Samsung might not be among the first few companies that comes to mind when you start thinking about digital camera manufacturers.

However, if Samsung continues turning out point and shoot models as good as the ones they've released lately, it won't take long for the company to jump onto the short list of the top camera makers.

Samsung recently released another strong contender, as my Samsung SL820 digital camera review shows. There's a lot to like about the SL820, including its strong response times, outstanding image quality, and price tag (about $249-$299, Compare Prices). For beginning photographers, Samsung's latest cameras consistently are among the easiest to use, thanks to a sensible menu structure.

In addition to the strong SL820, Samsung's DualView TL225 is the best "wow" camera for the holiday season, and both cameras made my list of the top cameras under $300. The SL420 digital camera is a great low-priced option, too.

Photo courtesy Samsung

If you have a photographer on your holiday gift list, but purchasing a digital camera as a gift seems like overkill, digital camera accessories are a great second option.

I recently updated my Digital Camera Accessory Buying Guide for the 2009 holiday season with a dozen gift ideas for camera and photo accessories. Hopefully you can find some good gift options!

If you like the cool, retro design of the PEN E-P1 DSLR camera from Olympus, you now have a second, more powerful retro-looking option: The PEN E-P2.

The PEN series of digital cameras borrows its design from the traditional PEN film cameras. The PEN E-P2 (pictured here) will include 12.3 megapixels of resolution, HD video options, stereo linear PCM audio recording, and eight in-camera art filters.

Look for the PEN E-P2 to be available in December with a price of about $1,100, which includes the camera body and a starter lens. With its advanced features, it is slightly more expensive than the PEN E-P1, which you probably can find for about $800-$900 with a starter lens. (Compare Prices)

Photo courtesy Olympus

If stylish design and great looks are important in your next choice of a digital camera, you'll want to strongly consider Sony's Cyber-shot DSC-T90. It has a touch screen LCD, a small size, and a very interesting design.

However, before purchasing this camera, be sure to read through my Sony Cyber-shot DSC-T90 review, because some of this camera's photography features might not meet the needs of all beginning photographers.

Still, the DSC-T90 is more than good enough to be one of the best cameras for under $300. It's one of those cameras where the outstanding design features make up for the minor shortcomings in its photography features.

Photo courtesy Sony

General Imaging, the digital camera division of GE, recently released a pair of new consumer-level digital cameras, the J1050 and the J1250.

The J1050 (pictured here) is a 10.1-megapixel camera and costs about $130. (Compare Prices)

Those selecting the J1250 will receive a little more resolution at 12.2 megapixels, while carrying a price tag of about $150.

Both cameras measure about 0.8 inches in thickness, offer a 2.7-inch LCD, and feature a 5X optical zoom lens. Both cameras also are available in four colors: Pink, red, black, and silver.

Don't dismiss these GE cameras because of their low prices; I had a chance to review the GE A1250 recently, and I found a very strong camera for beginning photographers at a low price. I'll be reviewing the J1250 soon, to see whether it can match the A1250.

Photo courtesy GE

Most inexpensive cameras carry below-average features, and one such camera that I recently had a chance to review, the Fujifilm FinePix A220, fits that description.

My FinePix A220 review reveals a very easy to use camera, although the menu structure could be a little better. The fact that the A220 runs from two AA batteries is nice for a beginner-level camera.

As expected, the A220 doesn't offer any high-end features, outside of 12.2 megapixels of resolution. You'll find hit and miss results with the A220's image quality, macro mode, and response times.

Still, because you can probably find the FinePix A220 for less than $100, some of those problems will take a backseat to the possibility of receiving a great deal. For beginning photographers, that's not necessarily a bad thing. (Compare Prices)

Photo courtesy Fujifilm

Canon and the NFL Hall of Fame are in the midst of a contest that gives youth football fans a chance to submit their best photos to try to win a trip to Super Bowl XLIV and the Hall of Fame.

Any photo of children and youths playing football is eligible, whether it was shot in the backyard or at a league game. The contest is open to amateur photographers, with separate divisions for adults and teen-agers. Photos can be submitted up to Dec. 2 through the Canon contest Web site. After a judging panel narrows the number of photos in the contest, fans will be able to vote online for the winner from Dec. 21 through Jan. 8, 2010.

In addition to the contest, Canon will make a donation of $150,000 worth of products to NFL Youth Education Towns throughout the United States.

For those professional photographers who loved the high-end Nikon D3 DSLR camera, Nikon is hoping its next generation -- the D3S -- will keep D3 users in the family.

The D3S offers great low-light photography performance, offering a base ISO sensitivity ranging from 200 to 12,800. The D3S can shoot at an ISO equivalent sensitivity of up to 102,400.

Nikon has included an extremely large CMOS sensor inside the D3S, which aids in low-light performance. You also can shoot HD video with the D3S, which includes 12.1 megapixels of resolution, a sharp 3.0-inch LCD, and a long-life rechargeable battery. Look for the D3S to be available in November at a base price of about $5,200. For professional photographers, the D3S appears to be a very worth successor to the popular D3.

Photo courtesy Nikon

Children's cameras should be safe to use, fun to use, and easy to use. (For that matter, all cameras should fit those descriptions.)

Throw in inexpensive, and you have described the Digital Blue U-Turn children's camera. I recently had a chance to review the U-Turn camera, and I was impressed. For about $50, young photographers won't receive much in the way of resolution (just 0.3 megapixels), but the U-Turn's list of fun features more than makes up for it. Kids easily can morph their photos while shooting them, or they can twist the camera's body for easy self-portraits.

However, my look at the U-Turn camera wouldn't be fair without hearing from some of those in the camera's projected customer group: Children. Each of the several children who tried out the U-Turn really enjoyed it. Pre-teens especially had fun with the camera. Although the U-Turn camera's resolution probably isn't enough for making medium- or large-sized prints, the image quality easily is good enough for sharing on the Internet or via e-mail ... perfect for tech-savvy kids, which, it seems, is all of them.

Photo courtesy Digital Blue

If you think October is too early to begin discussing a holiday gift guide ... well, you may want to tell my local retailers who already have placed holiday decorations in their stores.

To find the best bargains when holiday shopping, it's definitely not too early to begin considering your options. Digital cameras and camera accessories make a great holiday gift -- they're practical, fun to use, and the prices have never been better.

Look at my 2009 digital camera holiday gift guide to find the best advanced DSLR cameras, best point and shoot cameras, best children's cameras, best "wow" camera, and the best camera accessories that are available during this holiday season. The 2009 camera holiday gift guide contains plenty of camera-related gift ideas, no matter what your budget.

Hopefully, the camera holiday gift guide can help you find the perfect holiday gift in a hurry and at a great price ... leaving you more time and money to purchase those decorations.