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Best budget digital cameras

(Nov 17, 2008)

Lori Grunin Lori Grunin
Senior Editor
Want to go digital and still have some cash left over to pay the rent? All of these cameras are widely available for less than $200, and they're not the subpar bargain models of yesteryear, either.

Canon PowerShot A590 IS

The Canon PowerShot A590 IS's manual exposure controls and surprisingly sharp pictures make it a great choice for almost anyone looking for a sub-$200 shooter.

Price: $109.95 - $196.39 (check prices)

Review date: Mar 3, 2008

  • 3h stars

      Overall score: 7.8 (3.5 stars)

Very good

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Canon PowerShot SD750 (silver)

The Canon PowerShot SD750 has an attractive design, large LCD, and excellent photo quality for an ultracompact.

Price: $144.95 - $209.99 (check prices)

Review date: Apr 4, 2007

  • 3h stars

      Overall score: 7.8 (3.5 stars)

Very good

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Canon PowerShot A570 IS

Despite excessive noise at higher ISOs, Canon's A570 IS offers an excellent value and an impressive feature set in its category.

Price: $105.95 - $156.99 (check prices)

Review date: Mar 21, 2007

  • 3h stars

      Overall score: 7.6 (3.5 stars)

Very good

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Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W120 (Black)

It's not as feature-laden as higher-end models, but the Cyber-shot W120 offers plenty of style and substance for the price.

Price: $139.00 - $183.93 (check prices)

Review date: Mar 7, 2008

  • 3h stars

      Overall score: 7.4 (3.5 stars)

Very good

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Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W55 (silver)

It's not the fanciest camera, but quick performance and solid images make this sub-$200 shooter a worthwhile pick.

Price: $189.90 - $199.99 (check prices)

Review date: Mar 27, 2007

  • 3h stars

      Overall score: 7.4 (3.5 stars)

Very good

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Kodak EasyShare M1033 (Black)

Kodak's EasyShare M1033 is a better-than-average budget ultracompact.

Price: $142.95 - $199.99 (check prices)

Review date: Sep 15, 2008

  • 3h stars

      Overall score: 7.2 (3.5 stars)

Very good

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Fujifilm FinePix F40fd

Fuji's FinePix F40fd is a nice point-and-shoot that produces decent images, though it's a tad slow and lacks image stabilization.

Price: $149.99 - $159.00 (check prices)

Review date: Jun 8, 2007

  • 3h stars

      Overall score: 7.2 (3.5 stars)

Very good

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Nikon Coolpix S50c

While it takes good pictures and it's nice to be able to access private Wi-Fi access points, the lack of a browser keeps this camera from rising to the next level.

Price: $169.95 - $198.95 (check prices)

Review date: May 22, 2007

  • 3h stars

      Overall score: 7.2 (3.5 stars)

Very good

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Olympus Stylus 760 (silver)

The Olympus Stylus 760 is a great choice if you just want a small, light, weather-resistant camera, but beware of image flaws.

Price: $99.99 - $169.95 (check prices)

Review date: Feb 23, 2007

  • 3h stars

      Overall score: 7.0 (3.5 stars)

Very good

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Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX10S (silver)

The DMC-FX10 is a solid, well-priced compact camera that should satisfy most snapshooters.

Price: $182.99 - $196.95 (check prices)

Review date: May 25, 2007

  • 3h stars

      Overall score: 7.0 (3.5 stars)

Very good

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