Digital compact cameras
Easy to use and small enough to slip into a pocket or bag, a digital compact camera is the perfect companion when you want to take photos without having to lug a big camera around. 
Digital compact cameras comparison chart for 2012
| Rank | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | ||||||||||
Canon Powershot SX130 |
Casio Exilim EX-H5 |
Panasonic Lumix DMC-FP3 |
Ricoh CX2 |
Nikon Coolpix S8100 |
Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX5 |
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Ratings  |
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Overall
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Photo quality
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Features
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Ease of use
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Help & support
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Specification |
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Resolution (megapixels)
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12.1 | 14.0 | 12.0 | 12.20 | 12.0 | 12.1 | 14.1 | 9.3 | 12.10 | 10.2 | ||||||||||
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Digital zoom
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1x | 4x | 5x | 1 | 4x | 4x | 4x | 4.8x | 4x | 14x | ||||||||||
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Optical zoom
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3x | 5x | 15x | 4x | 12x | 10x | 4x | 10.7x | 10x | 10x | ||||||||||
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LCD Display (inches)
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2.5 | 3 | 3 | 3.5 | 3.0 | 2.7 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | ||||||||||
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Size (inches)
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3.4 x 0.7 x 2.1 | 4.09 x 2.2 x .98 | 4.21 x 2.4 x 1.1 | 3.9 x 2.3 x 0.7 | 4.45 x 2.87 x 1.81 | 4.09 x 2.32 x 1.14 | 3.9 x 2.32 x .75 | 4.02 x 2.28 x 1.14 | 4.09 x 2.36 x 1.18 | 4.02 x 2.28 x 1.14 | ||||||||||
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Weight (ounces)
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1 | 180g | 8.64 oz | 5.3 oz | 11.1 oz | 6.14 oz | 5.47 oz | 6.53 oz | 6.35 oz | 7.05 oz | ||||||||||
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Memory cards
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SD / SDHC / SDXC | SD / SDHC / SDXC card, Internal | SC / SDHC / SDXC, Internal | MS Duo and SD / SDHC / SDXC Compatible | SD / SDHC / SDXC / MMC / MMC / HC MMC | SD / SDHC card, Internal | SD / SDHC / SDXC, Internal | SD / SDHC card, Internal | SD / SDHC | Memory Stick Duo / Pro Duo/ PRO HG-Duo, optional SD/SDHC, Internal |
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Features |
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Touchscreen
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Video
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Built-in flash
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Self timer
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Image stabilizer
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Face detection
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Connectivity |
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HDMI
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USB
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Battery |
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Battery life
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250 images | 300 images | 275 images | 230 images | 370 images | 1000 images | 300 images | 290 images | 210 images | 310 images | ||||||||||
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Supplied battery
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Lithium rechargeable battery | Lithium-Ion rechargeable battery | Lithium-Ion SLB-11A rechargeable battery | Lithium ION N | 2 x AA batteries (NiMH recommended) | Lithium ION battery charger | Lithium-Ion rechargeable battery | Lithium-Ion DB-70 rechargeable battery | Nikon EN-EL12 Lithium-Ion battery | Lithium-Ion NP-BG1 battery | ||||||||||
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Battery charger
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Warranty |
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Period
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1 year | 1 year | 1 year | 90 days | 1 year | 1 year | 1 year | 1 year | 2 years | 1 year |
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Help & support |
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Telephone support
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Email support
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User manual
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Digital compact cameras explained
Despite their size, digital compact cameras come loaded with features to help you take great photos. Even entry-level cameras can shoot high-quality photos, at a resolution enabling you to print and view them at a whole range of sizes.
Pictures taken with a digital compact camera are stored on a memory card. You might have to purchase one of these separately, but the biggest memory cards can store hundreds or even thousands of photos. Compact cameras also usually include a lead so you can hook the camera up to your computer and copy the photos over.
Digital compact cameras have a fully automatic mode, where you simply point the camera and press the button to take a photo. However, you can usually change some of these settings too.
You can also usually select modes for different scenes; for instance, portrait shots or sunset scenes. Some models offer a manual mode too, giving you complete control over all settings.
Look for a camera with a good optical zoom to get you closer to your subject. The greater the magnification, the further in you’ll be able to zoom.
Many cameras have a ‘digital zoom’; this simply crops the photo and then enlarges it, reducing the quality. You can do the same thing with photo editing software after you’ve taken your pictures, so it’s best to ignore any digital zoom function.
Simple, straightforward controls
If you’re new to photography, a digital compact camera is a great place to start. The easy controls, big screen and automatic modes will let you take great photos immediately. As you become confident, you can experiment more with the settings.
However, digital compact cameras are also great because you can carry them easily. That means you’re more likely to have your camera when you spot a photo opportunity.
Here are the key features you should look for in a compact digital camera.
Resolution
A general rule of thumb - the higher the number of pixels the better the quality of image.
Memory
Memory cards have become increasingly larger and affordable. There are three popular types of memory cards for digital cameras: Compact Flash (CS), Secure Digital (SD) and Smart Media (SM).
Battery
Most cameras now come with a lithium rechargable battery and charger.
Scene modes
To give you a better picture, many digital cameras come with different pre-defined scenes such as sports, night time, landscape etc. If you select sports mode for example, the camera will adjust its settings to pick up moving objects and produce a finer picture.
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