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[...] more than 10 years into the digital-camera revolution, those tests also reveal that few models do what we took for granted from inexpensive 35mm film cameras: shoot immediately after you press the shutter and produce images in low light, without a tripod or flash, that are good enough to enlarge. More than half the subcom- pacts we tested had excellent dynamic range (the ability to properly expose an image that displays the widest range of tonal gradations), a performance level better than many of the bigger cameras we tested. Other features that are handy but not essential include a large touch-screen LCD; slide-show features; lots of onboard memory; a hot shoe, which lets you attach an external flash; wireless capability; and GPS or GPS-like capability that can tag a photo with the location at which it was shot.

Virtually all digital cameras shoot decent pictures under most conditions, our latest tests confirm. But more than 10 years into the digital-camera revolution, those tests also reveal that few models do what we took for granted from inexpensive 35mm film cameras: shoot immediately after you press the shutter and produce images in low light, without a tripod or flash, that are good enough to enlarge.

HIGHS AND LOWS

Our latest Ratings show it is possible to produce affordable point-and-shoot cameras with those kinds of capabilities. For example, six tested cameras were very good for first-shot delay, meaning they could shoot within about a halfsecond after you press the shutter. And six of the 17 cameras that scored excellent for next-shot delay could take successive shots in just one second.

Two models were especially good at shooting in low light. The $300 subcompact Sony Cybershot DSC-W200 captured images that we judged good enough for enlargement even at 1600 ISO, a setting suitable for very dim, dusky conditions, outperforming all but four SLRs in that test. The $320 compact Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX100 could do so at ISO settings up to 800, as could most of the SLRs.

Yet too many models we tested fell somewhat short in speed and sensitivity. Overall, half had only fair first-shot delay, meaning they took more than a second to respond after the shutter was pressed. Our tests also show that the presence of high ISO settings on a camera is no assurance that you'll get high-quality images at all such settings, which cameras typically choose automatically, though most also allow you to select manually if you prefer.

For example, among the eight Canon owerShots we tested, all of which offer ISO settings up to 1600, none maintained image quality that we judge suitable for enlargement at ISO settings above 400. Other models fared worse. Several couldn't produce images without graininess or other flaws even at ISO 100, a setting you or the camera might select on a typical, fairly bright day. Three models couldn't muster any image without some such degradation. The flaws aren't catastrophic, especially if the camera is used only a little over our maximum recommended setting and you're printing mostly 4x6 photos. But they will become increasingly noticeable at higher settings and larger print sizes.

Here's what else is new in the world of point-and-shoots:

Cheaper and better subcompacts. Prices for subcompacts have declined so much recently that they're virtually the same as those for compacts. For example, last year, the top-scoring subcompact in the Ratings cost $450; this year it's $300 and the most expensive subcompact we tested. Price competition has become so fierce that many of the subcompacts in the Ratings are actually cheaper than many of the compacts. Another bright spot: the performance of subcompacts, which has lagged behind that of larger cameras. More than half the subcom- pacts we tested had excellent dynamic range (the ability to properly expose an image that displays the widest range of tonal gradations), a performance level better than many of the bigger cameras we tested.

Goof-proofing spreads. Image stabilization is almost universal; all but two point-and-shoot models had this feature, which compensates for camera shake. Face detection, which tries to set the focus, exposure, and color balance so that faces appear sharp, well exposed, and the proper color, is becoming more popular, too. Some manufacturers have introduced other automated aids. Sony's Cyber-shot DSC-T70, for example, can recognize a smile and automatically take up to six shots. GE, Nikon, and Pentax recently introduced cameras that they say warn you that your subject might have blinked.

Resolution rises further still. On a lot of cameras now, megapixels have reached levels that few need. Last year, one-third of the cameras we tested had 6 megapixels, enough for most people. Now no tested camera has less than 7 megapixels, and one in five has 12, a level that no point-and-shoot we tested last year had. While handy for extreme editing or poster-sized enlargements, an ultrahigh megapixel count is no assurance that a camera will have across-the-board top-notch performance, as our Ratings again demonstrate. And it certainly isn't worth paying extra for, unless you're sure you'll really need it.

HOW TO CHOOSE

Select the right type. If pocketability is a priority, get a lightweight subcompact. A few offer advantages such as a zoom greater than 3x. They're not for serious shutterbugs, but they're far more capable than a camera phone. If you want better image quality or more control over images, get a compact. More compacts than subcompacts had very good image quality, and more offer zooms greater than 3x (some with wideangle capability) or manual controls. If zoom is a priority, get a superzoom. They're bulkier than other point-andshoots but have at least 10x zoom; some newer models go up to 18x or even 20x. A number of superzooms also include wide-angle capability, for shooting landscapes and group portraits.

Match performance to your needs. Image quality is a camera's most important performance attribute. Differences in sharpness are what's most noticeable among models of varying scores. Those differences are less evident if you mostly print 4x6s rather than larger prints. If you often take action shots, narrow the field to models with excellent or very good first-shot delay and next-shot delay scores. If you often shoot in lowlight situations without a flash, look for the highest setting in the Ratings column labeled "Max. ISO with best quality." For landscapes, look for both wide-angle capability and excellent or very good dynami c range. Battery life is not a key buying concern in point-and-shoots; all models in our tests were either good or very good, typically delivering at least 200 shots per charge.

