Thanks to technological advancements, the best cheap digital cameras are as powerful and feature-rich as top digital cameras from a few years ago. You don't have to spend a lot of money find good, inexpensive digital cameras. Here are the best cheap digital cameras under $200, listed in alphabetical order.
PriceGrabberNot only does the
Canon PowerShot 1200SD IS offer an easy-to-use interface and a sub-$200 price, but it also offers a stylish camera body with several colors available. For my
2009 holiday gift guide, the SD1200 was named the best "colorful" camera available, thanks to its six body colors (blue, green, orange, pink, dark gray, and light gray/silver). It would be nice if the SD1200 had a zoom lens larger than 3X or a larger LCD than 2.5 inches, but, overall, the PowerShot SD1200 is a good, stylish beginner camera.
CasioThose seeking a high speed option will greatly appreciate the
Exilim EX-FS10 from
Casio. The EX-FS10 can shoot up to 30 images per second, and it can shoot high-speed video, too, up to 1,000 frames per second. However, the EX-FS10's LCD could be a little larger than its 2.5-inch measurement.
KodakEasyShare cameras from Kodak need to be very easy to use to live up to their names. With the Kodak EasyShare M381, the company has achieved this goal. The M381 is very easy to use, its menu structure makes sense, and it's easy to share photos with others. On the down side, the M381's response times are a little below average, which is a common problem among beginner-level cameras.
PriceGrabberNikon offers 10 megapixels (10 million pixels) in the Coolpix S550, along with several shooting resolutions, which should help with a variety of photography needs. For a point and shoot model in this price range, the Coolpix S550's
continuous-shooting modes compare favorably. The 2.5-inch LCD included with the S550 is a little smaller than we'd like to see, but it's bright and sharp. (If you're looking for another good Nikon option in this price range in a slightly older model, try the
Coolpix S50, which is a good model, if you can find one on store shelves.)
OlympusThe Stylus 7010's 7X optical zoom lens is a very nice feature for a camera in this price range, as is the camera's 12 megapixels of resolution. The Stylus 7010 has a few drawbacks in its image quality, and a few of its features are a little confusing to use. However, its response times are pretty good. It's a good-looking camera available in numerous colors with a small camera body.
PriceGrabberThe 4X optical zoom lens on the DSC-W230 from
Sony is a great feature for an inexpensive digital camera, and, with a 35mm equivalent of 30-120mm, the DSC-W230 offers limited wide-angle capabilities, too. With 12.0 megapixels of resolution and a 3.0-inch LCD, this Sony Cyber-shot point-and-shoot model will provide enough power for most beginning photographers. The W230 is available in red, blue, silver, and black. (Sony's T90 is a good option if you
have a little more money to spend, but you want to stay in the Cyber-shot family.)
