Digital Camera Reviews & Comparisons

Are you clinging to decade-old gear or living on the high-tech cutting edge? Do you want to replace a worn-out camcorder or move up to a new system? Do you shoot once-a-year vacation videos or are you a video enthusiast? No matter which of the various video formats you choose, a new camcorder will most likely have more features and better resolution, be smaller and lighter, and cost less than the equipment you're using now.

Advanced compact zoom cameras combine extended zoom ranges, large LCDs and key SLR-like functions into small, highly portable packages. They're easy to use, easy to carry and easy on the wallet. As a class, they provide more performance per pound than any other type of digital camera and, thanks to innovative features like image stabilization, produce results that rival any system.

Today's digital SLR is probably the best camera type for most photographers, offering the widest variety of features, the quickest autofocusing and burst-shooting performance, and the greatest array of interchangeable lenses, along with excellent image quality, easy portability and affordability.

Much of my photography involves walking the streets of Los Angeles, looking at light, shapes and people, and searching for that special combination of just the right elements that make a memorable photograph. Carrying a huge pro-end D-SLR isn't necessary, though it may do wonders for my ego. Instead, a smaller camera with key features like those found in the new Nikon D80 often provides just the tools I need.