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Top Ten Mini
Cameras |
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Small In Size, But Big On Fun, These Digital Cameras Are
Designed For Spontaneous Photography
By Wes Pitts
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When
it comes to size, we’re a seemingly contradictory lot.
We like our SUVs to be ridiculously large and our electronics
inconspicuously small. I wonder if there’s a testable hypothesis
here—as our demand for larger automobiles increases, so,
too, goes our demand for ever tinier personal electronics?
If you like the idea of a digital camera you can take anywhere,
you’re not alone. What started not long ago as a unique
concept has grown rapidly into an entirely separate category
of digital cameras. And they’re getting even smaller. You
can fit a couple dozen of them in your Hummer’s glove box
and still have room left over.
Why consider these little cameras?
They’re so easy to carry that you can literally take them
anywhere. I, for one, often find myself in circumstances
wherein I lament, “I wish I had a camera with me!”
One of these sleek mini-cameras is a cure-all for that photographer’s
regret.
More than just convenient—they’re fun. These cameras
have a casual, spontaneous attitude. They’re very straightforward
and uncomplicated. They’re truly point-and-shoots.
What they’re not is robust nor control-oriented. While
you’ll find big Resolution and some nice features, these
generally aren’t the best choice for your primary workhorse
digital camera. That’s not to say these cameras offer no
control whatsoever, but that control isn’t emphasized.
Photographers typically buy them
as an additional camera for casual shooting and because they’re
fun!
So, if you often find yourself wishing you had a digital camera
with you wherever you go, you’ll love the true “pocketability”
of these little cameras. They’re an excellent addition
to your photo equipment, a great choice for travel and easy
enough to use that the whole family can enjoy them. And they’re
rather affordable, too, making them excellent gifts for the
holidays. |
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Minolta
DiMAGE Xt
Resolution:
3 megapixels
Lens:
37-111mm (35mm equivalent)
Exposure Modes: Program
AE
ISO Equivalence: 50,
100, 200, 400
Exposure Compensation:
±2 EV in 1/3-stop increments
White Balance: Auto,
Daylight, Cloudy,Tungsten, Fluorescent
Storage Media: SD
Dimensions: 3.4x2.6x0.8-inches
Weight: 4.2 ounces
Estimated Price: $349
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| Minolta started a “mini”
revolution when it introduced the DiMAGE X in early 2024.
The DiMAGE Xt is the latest incarnation of the X series,
with 3-megapixel Resolution and a 3x zoom range. The X-series
cameras owe their very sleek form to an innovative, periscope-like
Lens design. Even when zoomed to its longest telephoto
length, the Lens doesn’t protrude from the camera
body. Contact: Minolta,
(201) 825-4000, www.minoltausa.com.
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Casio
Exilim EX-Z4U
Resolution: 4 megapixels
Lens: 35-105mm (35mm
equivalent)
Exposure Modes: Program
AE, 21 “Best Shot” Modes
ISO Equivalence: 50,
100, 200, 400
Exposure Compensation:
±2 EV in 1/3-stop increments
White Balance: Auto,
4 Presets, Manual
Storage Media: SD
Dimensions: 3.4x2.2x0.9-inches
Weight: 4.6 ounces
Estimated Price: $399
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| The first Exilim was very
impressive in terms of size. Though it had just 2-megapixel
Resolution and a fixed Lens, it was about the size of
a credit card, only thicker. Casio marketed the camera
as something of a fashion statement, calling it the “Wearable
Card Camera.” This new Exilim is slightly heftier,
but it sports a 3x zoom Lens and 4 megapixels, making
it not merely something to pose with, but a very capable
camera as well. Contact:
Casio, (800) 962-2746, www.casio.com. |
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Canon
PowerShot SD10
Resolution: 4 megapixels
Lens: 39mm (35mm equivalent)
Exposure Modes: Program
AE, Manual
ISO Equivalence: 50,
100, 200, 400
Exposure Compensation:
±2 EV in 1/3-stop increments
White Balance: Auto,
Daylight, Cloudy, Tungsten, Fluorescent
Storage Media: SD
Dimensions: 3.6x1.9x0.7-inches
Weight: 3.5 ounces
Estimated Price: $429
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| Canon got a lot of well-deserved
attention when it introduced the ELPH APS film camera
in 1996. If not the direct inspiration for many of today’s
mini-digital cameras, the success of the original ELPH
has certainly influenced them. The SD10 is the latest
incarnation of the Digital ELPH series, and it’s
very compact—less than one inch thick! Though it
has a fixed Lens, it does offer 4-megapixel Resolution
and some manual control. Contact:
Canon, (800) OK-CANON, www.powershot.com. |
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Olympus
Stylus 400 Digital
Resolution: 4 megapixels
Lens: 35-105mm (35mm
equivalent)
Exposure Modes: Program
AE, 5 Scene Modes
ISO Equivalence: 80,
160, 320
Exposure Compensation:
±2 EV in 1/3-stop increments
White Balance: Auto,
Daylight, Overcast, Tungsten, Fluorescent
Storage Media: xD-Picture
Card
Dimensions: 3.8x2.2x1.3-inches
Weight: 5.8 ounces
Estimated Price: $449
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| The Olympus Stylus 400
Digital offers a lot of the features that made Olympus
Stylus film cameras so popular: They’re compact and
solidly built, and the durable metal body is even weather-resistant.
