Compacts Not Dead

Even carrying a dSLR around 24-7 can be a burden. It's true. There are times when you need compacts for certain tight shots, or at times when you prefer to go light in your travels. Of course, your best compact camera should be your perfect dSLR sidekick, not a major downgrade.

Oooh ~ Someone just got a Sony T200, and I bet she's havin a great time with her new toy this week in her office.

I still got my Sony Ericsson K750i which is in crappy condition now but still works. I don't really need a new compact at the time being since my Nikon D80 is still 2 weeks old. To put matters worse, I find handling and controlling a compact now a complication.

Zul, an Ixus enthusiast.

But for those who are not into lugging heavy gear and prefer carrying light, compact cameras make very good casual shooting. In addition, unlike dSLRs, compact cameras won't break your bank. There are a wide range to choose from and they just keep getting better and better. To name a few; Sony, canon, Nikon, Panasonic, Samsung, Casio, Olympus, Fujifilm and Pentax manufactured excellent compacts over the years.

These are among the best selection of affordable compacts that are currently hot on the market as of 2008.

Panasonic Lumix DMC-FS3 (lots of features)

Canon Ixus 75 (excellent picture quality)

Fujifilm Z100FD (style and performance)