If last year’s gift of perfume or pajama pants was a flop, you’d better redeem yourself with a good gift this year. Consider a digital camera, the gift that keeps on giving. This isn’t the type of gift that will sit on a shelf for months without use or collect dust in a box in the attic. A digital camera can be used year-round for many purposes: business, vacations, family events, etc. The all-purpose digital camera isn’t one-size-fits-all though. You may be more concerned about the price, or perhaps you really want a trendy feature for your gadget-hungry spouse. That’s where DigitalCameraInfo’s Selects come in. We here at DigitalCameraInfo.com snap photos all day and dream about cameras at night. We’ve reviewed hundreds of digital cameras this year, and know which ones are worthy enough to be your gift. This year’s DigitalCameraInfo Selects are the best we’ve seen in their respective categories. Image quality reigns supreme in our selects, so any camera from this list will provide you with gorgeous pictures. Prioritize what is most important to you, whether it is price or features, and consider these suggested digital cameras.   Pro Camera The Leica M8 isn't a DSLR – it’s a digital rangefinder. It records 10.3-megapixel images at a maximum burst rate of 2 frames per second, and it will sell for about $5000 without a lens. It offers only manual focus and manual aperture control, and it was the hottest thing at Photokina. Throughout their production, Leicas have been used by some of the best, most serious photographers to take some of the most important pictures ever taken. Reviewers and marketers will use words like “mystique” and “legendary” to puff the M8, but they miss the point – like earlier Leicas, the M8 is built to be more reliable than other cameras, to render superb image quality, and to have an absolutely clean, efficient user interface. The M8 is compatible with nearly all the lenses made for M-series cameras since 1954 – many of which offer the best performance available at their focal lengths and apertures. The M8 offers a level of build quality that's unique -- For an important subset of photojournalists, and many well-heeled photographers who want to shoot like them, the Leica M8 is the latest in a line of exquisite tools. Prosumer DSLR The Nikon D80 combines impressive feature sets for both sophisticated and casual users. It is a significant advance from its predecessor, the D70s, though at $999 body-only and $1299 with a kit lens, it's being introduced at the same price. With a 10.2-megapixel file size and a fast, 11-point autofocus system, it matches some important features of the D200, Nikon's upper-end prosumer model. It also has some of the D200's sophisticated controls, allowing the user to set the shutter speed range when using flash in aperture-priority and program modes, and control multiple groups of Nikon wireless SB-200, SB-600 and SB-800 flashes with the camera’s pop-up unit. In a clear bid for the entry-level market, the D80 includes several program modes and a range of in-camera editing controls: allowing color adjustments, cropping, red-eye correction, image overlay, and D-Lighting. All the editing features are inherited from Nikon point-and-shoots, and are meant for users who print via PictBridge or DPOF – in short, people who don't use image editing software on computers. Sub-$800 DSLR The Canon Rebel XTi sells for $799 body-only or $899 with a kit lens, a very aggressive price for a 10.1-megapixel DSLR. In addition to boosting resolution over the popular predecessor Rebel XT, Canon added a range of dust control features, including a vibrating window over the sensor and software-based dust spot removal. The XTi also has a sensor that shuts off the LCD when the user brings the viewfinder to eye level. The XTi also features a 2.5-inch LCD, a big jump from the 1-8-inch display on the Rebel XT. The XTi retains the automated features that made its predecessor so popular, and adds the image parameter system found on more sophisticated Canon DSLRs, making for a smooth transition from the XTi to pro- and prosumer Canon bodies.   