Pixelperfect for Rs50,000 or less

Pixelperfect for Rs50,000 or less

BY ZAHID H . JAVALI

Buying a digital camera for the holiday season? Don't be overwhelmed by the choice. Our nifty shortlist will tell you if you should get a Canon or a Nikon, a Sony or a Panasonic, a compact or an SLR.

Along the way, we'll answer some of the questions that you will have asked yourself: How many meg- apixels do I need? What sort of lens should I get?
Does it record movies? Does it have manual settings?
What if I want to shoot RAW files? Will it work in low light? Does it have panorama mode? Is the preview screen big and bright?

To begin with, if you want something small to take with you to parties and on vacation, you basically want a compact at a great price. There are also plenty of mid-range prosumer cameras for those who want to learn a bit more and experiment with their photos. Once you're confident, you can move on to a Canon or Nikon DSLR. But start with our suggestions in five budget ranges.

Under Rs10,000

Sony Cybershot DSC-S930

Rs5,870

PROS

• Excellent-value, entry-level camera with 10.1 megapixels and 3x optical zoom
• Includes face detection and shake reduction

CONS

• Cheap price means a cheap lens and basic processor. Don' expect very high-quality image
• Settings are basic--for poin and shoot only

Canon IXUS 95 IS

Rs9,295

PROS

• A 10-megapixel, entry-level camera with lots of features, including an image stabilizer
• Slim and looks good. Will fit easily into your pocket

CONS

• Image quality breaks up when using high ISO
• Poor dynamic range; tends to overexpose

Under Rs20,000

Panasonic Lumix DMC FS7 (silver)

Rs12,090

PROS

• Relatively inexpensive in its category
• Fast performance and sturdy body

CONS

• Pixel noise at low settings
• Suffers from a bit of flat colou reproduction

Nikon Coolpix S8000 Rs18,950

PROS

• Impressive 14 megapixels and 10x optical zoom in an ultra slim body
• Image stabilizer and HD Vide recording

CONS

• Video resolution is only 720 pixels
• Lacks some features such as HDR and Panorama mode.

Under Rs30,000

Pentax K-x

Rs20,700

PROS

• Ergonomics allows great han holding and excellent HD video quality
• Solid build and extended ISO range at minimal noise

CONS

• Camera shakes during video t mode s
• The AA batteries give twice th t battery life of most mid-range DSLRs

Fujifilm Finepix S200 EXR

Rs28,800

PROS

• 12 megapixels with a great 14x optical lens for telephoto shooting. Snap it up: The Canon EOS 550D.
• Has RAW capability; works a lot like a small SLR, with all the easy-to-use features of a compact

CONS

• The big lens makes the camera less convenient to carry and stow away
• Functionality doesn't compare o with a full DSLR system

Under Rs40,000

Nikon D5000

Rs31,950

PROS

• It's fast and captures great photos with vivid colours
• Bonus option to shoot videos

CONS

• Small LCD display is problematic in sunlight
• Slow and noisy video reproduction

Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF1

Rs38,000

PROS

• Accurate colour rendering and seamless Live View experience
• Faster auto focus and pop-up flash

CONS

• Slow in shutting down
• Records too much ambient noise because of a sensitive microphone

Under Rs50,000

Pentax K7

Rs45,000

PROS

• Built-in dust removal, in-cam- era HDR and 77 weather/dust- proof seals (can operate at -10 degrees Celsius)
• Records 30fps HD quality video at an excellent 1536x1024 pixels

CONS

• Less intuitive focusing can lead to out-of-focus photos
• Lacks one-button system to record video

Canon EOS 550D

Rs49,999

PROS

• Impressive 18 megapixels resolution and a faster camera (Digic 4 processor)
• Compresses multiple RAW images and offers excellent dynamic range photos
• You can make movies with this camera

CONS

• Slow video autofocus speed There is no quick way to begin the video recording

Prices vary in different cities.

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