SHORT LIST (by camera name, sensor size in megapixels, and the zoom range of the lens):
Canon PowerShot A570 IS, 7.1 mp sensor, 4x zoom lens range
Canon PowerShot A640, 10 mp, 4x
Canon PowerShot A710 IS, 7.1 mp, 6x
Canon PowerShot G9, 12.1 mp, 6x
Fujifilm Finepix F31fd, 6.3 mp, 3x
Fujifilm Finepix F50fd, 12 mp, 3x
Fujifilm Finepix S6000fd / S6500fd , 6.3 mp, 10.7x
Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ8, 7.38 mp, 12x
HONORABLE MENTION:
Canon Powershot S5 IS, 8 mp sensor, 12x zoom lens range
The short list has all of the cameras over the last 12 months that received a HIGHLY RECOMMENDED rating (the highest) from the DP Review web site.
The Canon Powershot S5 IS received a RECOMMENDED rating (the second highest) from DP Review. It is listed as an Honorable Mention because DP Review described it as follows:
“To conclude, the PowerShot S5 IS is probably, just, the pick of the super zoom bunch at this moment in time, because it offers reliable output, responsive performance and an impressive feature set in an attractive, easy to use package that makes photography fun; not because it offers better IQ.”
ADVICE
“Point-and shoot” hardly seems to be a fair term to describe some of today’s all-in-one digital cameras. Other than the fact that all of these cameras have a permanently attached lens, some of them approach SLR (single lens reflex) cameras in look, build, features and quality.
The best advice I can give you is to buy a point-and-shoot camera that receives at least a RECOMMENDED rating from DP Review, and preferable a HIGHLY RECOMENDED rating. Reviews are listed here. The short list above will get you started. You can expand on this list by deciding what kind of Point & Shoot you are interested in: compact, medium sized, or an almost full-sized camera with a long zoom lens that looks like a digital SLR.,
Don’t buy a camera just because it is on the list. You need an idea what kind of camera is best suited to your purposes. There is a huge difference between a Digital Elph that you can drop in your shirt pocket, and a do it all camera that is equal to the the size of an SLR with a lens attached. There is some advice on basic digital camera features here.
Features vary widely. You may want a camera that does all of the thinking for you, so you just point the camera and push the shutter button. Or you may want to control aperture aperture and shutter speed manually, along with a whole host of image parameters. There is some advice on basic digital camera features here.
Be sure and read a comprehensive review of the camera that interests you before you decide to buy it. In addition to DP Review, there are other excellent camera review sites such as Megapixel.net and Steve’s Digicams. You can find them about 2/3 of the way down the right side column here.
Some of the cameras on last year’s list are still available and at good prices as newere models come out. They might not have all the bells and whistles of the latest models, but they are still excellent cameras. You might find some of these models on the used market. Just be sure and buy from a reputable dealer with a good used camera warranty such as Adorama, B&H Photo, and KEH Camera (listed on the top right side of this page).
2006 LIST:
Canon PowerShot G7, 10 mp sensor, 6x zoom lens range
Canon Powershot S3 IS, 6 mp, 12x
Canon SD 700 IS Digital Elph/Ixus 800, 6 mp, 4x
Fujifilm FinePix S6000fd, 6.3 mp, 10.7x
Fujifilm FinePix F30, 6.3 mp, 3x
Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ50, 10.1 mp, 12x
Sony CyberShot DSC-H5, 7.2 mp, 12x
Sony CyberShot DSC-H2, 6.2 mp, 12x
Sony CyberShot DSC-R1, 10.3 mp, 15x
Where to Buy?
I buy some of my camera gear at my favorite local camera store, and some from my favorite online suppliers: Amazon.com, Adorama, and B&H Photo. I recommend that you support your favorite local camera store, or buy from a reputable online supplier.
If you buy from Amazon or Adorama, use one of the links at the bottom of my home page.