The Gadget Scientist

I often recommend digital cameras to friends and family, so in the run-up to Christmas I thought it would be a good time to put all my suggestions together in the one place!

What’s the best budget compact camera to take on holiday and to parties?

There are numerous digital cameras in the £100-£200 ($150-$250) range but I think the best buy in this category is the Canon Ixus (called the Elph or PowerShot in the USA.)

I recently recommended this camera to a good friend who travels regularly and needed something portable, durable and that could take the occasional knock. The price was also important – he could afford a more expensive camera but suspected he might lose it on an adventure – so wanted something he could replace at a reasonable cost.

He’s travelled with it all over Europe and the quality of the images are superb. He took this photo of the Coliseum in Rome using the Ixus (the Elph/PowerShot) – in very low light conditions. I was very impressed with the results.

In your opinion, what’s the best compact digital camera?

My personal recommendation is the Canon G12 (£370 in the UK, and $465 from Adorama in the states.) It’s a beautiful camera that achieves superb results. I owned an earlier version (the Canon G9) and really liked it because it had a lot of DSLR features but still fitted into my pocket.

The G12 has substantial improvements over earlier models, particularly in image quality in low light – which is superb. The flip-out LCD screen on the back of the camera is a definite improvement rather than a gimmick, as are the re-designed dials and buttons.

This camera is a top-of-the-range compact, but well worth the money.

I want a digital camera that takes photos of my kids in action straight away!

A number of friends have had problems capturing their kids in photos: ‘I try and take photos of my kids, but the time between me pressing the button and picture being taken is too long! They’re off and doing something else!’

Almost all cameras will suffer from ’shutter-lag’. On professional cameras this lag is so small it’s not noticeable, but on many compact cameras it can be up to several seconds long. This problem is particularly obvious on cameras 3-4 years old. Some early digital cameras have a shutter lag of about 2 seconds!

I would again recommend the Canon G12 (£370 in the UK, and $465 from Adorama in the States.) It has a very short shutter lag – about 0.4 seconds. That’s not a professional standard, but it’s about half a second faster than many other digital cameras on the market today. Also, because this camera has a higher specification than most, it will take bursts of photos in quick succession – which helps if you’re taking a series of pictures of kids in action. (Camera’s with lower specifications like the Ixus/Elph will take a couple of photos and then stop to record the images onto the memory card. This can be very frustrating if something’s happening!)

What’s the best camera for kids ?

I have several friends with kids under 10 that are thinking about buying them a cheap digital camera this Christmas – if for no other reason to stop their kids dropping their own, more expensive kit!

If you’re thinking along similar lines, then I’d highly recommend the VTECH Kidizoom. (£40 in the UK, and $55 from Amazon in the US)

The things I really like about this camera:

• It has grips on either side of the camera making it easy to hold – even for small hands
• There are some fun in-camera editing options and special effects (lots of added entertainment)
• It’s robust and will survive drops and knocks
• It has the option to take photos and videos

And a couple of bonuses – there’s a pink version for girls and a blue version for boys and the camera also has games to help while-away long car journeys.

What’s the best entry level DSLR?

This is an area of the market which has become crowded over the last couple of years with numerous makes and models of camera in the £450-£650 price range.

The front runners are either the Nikon 3100 or the Canon 550D (called the Rebel T2i in the USA).

These are both superb cameras that also capture HD video. I have friends that own both makes and are very pleased with the results. Personally, I think the Canon has the edge (hence its higher price tag.) The build quality is more robust and it captures a higher number of megapixels.

A couple of key advantages to using entry level DSLRs:

• The shutter lag (delay between pressing the capture button and taking the picture) is so tiny it’s not noticeable. This makes it great for photographing kids and pets in action.
• You can upgrade lenses easily – and you may even be able to use old lenses on a new camera
• These cameras have all the creative options as standard so you can experiment with shutter speed and aperture for special effects

Nikon 3100:

Canon 550D:

What digital camera guide book should I buy with my new camera?

The Gadget Scientist Guide to Using Your Digital Camera! As The Daily Telegraph wrote recently:

“This is the perfect pocket-sized guide for anyone unfamiliar with their digital camera or for those who need help making their snaps just that little bit better. Suitable for all ages and all models of digital camera, it examines both the technical and artistic side of photography, explaining all the features available and offering tips on composition.”

You can buy the book from Amazon in the UK or USA, or Adorama in the USA.