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Power Shopper: Digital Vacation Memory Makers
As summer vacation approaches, what is the best camera to take?
by Ralph McGill Jr.
May 30, 2008
A
s summer vacation season approaches, many families participate in similar debates: What
kind of digital camera is best to take along?
When it comes to digital cameras, men are from big old Mars and women are from cute little
Venus. Men will usually choose a single-lens reflex with a supermegapixel resolution and enough
power features to knock out a tank. This kind of camera usually requires an equipment case to carry
it all and weighs slightly less than an anvil.
Women on the other hand want to lose the weight. They often opt for a pocket or
purse-size model that they can carry with them wherever they go. But while convenient, these
cameras are often less than satisfactory in the resolution area. And they sometimes don’t
offer a decent telephoto zoom.
Here are two single-lens reflex cameras that are sure to satisfy the male gadget fascination
while keeping size and weight to manageable limits.
The Nikon D80 currently sports a 10-plus megapixel resolution, so it will take huge 11 by 14
and larger prints. The model looks like a professional-level Nikon, only slightly smaller, and
comes with two Nikkor automatic zoom lenses that together will cover the wide-to-telephoto lens
spectrum quite nicely. And like many Nikons, it is a might pricey; it lists for just over a
thousand dollars.
Check out the Nikon
Coolpix S600, which boasts 10 megapixels for generating prints in a variety of sizes, has a wide
angle lens for capturing all sorts of action and boasts a vibration reduction that compensates for
a shaky camera. Another great feature is the Active Child Mode that frames and focuses on one’s
subjects even when they move. This allows the photographer to select and frame her subject before
shooting and, even if the subject moves, the camera will track and focus on the moving subject as
you click away. The Coolpix S600 retails for about $299.95.
Also available this month is the more affordable Kodak Z1012, with 12 megapixels of
resolution and a 12x optical zoom. This $300 camera can take images in HD resolution, and
comes as part of the Kodak Easy Share system that lets you make supersize snapshot prints on Kodak
photo paper for optimal archival capability.
The Kodak Z1285,
also part of the EasyShare system, is a compact point-and-shoot camera that may be the best
compromise if you must pack just one camera. It comes in six fashionable colors, boasts 10
megapixel resolution and has a compact 3x zoom lens that goes from mild wide angle to moderate
telephoto. It even records HD video and music. And it retails for less than $200.
Another great Kodak camera is the EasyShare M1033 digital camera that boasts several
innovative features such as scene detection, intelligent capture control in which it
automatically sets camera settings, including exposure, focus and ISO for clear pictures, and
intelligent image processing, which reduces noise and clears up dark shadows.
Perhaps the most
stylish and slimmest digital camera of them all is the Sony T2. Fitting easily in a pocket, this
point-and-shoot cutie still has an impressive 8.5 megapixel resolution and a useful, albeit
limited, zoom. The internal memory is remarkable – more than40 MB. Choose from snazzy silver,
bright pink or sunshine yellow exteriors. These cameras allow HD video uploads with music.
For just $385, it’s a winner.
