T3

digital cameras compared:

Best Compact Digital Cameras: Group test

What was tested? Five compact cameras were reviewed and rated. For the review, go to t3.com

Results of this test:

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1

Nikon Coolpix S9100

5 out of 5 stars – Test Winner, Best: Picture quality

The Nikon CoolPix S9100 may be missing out on manual controls, but with colourful photos and Full HD recording, T3 rated it very highly indeed. The pictures were crisp and colourful thanks to a 12.1MP sensor and effective sensor shift anti-shake. The specification of this camera with its 30fps Full HD video makes it a great value point-and-shoot option. more ... (19 reviews & 74 opinions)

   
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2

Canon PowerShot SX220 HS

4 out of 5 stars – Best: In low light

The Canon PowerShot SX220 HS has a rather dull styling, but T3 approved of the selection of manual controls and say that shots taken using maximum zoom were crisp, thanks to the in-built optical image stabilisation. It also generated impressive results when shooting in low light, and shots were detailed even up to ISO 3200. Another nice feature was the 24fps 1080p video. more ... (11 reviews & 133 opinions)

   
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2

Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ20

4 out of 5 stars – Best: Range of features

Although the price is a tad high for a point and shoot compact camera, the Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ20 does offer lots of features, including 1080p video filming with stereo sound recording and 3D video abilities. The auto modes generated reliable shots, but there are limited manual controls. T3 found some softness when using maximum zoom, but photos were detailed and warm. more ... (16 reviews & 239 opinions)

   
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4

Casio Exilim EX-H30

3 out of 5 stars – Best: Battery life

The Casio Exilim EX-H30 is a nice affordable and user friendly camera which offers a solid battery life. Pictures are detailed and have rich colours, with a big help from the superb auto modes. There is also a variety of scene modes and manual modes for the more create types. T3 thought it was unfortunate that filming was only at 720p and that the camera lacks an HDMI output. more ... (6 reviews & 9 opinions)

   
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4

Olympus SZ-20

3 out of 5 stars – Best: Budget option

At maximum zoom, the Olympus SZ-20 gave a poor performance and struggled to remain sharp in bright daylight. Image noise is generally well controlled thanks to the dual image stabilisation, but above ISO 800 shots looked soft. T3 approved of the ability to shoot stills in 3D though, and they also noted the Full HD video ability. This camera also offers a high 16MP resolution. more ... (10 reviews & 2 opinions)