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Holiday Gift Guide 2009: Best Cameras for Every Budget

Posted by John Pastor • November 30, 2009 • Printer-friendly • Feed • Share

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hgg09 gifts cameras header Holiday Gift Guide 2009: Best Cameras for Every Budget

No doubt about it, digital camera sales are always popular this time of year for capturing those moments that we strive to remember. Whether the person you're getting this for is ready to step up to an entry-level digital SLR or just want to start with a simple point-and-shoot, these are the cameras to buy this holiday season.

Point-and-Shoots

Starter Point-and-Shoot
Canon PowerShot SX120 IS

canon sx120is sm Holiday Gift Guide 2009: Best Cameras for Every BudgetThe easiest to use point-and-shoot digital camera with an easy to handle price is the Canon PowerShot SX120 IS. The SX120 IS has a large 3-inch screen, a 10-megapixel sensor, optical image stabilization (hence the IS in the model name), and motion detection to snap those perfect shots of the little ones. The camera also has special modes for getting the best shots without overly complicating it for the end user.

The Canon PowerShot SX120 IS is available at Amazon.com for $200 with free shipping.

Mid-range Point-and-Shoot
Canon PowerShot SD980 IS

If you're looking for a mid-range point-and-shot camera that's packed with functionality, check out the SD980 IS from Canon. It has an ultra wide-angle 5x zoom with optical image stabilization and a 3-inch touchscreen LCD. While I was skeptical about the touchscreen interface at first, it's surprisingly good and responsive. You can also go through photos by tilting the camera and speed increases according to the angle of the camera. If that isn't enough to convince you, the SD980 IS also shoots 720p video with image stablization and can output that video via miniHDMI to your HDTV.

Find the Canon PowerShot SD980 IS at Amazon.com for around $300 with free shipping.

Thin-and-light Point-and-Shoot
Sony Cyber-shot DSC-TX1

sony cybershot tx1 Holiday Gift Guide 2009: Best Cameras for Every Budget

Thin cameras are becoming popular especially for parties and events, with the ability to easily fit the camera inside your shirt pocket or purse. The Cyber-shot DSC-TX1 from Sony is especially good for parties, since it has exceptionally well low-light performance and a super-fast 10fps burst mode (at full resolution!). It's also super thin at less than an inch thick. This camera is also capable of 720p video and has a 3-inch touchscreen, which seems to be the sweet spot for screen size these days.

Find the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-TX1 at Amazon.com for $329.99 with free shipping.

Digital SLRs

Entry-level Digital SLR
Nikon D3000

nikon d3000 sm Holiday Gift Guide 2009: Best Cameras for Every BudgetDigital SLRs are becoming more and more popular because of their fast shutter speeds (depending on the lens), ultimate control over every single setting such as aperture, shutter speed, and exposure, and of course, interchangeable lenses. Our favorite entry-level digital SLR is the Nikon D3000. It won't break the bank for around $500 and it comes with a great starter lens (18-55mm). It has a built-in tutorial guide that guides you through taking macro shots with extreme depth-of-field and high shutter-speed nighttime shots.

Find the Nikon D3000 with an 18-55mm lens at Amazon.com for $469.99.

Mid-range Digital SLR
Canon EOS Rebel T1i

The next step up from the baby Nikon D3000 is the Canon EOS Rebel T1i, it shoots amazing 1080p (full high-def) video that is simply stunning and jaw-dropping and has a whopping 15-megapixel sensor. It has a large 3-inch LCD and easy-to-use scene modes that can help with last-minute shots where you don't have time to set up each setting.

If you know someone with a Nikon digital SLR that wants to step up, the D90 is a great alternative if they already have a stock of Nikon lenses.

The Canon EOS Rebel T1i can be found for around $700 with free shipping at Amazon.com.

High-end Digital SLR
Canon EOS 5D Mark II

canon eos 5d mark ii Holiday Gift Guide 2009: Best Cameras for Every Budget

The pièce de résistance of digital SLRs is the best one to date, the Canon EOS 5D Mark II. I don't want to sound like a Canon fanboy (I own a now-outdated Nikon D50) but Canon is where it's at. The 5D Mark II takes stunning full-frame (not cropped) shots as well as full 1080p video. Combine the 5D Mark II with an L-series lens and you've got yourself the greatest digital SLR. With a 21.1-megapixel sensor, you'll be able to crop photographs without grain or blurriness. See amazing sample video from the EOS 5D Mark II here.

It is expensive, but for the next Annie Leibovitz or Pete Souza in your life, this is the camera for them. Find the Canon EOS 5D Mark II at Amazon.com (body only) for around $2700 bucks.



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