Consider what you'll print. If you shoot mainly 4x6s and rarely crop pictures, most cameras that have 7 or 8 megapixels should be fine. But if you print poster-sized shots or do major cropping, an 8-, 10-, or even 12-megapixel model makes more sense.

Look for the features you need. If you like a lot of control over your images, look for a compact or superzoom with manual controls or RAW-file capability (a format that allows greater creative control than the usual JPEG file). A glass viewfinder is useful in bright light, when sunlight washes out the LCD. Other features that are handy but not essential include a large touch-screen LCD; slide-show features; lots of onboard memory; a hot shoe, which lets you attach an external flash; wireless capability; and GPS or GPS-like capability that can tag a photo with the location at which it was shot.

Consider video. You wouldn't buy a camera just for video recording, but having the capability built in lets you record a vacation or gathering on the spur of the moment, without a camcorder's freight or cost. You won't quite get a camcorder's video quality, either, but you will be able to record any scene up to the memory card's full capacity. With 4GB cards available for less than $50, it's feasible to record hours of video with a camera.

Consider the design. How a camera looks and feels is important. Most manufacturers now offer cameras in a variety of colors, with palettes ranging from subtle pastels to bold hues. But some brands have other, fairly consistent character traits that prevail across their product lines. For example, Sony excels in sleek, minimalist designs, particularly in its subcompacts, which have a nontelescoping lens on the front and a large touch screen on the back. Nothing protrudes from the front, and no buttons clutter the back.

Other brands are more pragmatic. Casio often adds helpful captions and sample photos to scene modes in its menus. Canon, Fujifilm, and Sony offer a swiveling LCD, for difficult-to-take shots. Some larger compacts and superzoom models include a steadying handgrip.

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WHAT'S NEW

WI-FI MEMORY CARD

What it is. The Eye-Fi is a $100, 2-gigabyte, SD memory card with a built-in Wi-Fi transmitter. It lets a digital camera send photos wirelessly to a Windowsbased or Mac computer or directly to online services such as Facebook and Flickr. (You'll need to set up an account.)

CR's take. It's useful and easy to set up and use, though transferring photos wirelessly takes longer than copying them directly using a card reader. It won't work with some public Wi-Fi hotspots and corporate networks; to use other hotspots and networks, you must preconfigure it. And you can't selectively transfer photos, so it can drain your camera's battery by transferring all of your new photos.

A PRINTER FOR SHUTTERBUGS

What it is. The $550 Epson Stylus Photo R1900 is a specialty printer for the serious photographer. It prints borderless photos up to 13x19 inches, panoramas up to 13x144 inches (using rolled paper), and on printable CDs and DVDs.

CR's take. It's costlier to buy and operate than most inkjets, but it's also faster. (Including the cost of Epson Premium photo paper, a 4x6 costs 70 cents and takes 1 minute; an 8x10 costs $2.40 and takes 90 seconds; a 13x19 costs $6.75 and takes 4.2 minutes). It printed excellent photos that were as sharp as Epson's more expensive Stylus R2400 and Pro 7880. Color accuracy can be excellent, but that requires a lot of setup.

SERIOUS CAMERA PHONES

What it is. The Samsung FlipShot (top) and Sony Ericsson Cyber-shot K850i have camera features most camera phones lack, such as flash and autofocus. The $150 Flip- Shot has panorama-shot mode and can set ISO from 100 to 400. The $500 K850i has a feature that automatically takes nine shots and lets you choose the best one to save.

CR's take. With good lighting, both produced images comparable to a pointand- shoot with very good image quality. The 3-megapixel FlipShot's image quality held up even with 13x19-inch photos; it also scored highly for sharpness and color accuracy. The K850i's image quality wasn't as good as that of the other 5-megapixel camera phone we previously tested, the Nokia N95.

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A SUPERZOOM CAMERA WITH HD VIDEO

As video recording becomes standard on digital cameras, some brands have upped the ante by claiming the capability to record in high definition. The $999 Casio Exilim Pro EX-F1, with a 12x optical zoom, shoots in true 1080i resolution. It has other innovative features, such as the ability to shoot 60 still images per second, or video at speeds up to 1,200 frames per second at lowerthan- standard resolution, to produce slow-motion videos.

We tested the EX-F1's high-definition and standard-definition video by recording the same images we use to test camcorders, then comparing the results with video shot by the best-performing HD camcorders. Image quality was only fair, worse than almost all the HD camcorders we've tested. The HD video wasn't very sharp, and portions of the picture periodically appeared out of focus. Standard definition wasn't any better; colors were oversaturated and images not very sharp. High-speed video quality, tested at 1,200 frames per second, wasn't very good because the resolution was only 336x96. To capture details at that resolution, you must be very close to a well-lighted subject or use a high-ISO setting that might lower image quality.

