 16 feet deep for up to two hours, dustproof, and coldproof down to 14 degrees. But all the ruggedness sacrifices image quality and other features. Your phone’s camera might even capture better photographs but at least the W80 can be brought with you places you wouldn’t consider taking your phone or any other camera.

Beware though. A common misconception about waterproof cameras is that you can bring them to the beach without worry. That just isn’t the case. Exposure to sand and saltwater is almost a certain and quick death sentence for the camera.

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