Cameras
If you don't know much about digital cameras but need to buy one as a gift, here's a list of shooters for any level of photographer.
Panasonic FH20
For a casual shooter, the Panasonic FH20 is the best-rounded camera in its price bracket. It sports an 8x optical zoom lens, 720p HD video capability, snappy performance and solid image quality. The design is uninspiring, but it's still small enough to comfortably fit into a pants pocket.
Nikon S4000
For a more modern, streamlined take on the pocket-cam genre, take a look at the Nikon S4000, barely larger than a credit card and equipped with an intuitive touch-screen interface. Indoor and low-light image quality leaves a lot to be desired, but casual users will love the fun factor.
Canon SD1300
A Canon EPLH is always a great bet. The Canon SD1300 is as simple and streamlined as a sub-$200 point-and-shoot gets. The feature set is light, with 4x zoom and only standard-def video, but the performance, image quality and reliability are tough to beat at the price.
Panasonic ZS5
A compact zoom (or travel zoom) camera is a good "step-up" camera for a budding hobbyist. They're versatile cameras that combine rich feature sets, strong image quality and some manual control, which is the best way for hobbyists to grow as photographers. The Panasonic ZS5 is a great example of the genre. Powerful and pocketable, it packs a 12x optical zoom, 720p HD video, aperture and shutter priority modes, and crisp image quality. (Also take a look at the ZS7, with integrated GPS).
Panasonic FZ100
Extended zoom (or super zoom) cameras are also popular with hobbyists for their pro looks and enormous zoom ranges. The Panasonic FZ100 is this year's premier super zoom. Its features make dSLR users jealous: 24x zoom, 11 frame-per-second burst shooting and 1080i HD video. Image quality isn't what you'd hope for at this price, but that's an expected flaw with this type of camera.
Canon S95
For a compact camera with better image quality, especially in challenging low-light situations like concerts, take a look at the Canon S95. Its secret is the sensor, which is huge compared to sensors in all other ultra-compacts. It's what makes the S95 popular with all types of photographers.
Nikon D3100
To feel like a real photographer, there's no substitute for a digital single-lens reflex camera. Even an entry-level model like the Nikon D3100 is a serious shooter. A bit of experience is necessary (or at least a read-through of the manual) but performance, picture quality and control are unparalleled by any compact camera. The D3100 even shoots 1080p HD video with continuous autofocus, a feature normally reserved for high-end cameras. Like all dSLRs, it is an interchangeable-lens camera, so grab the "kit" configuration, which comes with a starter lens.
Canon G12
Enthusiasts drool over the Canon G12, the latest iteration of Canon's vaunted G series. This is one of the most advanced compact cameras available. It's similar to the S95, but the 5x lens is more versatile, it offers a greater degree of manual control, and the optical viewfinder makes it easy to shoot in bright sunlight. This is the standard for compact cameras.
Sony NEX-5
The Sony NEX-5 is a great camera for gadget lovers. It's part of an emerging class known as mirrorless cameras: compact bodies with interchangeable lens mounts, stuffed with sensors almost big enough for a dSLR. The NEX-5 is one of the smallest, sleekest cameras in the mirrorless genre, built from a sturdy but streamlined magnesium alloy, rounded out with a touchscreen interface. It can't autofocus as quickly as a dSLR, but that's the tradeoff for its bring-anywhere design. Make sure to pick up a kit configuration, since old lenses don't fit on the smaller mount.
Sony A55
And for those who really want to be on top of the newest trends, the latest sub-genre is single-lens translucent cameras. Sony is the only manufacturer that makes them at the moment, with the A55 at the top of the heap. It's built around a translucent mirror (rather than a transparent one), so it can focus and shoot simultaneously for extra-fast performance, and it's a bit smaller than an entry-level dSLR, too. Unlike the NEX series, it accepts Sony and Minolta A-mount lenses. This new design has hearts fluttering in the camera-nerd world.
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