Cheap Digital Camera

According to the IRS, the average American's tax refund this year will be around $2,000. Some may choose to sock it into savings while others will opt to use that money for something like a vacation package or a cruise. The good news is that these days you can get airfare plus three nights at a hotel in the Caribbean for well under $1,000. So, why not take what's left over and treat yourself to a really nice camera so you can take pictures of your vacation that you'll treasure forever?

Lucky for you, the prices of enthusiast-level digital cameras have plummeted in the last year. This class of camera is perfect for people who have a burgeoning interest in taking really great pictures. You don't have to be an expert to use one either—they generally have plenty of automatic settings for simple point-and-shoot moments. But at dawn, while the kids are still asleep, you can sneak out and use your camera's manual controls and high-end optics to capture a spectacular sunrise or an exotic bird landing on the water.

We've gathered up five of our favorite enthusiast cameras for your perusal. They're neither cheap nor small, but they provide professional-quality images and versatility that you simply won't find in a compact or ultracompact camera, and without the pro-level price and bulk of a digital SLR.

All five models offer razor-sharp image quality as well as plenty of manual and automatic controls, but depending on your interests, one model's features may make it stand out. For example, if you do a lot of landscape or architecture shooting, the Nikon Coolpix 8400 offers the widest-angle lens we've seen on a digital camera. If you're going on safari and don't want to be too close to sharp-toothed subjects, check out the long 7X optical zoom lens—and anti-shake feature—on the Konica Minolta DiMage A2. If you're simply looking for raw pixel power for producing large prints, the venerable Fujifilm FinePix S7000 lets you capture images at up to 12 megapixels (interpolated), though three of the others offer 8-megapixel resolution. For taking pictures of the kids playing in the sand, you'll want a fast-performing camera; either the DiMage A2 or the FinePix S7000 will fill the bill. Finally, the Canon PowerShot G6 will provide top-notch images and features while leaving you with enough room in your bag for plenty of stuff like sunscreen and your favorite spy novel. Read on to find out all the details about each one.

And if your tax refund was a bit less than you expected, you can still choose from plenty of excellent cameras for under $500.

Still not sure which class of digital camera is right for you? Check out our essential buying guide.

In this roundup:

• Canon PowerShot G6 Excellent picture quality—images are well exposed and sharp, with great color reproduction.

• Konica Minolta DiMage A2 It offers exceptional features and handling characteristics, and is one of our Editors' Choice pics in the enthusiast group.

• Olympus C-8080 Wide Zoom A top choice for serious shooters, it offers excellent picture quality and good feature depth.

• Nikon Coolpix 8400 We love the Nikon Coolpix 8400 for its wide, telescoping zoom lens, which takes impressively sharp images.

• Fujifilm FinePix S7000 Zoom This solid camera offers fast shooting, quality images, and ultrahigh resolution.

Check out our comparison table of these products

Copyright © 2005 Ziff Davis Media Inc. All Rights Reserved. Originally appearing in PC Magazine.