Sub-$600 DSLR At a price of under $600 with a lens, the Pentax K110D will make it hard for many users to buy any of the high-end “super-zoom” compact cameras. Though the K110D offers only 6.1-megapixel resolution, which by now is low for a DSLR, it offers autofocus specs that are hard to match for less than $3000 – it has 9 cross-type autofocus sensors (with two more conventional sensors). Our experience suggests that the K110D's focusing mechanism should be better than average in low light and low contrast. Just as appealing for photographers on a budget, the K110D maintains some level of compatibility with Pentax and other K-mount lenses going back decades. With an ISO range from 200-3200, we expect the K110D to offer respectable performance and unusual versatility at a very low price. Best Camera for Under $600: Canon PowerShot G7 Canon resurrected its once-defunct G-series with the introduction of the G7 this year. This digital camera sits at the top of the entire PowerShot lineup with 10 megapixels and a brand new Digic III image processor. With these inner workings, the Canon G7 can recognize and track up to nine faces in a frame and provide reduced noise when higher ISO sensitivities are employed. Speaking of which, Canon included manual settings up to 1600. The G7 has a 9-point auto focus system and has hardly any shutter lag. The solid guts are surrounded by a solid metal housing that is shaped like a flat compact camera, and high-quality components are found throughout. There is a 6x optical zoom lens that has an SR coating only included on Canon’s top-of-the-line professional grade camcorder lens; this coating reduces distortion. The lens is complemented by an optical image stabilization system that works well and is especially noticeable when recording movies. High resolution 1024 x 768-pixel movies can be recorded at a rate of 15 fps, and more standard sizes of 640 x 480 and 320 x 240 pixels are available with faster 30fps frame rates. The retro-styled Canon PowerShot G7 also provides significant flexibility with an applied hot shoe, conversion lens compatibility, and an optional underwater housing. With 25 shooting modes ranging from fully manual to completely automatic, the G7 has a little something for everyone. It retails for $599. Best Camera for Under $500: Sony Cyber-shot DSC-H5 The 7.1-megapixel Sony Cyber-shot DSC-H5 was released early in the year, so its original retail price of $499 has turned into a hundred-dollar discount when shopping online. It may be a few months old, but its features are certain to please for years to come. The H5 has a chunky hand grip on an SLR-shaped body paired with a lengthy 12x optical zoom lens. The camera is fitted with a Carl Zeiss-branded lens, one of the best names in the business. We compared the H5 to two close ultra-zoom competitors this year, and the Sony H5’s lens beat out the competition with its minimal distortion, functionality in video recording, and Super SteadyShot image stabilization system. It also excelled by having less shutter lag than the Canon PowerShot S3 IS and the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ7. The Sony Cyber-shot H5 comes with an electronic viewfinder and a 3-inch Clear Photo LCD screen with 230,000 pixels, all built onto a sturdy camera body that comes in black and silver colors. Another quality component is the built-in flash that reaches nearly 30 ft. The Sony H5 is a standout when it comes to low light photography; it is equipped with 80-1000 ISO settings, great noise control, and fully manual functionality. The camera runs on two AA batteries and makes a great companion for someone who wants SLR styling in a unified package, high quality components, and decent videos. Best Camera for Under $400: Fujifilm FinePix F31fd Fujifilm announced and showed off the FinePix F31fd at Photokina 2006, but it will not be released until December. The F31fd is fitted with the same 6.3-megapixel image sensor included on the F30, which produced incredibly little noise and impressive dynamic range for a compact camera. Its resolution doesn’t approach double digits like many recent models, but the F30’s resolution proved to be very effective at capturing beautifully sharp pictures – and we expect the same from the F31fd. This digital camera’s headline feature is its face detection system, which can recognize up to 10 faces at once and focus on them for perfect portraits. Besides the face detection, the F31 adds another twist to the F30: IrSimple™ protocol for wireless transfer of images to enabled devices and other F31 cameras. Aside from these additions, the Fujifilm FinePix F31fd is an exact replica of the F30, complete with ISO settings up to 3200. The camera has a 3x optical zoom lens, a 2.5-inch LCD screen with 230,000 pixels, and an i-Flash system that reaches over 21 ft. The F31fd has plenty of automatic modes, including a dual flash mode, along with aperture and shutter priority modes. Backed