First things first: The top digital cameras for under $100 are not going to be feature-rich models. They aren't going to take photos that will generate poster-sized prints.
Cheap, budget digital cameras can, however, yield photos of good quality for using on the Internet and for making small prints. Thanks to technological advancements, today's inexpensive digital cameras have more power than you might think. Here are the some of the top cheap, budget digital cameras for less than $100, listed in alphabetical order.
1. Canon PowerShot A470, $89-$99
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Perhaps the best compliment that can be paid to a sub-$100 digital camera is that it doesn't look or perform like a cheap, budget digital camera. The PowerShot A470 from Canon is one of the best sub-$100 cameras around. The unit's 7.1 megapixels of resolution are plenty for most beginners, and the A470 has a 3.4X optical zoom lens and a 2.5-inch LCD. It's an interesting-looking digital camera, too, available in blue, red, orange, and gray. (If you want a Canon camera, but you have a little more money to spend, try learning more about the A480 or the A1100 IS.)
2. Fujifilm FinePix J10, $89-$99
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The Finepix J10 budget digital camera from Fujifilm is available in two colors, silver and black. With 8.2 megapixels of resolution, the J10 should be able to make prints large enough to satisfy most beginning photographers. You'll find a 2.5-inch LCD and a 3X optical zoom lens with the J10, and its overall feature set is good for an inexpensive digital camera.
3. Kodak EasyShare C813, $79-$99
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With 8.2 megapixels of resolution, the EasyShare C813 from Kodak offers plenty of resolution for most beginning photographers. The unit has a 2.4-inch LCD, limited video capabilities, and a 3X optical zoom lens, but, best of all, the C813 is very easy to use.
4. Kodak EasyShare C713, $75-$89
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The C713 from Kodak is one of the least expensive point-and-shoot digital cameras you'll find from a major manufacturer. The C713 is available in three colors: Silver, pink, and white. It offers 7.0 megapixels of resolution, a 3X optical zoom lens, and a 2.4-inch LCD.
5. Samsung SL30, $79-$99
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Look for the Samsung SL30 in pink, black, and silver, and this model measures just under 1 inch in thickness. It offers 10.2 megapixels of resolution, which should be plenty for a beginning photographer. To simplify things for beginners, the SL30 offers a "print shooting" mode, which makes it easy to make sure you're shooting at a resolution that's high enough for making quality prints. On the downside, the SL30 only has a 3X optical zoom lens and a 2.5-inch LCD screen, both of which are baseline specifications. However, the SL30 has a lot of good features for a sub-$100 digital camera.