Bottom line. The EX-F1 isn't the equal of a good high-definition or highly rated standard-definition digital camcorder. Some of the best HD models we've tested cost quite a bit less. Even for a 12x superzoom camera, it's very expensive. But its unique high-speed still feature has potential; we'll report on it after we've fully tested the EX-F1.

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A 20X ULTRAZOOM

The Olympus SP-570 UZ, $500, has a 20x optical zoom range, the widest we've seen on a point-and-shoot camera. (That's the equivalent of 26-520mm on a 35mm film camera, a huge range even for a superzoom.) At the most extreme focal lengths, images from the SP-570 UZ weren't as sharp as images from other point-and-shoots we've tested, though sharpness in the middle focal lengths was very good. At extreme focal lengths, images also suffered the problems we found on Olympus, Fujifilm, and Panasonic 18x ultrazooms. Those include darkening at the images' edges (vignetting), distortion in the center and at the edges, and at the 520mm length, color fringing. You can correct some problems using computer photo-editing software.

Bottom line. If you can tolerate noticeable image flaws (especially in enlargements) or you're willing to use software to correct them, the SP-570 UZ is worth considering because it offers the most zooming flexibility you can get in a point-and-shoot camera.

SAY WOOF! Pet-eye fix is a variation on red-eye removal that's optimized for dogs and cats. It's found on the HP Photosmart R837 and R937 (shown at right).

CR Quick Recommendations

The Ratings list models by overall performance. Quick Picks stand out for their combination of price and performance, or other reasons noted. For some models, we note successors that we haven't yet tested and whether they offer more or less than the 200 to 300 or so shots per charge and 21/2 inches or so of LCD screen of most tested models. Several Olympus pointand- shoot and Canon subcompact models were discontinued as we went to press, and their successors didn't arrive in time to be tested for this report.

QUICK PICKS

Best cameras that fit in a pocket:

1 Sony (12 MP) $300

2 Sony (7 MP) $280

These have the best image quality among the subcompacts, along with excellent next-shot delay and dynamic range. (1) has an extremely high maximum ISO while maintaining best quality, making it wellsuited for shooting in low light without a flash, and above-average battery life. It also has an optical viewfinder. (Also available: the newer Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W300, $350, with 13.6 megapixels and a slightly larger LCD.) (2) is the best subcompact for first-shot delay and has the biggest (3-inch) LCD. It also features a nontelescoping lens and a Smile Shutter mode. Both cameras have face detection.

Best pocket cameras for less:

4 Pentax (8 MP) $220

5 Kodak (8 MP) $120

Each offers advantages that compensate for their shortcomings, which include longer first-shot delays and lower image quality than the Sonys (1, 2). (4) has the longest zoom (7x) by far among the subcompacts, though battery life (at 180 shots per charge) and the maximum ISO setting (80) that yields shots with best quality is below most other tested cameras. (5) is a fine value with excellent nextshot delay.

Best compacts for most people:

14 Canon (12 MP) $350

15 Canon (8 MP) $180, CR Best Buy

19 Canon (8 MP) $300

All are among the best compacts for image quality and versatility. (14) and (15) have viewfinders, 6x zoom, and manual controls and focus. (14) has very good next-shot delay, allows use of a fairly high maximum ISO setting (400) with best quality, and has excellent dynamic range and an exceptionally long battery life (500 shots). It's also one of the few compacts with a swiveling LCD. (15), the lightest camera of this group, has an unusually long battery life (400 shots), and very good next-shot delay and dynamic range. (19) has very good first-shot delay, excellent next-shot delay, and excellent dynamic range. It's very small, if a bit heavy, for a compact and has a 3.8x zoom with wideangle capability and a 2.9-inch LCD. But it lacks a viewfinder.

For flexible editing and composition:

16 Canon (12 MP) $460

This full-featured compact has very good image quality and next-shot delay, good first-shot delay, and very good dynamic range, and it allows use of a fairly high maximum ISO setting (400) while maintaining best image quality. It also has a 6x zoom, manual controls, manual focus, optical viewfinder, and face detection. Unlike its predecessor (the PowerShot G7), it has RAW-file capability and a 2.9-inch LCD.

If a long zoom is a priority:

30 Sony (8 MP) $390

31 Sony (8 MP) $250, CR Best Buy

33 Panasonic (8 MP) $310

35 Canon (8 MP) $230, CR Best Buy

All are fine performers that offer at least 10x zoom. The Sony (30) has a 2.9-inch LCD that swivels, a night shooting mode, and a lens that zooms while shooting video. (Also available: the 9-megapixel Cyber-shot DSC-H50, $400, with noisereduction features and Smile Shutter mode.) The Sony (31) is less expensive, lighter, and much more compact than its brandmate, but it has a smaller zoom range and no viewfinder or swiveling LCD. (Also available: the 8-megapixel, Cybershot DSC-H10, $300, with a 3-inch LCD.) (33) has the largest zoom range in this group and is the only model in this group with RAW-file capability. (35) is Canon's first budget superzoom and uses AA batteries, getting an unusually high 400 shots per charge. But it lacks a viewfinder.