up by a purported 580-shot battery life, the Fujifilm FinePix F31fd offers brand new trendy technology along with a solid set of tried-and-true features that gadget-lovers will lust over. The high-performance compact digital camera retails for $399. Best Camera for Under $200: Panasonic Lumix DMC-LZ5 With a little bit of online shopping savvy, there are some great bargains to be had this holiday season. One of the best values out there is the Panasonic Lumix LZ5, which started out at a retail price of $279 but can be currently found for less than $200 online. The point-and-shoot digital camera has 6 megapixels and a 6x optical zoom lens with even more zoom available at reduced resolutions. This amount of optical zoom can’t be found on very many compact cameras in this price range. Take into account the optical image stabilization system on the LZ5, and this camera stands far above the competition. The Panasonic LZ5 has 15 scene modes and a movie mode that records 640 x 480 pixels at a rate of 30 fps. It doesn’t have the widescreen movies like some of its Lumix cousins but it does have two still image sizes optimized for display on the big screen. The LZ5 performed respectably in our testing, and produced very accurate colors. It also has a burst mode that shoots 3.4 fps for up to 6 frames, which surpasses its competition in this price range. Powered by convenient AA batteries and formed with a 2.5-inch LCD screen, the Panasonic Lumix DMC-LZ5 has all the bells and whistles a point-and-shooter needs for a price that a point-and-shooter wants. Best Ultra-Zoom Digital Camera: Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ50 The Panasonic Lumix FZ50 took its place as flagship of the FZ-series in September, when it was released at a retail price of $649. For this price, consumers get 10.1 megapixels and a Leica-branded 12x optical zoom lens that is optically stabilized. The camera’s baby brother – the Lumix FZ30 - was compared to the Fujifilm FinePix S9100 in a DCI head-to-head review earlier this year, and the majority of the Panasonic’s components won hands down. Like the FZ30, the FZ50’s lens has focus and zoom rings and measures an equivalent 35-420mm focal range. An optical image stabilization system backs up the high quality lens, which is essential to this category of cameras. Viewing a live image in telephoto without image stabilization could cause nausea, so the Panasonic FZ50’s effective system offers a cure. This Lumix has a 2-inch LCD screen that folds out and has decent 207k pixels of resolution. A hot shoe supplements the built-in flash. The Panasonic FZ50 has full manual functionality, but still throws in automated features like the Intelligent ISO that detects subject movement and adjusts shutter speeds and ISO settings accordingly. This digital camera expands Panasonics typical range to a substantial 100-1600 ISO. The SLR-like Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ50 has a solid body and capable components and imaging technology. Throw in a few flourishes like widescreen movies, RAW shooting, and white balance fine-tuning and you’ve got a bona fide feature-laden ultra-zoom digital camera. Best Ultra-Compact Digital Camera: Sony Cyber-shot DSC-T50 The new Sony T50 measures 3.75 x 2.25 x 0.9 inches and has a flat profile easy for stashing in pockets and hand bags. The durable body is constructed from metal and comes in black, silver, and red colors. The 7.2-megapixel digital camera has everything an ultra-compact digital camera should have: decent imaging capabilities, ease of use, and a huge viewing screen. The T50’s high-resolution LCD screen measures an enormous 3 inches and isn’t just used for viewing: it’s a touch screen too. Users navigate through images and menus with the included stylus or with their fingers. The Sony Cyber-shot T50 has a Carl Zeiss 3x optical zoom lens that doesn’t extend from the camera body and has better quality than lenses on competing models – such as the Nikon Coolpix S7c. Another function that beats the competition is the accurate 5-point auto focus system that actually works quickly and effectively. The T50 goes above and beyond by offering features like ISO sensitivity to 1000 for better low light photography without the flash, and Super SteadyShot optical image stabilization that works very effectively in keeping pictures blur-free and videos stable. A purported 400-shot rechargeable battery is included with the camera, and 56 MB of memory is built into the housing. The Sony Cyber-shot DSC-T50 is an