The Stylus 400 Digital has a 3x zoom range, multiple “scene”-type
Exposure Modes and a QuickTime movie mode for clips of
up to 40 seconds. Contact:
Olympus, (800) 622-6372, www.olympusamerica.com. |
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Nikon
Coolpix SQ
Resolution: 3 megapixels
Lens: 37-111mm (35mm
equivalent)
Exposure Modes: Program
AE, 15 Scene Modes
ISO Equivalence: 80
Exposure Compensation:
±2 EV in 1/3-stop increments
White Balance: Auto,
5 Mode Manual
Storage Media: CompactFlash
Dimensions: 3.2x3.2x1.0-inches
Weight: 6.3 ounces
Estimated Price: $429
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| Nikon has given us several
Coolpix models with a swiveling Lens. The design has been
popular with photographers because of the compositional
flexibility such a design affords. The Coolpix SQ is based
on that concept, but features a slick, mini-camera styling
that will appeal to your love of both function and form.
With 15 Scene modes, it’s also one of the more robust
models in terms of control. Contact:
Nikon, (800) NIKON-UX, www.nikonusa.com. |
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Samsung
Digimax V4
Resolution: 4 megapixels
Lens: 38-114mm (35mm
equivalent)
Exposure Modes: Program,
Auto, Manual, 3 Custom Modes
ISO Equivalence: 100,
200, 400
Exposure Compensation:
±2 EV in 1/2-stop increments
White Balance: Auto,
Daylight, Cloudy, Tungsten, Fluorescent
Storage Media: SD
Dimensions: 4.2x2.1x1.5-inches
Weight: 5.8 ounces
Estimated Price: $399
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| Samsung’s mini-camera
boasts a 3x Schneider Lens and macro capability for focusing
as closely as 2.4 inches. The V4 is one of the more control-oriented
models in this group, with a manual mode that allows aperture-priority
and shutter-priority exposure settings, plus “My
Set” modes that let you save custom settings. Contact:
Samsung, (800) SNAPSHOT, www.samsungcamerausa.com. |
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Sony
DSC-U30
Resolution: 2 megapixels
Lens: 33mm (35mm equivalent)
Exposure Modes: Auto,
5 Scene Modes
ISO Equivalence: Auto
Exposure Compensation:
No
White Balance: Auto
Storage Media: Memory
Stick
Dimensions: 3.4x1.6x1.2-inches
Weight: 4.3 ounces
Estimated Price: $199
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| The Cyber-shot DCS-U30
is tiny. Although it offers just 2-megapixel Resolution
and a fixed Lens, it’s also very affordably priced
at less than $200. While you certainly wouldn’t consider
this one as your primary camera, it’s the embodiment
of the take-me-anywhere, mini-camera concept. This camera
is ideal for inconspicuous photography when you just want
some quick and easy snapshots. Contact:
Sony, (800) 222-SONY, www.sony.com. |
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Kyocera
Finecam S5
Resolution: 5 megapixels
Lens: 35-105mm (35mm
equivalent)
Exposure Modes: Auto,
Shutter Priority
ISO Equivalence: 100,
200, 400
Exposure Compensation:
±2 EV in 1/3-stop increments
White Balance: Auto,
Daylight, Cloudy, Incandescent, Fluorescent, Custom
Storage Media: SD
Dimensions: 3.6x2.2x1.3-inches
Weight: 6 ounces
Estimated Price: $399
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| Kyocera has been introducing
a lot of innovative digital cameras lately, and the S5
is one of them. For a 5-megapixel model with a fair amount
of control, it’s also really compact. It features
a 3x zoom Lens, Spot AF and manual focus and continuous
shooting at up to 2 frames per second. Contact:
Kyocera, (732) 560-0060, www.kyoceraimaging.com. |
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Fujifilm
FinePix F410
Resolution: 3 megapixels
Lens: 38-114mm (35mm
equivalent)
Exposure Modes: Auto,
Manual
ISO Equivalence: 200,
400, 800
Exposure Compensation:
±2 EV in 1/3-stop increments
White Balance: Auto,
Manual, Daylight, Cloudy, Tungsten, Fluorescent
Storage Media: xD-Picture
Card
Dimensions: 3.3x2.7x1.1-inches
Weight: 5.8 ounces
Estimated Price: $499
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| Fujifilm’s FinePix
F410 has 3.1-million effective pixels, but because of
Fujifilm’s Super CCD technology, this little camera
actually delivers a 6-megapixel file. ISO Equivalence
is adjustable from 200 all the way up to 800—though
for shots taken at ISO 800, Resolution is reduced to 1
megapixel. Exposure Compensation is available when shooting
in manual mode. Contact:
Fujifilm, (800) 800-FUJI, www.fujifilm.com. |
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Toshiba
PDR-5300
Resolution: 5 megapixels
Lens: 35-105mm (35mm
equivalent)
Exposure Modes: Program,
Aperture-priority, Shutter-priority, Manual
ISO Equivalence: 100,
200, 400
Exposure Compensation:
±2 EV in 1/3-stop increments
White Balance: Auto,
Manual, Daylight, Cloudy, Incandescent, Fluorescent
Storage Media: SD
Dimensions: 3.7x2.3x1.3-inches
Weight: 6.3 ounces
Estimated Price: $349
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| Toshiba’s 5-megapixel
PDR-5300 is one of the larger cameras in this round-up,
but it’s also one of the most full-featured. Besides
being a high-Resolution model, it offers manual, aperture-
and shutter-priority Exposure Modes, center-Weighted and
spot metering and semi-manual focus settings (auto, 1
meter, 3 meters, infinity). Contact:
Toshiba, (212) 596-0600, www.toshiba.com. |
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