Leisure

Navigating the slew of digital shooters

by Les Shu
[ Updated: Jul 14, 2008 - 4:50:45 PM ]

Digital cameras are a lot like designer jeans: Many brands make seemingly identical versions, so you may not find the one that suits you perfectly until after you’ve shelled out for something that’s not quite right. Nowadays, every manufacturer is touting its own digital SLR, nearly all cell phones come equipped with point-and-shoot capability, and pocket cameras all look the same. To help you maneuver through this digital plethora, we’ve simplified things by identifying the best buy in each category.


BEST PROFESSIONAL SLR
Canon is renowned for its line of powerful lenses, and the EOS 1D Mark II N will accept virtually all of them, including older ones you may have from your film-based Canon SLR. It’s fast—able to capture 8.5 frames per second in continuous speed. The camera uses Canon’s proprietary chip and image processor to reduce distortion and quickly save images to the memory card. With a durable, weather-resistant metal body, this camera is not for the faint of heart. But if you’re looking to shoot everything from studio-quality portraits to car races, it does the trick. $3,999; usa.canon.com


BEST COMPACT CAMERA
A rugged all-metal exterior construction means the Olympus 720SW can survive a five-foot fall and be submerged in water up to 10 feet. With a 7.1-megapixel resolution and a 3X zoom lens, the fully automatic 720SW produces sharp, crisp images and can record video clips. At less than an inch thick, it’ll fit in any pocket. $400; olympusamerica.com


BEST ENTRY LEVEL SLR
Pocket digital cameras are great for everyday use, but if amateur hour is over, it’s time to buy the 6.1-megapixel Nikon D40 starter digital SLR. The manual mode lets you take full control of the camera, and the quick shutter response means you can capture fast-moving action, like your son’s game-winning goal. Nikon also added a graphics-based help menu for those of us who are prone to ignoring the instruction booklet. $599; nikondigital.com


BEST ALL-AROUND
For pure looks and legendary technology, it doesn’t get any better than the Leica M8. The 10.3-megapixel M8 is the first digitized version of Leica’s legendary M series, which dates back to the 1950s. The German manufacturer is synonymous with superb optics, and this camera accepts all M lenses made since 1954. The recognizable trademark body is handmade using solid brass and magnesium alloy. $4,800; leica.com


BEST CAMERA PHONE
The Samsung GSM Black Carbon camera phone has a 3.0-megapixel resolution with autofocus. Its white balance, exposure, and ISO settings can be tuned, and close-ups can be shot with the macro function. A TV-out port displays your photos on the big screen, and PictBridge lets you print them to a compatible photo printer. Works with T-Mobile and Cingular. $399; samsung.com