attractive digital camera packed with plenty of performance and bonus features; it comes at a retail price of $499. Best Camera for Video: Canon PowerShot S3 IS For consumers who want an all-in-one device, the Canon PowerShot S3 IS is the way to go. It carries 6.1 megapixels and a Digic II image processor for still imaging, and television-quality resolution for video. Better yet, it can do both at the same time. The SLR-shaped S3 is outfitted with dual recording buttons – one for still images and one for videos – on its body. This MovieSnap function allows users to snap full-resolution pictures while simultaneously recording video. Movies can be recorded with 640 x 480 or 320 x 240-pixel resolution at frame rates of 30 or 15 fps; there is also a 60 fps rate for the smaller video size. There are many more options in the movie mode than just the size: white balance can be adjusted, My Colors effects can be added, and features like a wind filter can be activated. The Canon PowerShot S3 IS records stereo audio that sounds fabulous in comparison to competing models and even some lower-end consumer camcorders. The camera’s 12x optical zoom lens is completely functional while recording video, and the headlining optical image stabilization system keeps video looking smooth as ever. The video looked great in just about every situation from bright to dim lighting. Videos can be viewed and edited in-camera using the 2-inch LCD screen that folds out from the body and rotates much like those on camcorders. The Canon S3 IS has a solid set of components for still pictures too; it produced near-perfect colors in our tests and has a 1.6 fps burst mode that snaps pictures until the card is full. This PowerShot was released in May for a retail price of $499, but can now be easily found online for under $350. Best Family/Child-Friendly Camera: Pentax W20 The Pentax Optio W20 is bound to be a family’s best friend. The 7-megapixel camera has 25 shooting modes, 18 of which are simple scene modes. There is also an underwater movie mode for those tropical family vacations or even the toddler’s bath time. The W20’s housing is sturdy and sealed against dust and water. It can be submerged in up to 5 ft of water for up to 30 minutes – without the need for an extra housing like most compact cameras. Equipped with a 3x optical zoom lens and a 2.5-inch LCD screen, the Pentax Optio W20 offers the necessities needed for capturing a few pictures at the family reunion or the video of the band concert. The sturdy waterproof housing isn’t the only aspect of the W20 that qualifies it as family friendly. If the toddler accidentally erases a picture, there is an image recovery function to save the day. If the turkey is in the oven and the timer is in use on the pies, the Pentax W20’s alarm clock feature can be used. If the baby just went to sleep, the ISO 1600 setting allows users to snap photos in low light without the flash to keep that baby asleep. Also appealing is the $299 retail price that will still allow families to pay for diapers after the purchase has been made. Best Innovation: Samsung NV10 and NV7 OPS User Interface At a time when technology such as face recognition and image stabilization is booming and the competition is becoming stiffer and stiffer, there were a few applaudable innovations on this year’s crop of digital camera releases. However, the most unique innovation this year is the Smart Touch user interface included on the Samsung NV10 and NV7 OPS. It consists of a 2.5-inch LCD screen with seven buttons below it and six buttons to the right side. To navigate through pictures and menus, users slide fingers across the sets of buttons; this is much faster and easier on the thumb than the traditional multi-selector on digital cameras and will be immediately recognizable to the host of iPod owners. The Samsung digital cameras are also marked with high-quality components. The NV10 has 10.1 megapixels, a Schneider 3x optical zoom lens, and a shake reduction system. The 7.2-megapixel NV7 OPS adds a longer 7x lens and an optical picture stabilization system. The innovative cameras both have photo gallery functions that organize pictures into albums and can play fancy slide shows with background music. Despite its incredible Smart Touch interface and fabulous features, the NV7 didn’t produce stellar pictures; it could still work for the casual shooter though. The high-resolution Samsung NV10 retails for $349 and the stable Samsung NV7 OPS for $399.

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