Holiday Gift Guide: Cameras

By Gadjo Cardenas Sevillas

Cameras are classic holiday gifts since not only are they always appreciated, they can be put to use right away to capture the special moments of the Season. This year, we're seeing a new breed of point-and-shoots with a focus on retro elegance, some evolved favourites and some surpising mashups.

Samsung GALAXY Camera

Merging a tablet and a smartphone is so last year. This time around Samsung's mated a point and shoot camera with an Android smartphone and the results are quite intriguing. With the ability to shoot and share in real time, this is the Instagrammer's best weapon. Sure, Samsung may not be the first name to come to mind when it comes to cameras, some users may not appreciate the kitschy image settings but a camera that's constantly connected to the Internet (and everyone on it) does add something interesting. With full Android compatibility, the Samsung GALAXY Camera takes photo sharing to a whole new level. Still, the $599 price tag is Interchangeable Lens Camera or DSLR territory.

Canon PowerShot S90, S95, S100 or S110

Starting with the S90, any of Canon's super-compact semi-pro PowerShot S-series cameras will deliver amazing photos in most conditions with simple-to-use controls that also offer a wider range of control for users. These cameras can shoot RAW, record HD quality video and are small enough to fit in a shirt pocket. Having owned both the S90 (which is now being used by my wife) and the S100 (comes with GPS), I can attest that these cameras are awesome to use. I still feel that the earlier models (S90/S95) take slightly better photos but some users might like the newer models for their connectivity (GPS for S100) and WiFi + GPS for the S110.

Fujifilm XF1

Fujifilm has made high-quality and retro-styling their design trademark while offering some of the best cameras in the market. Just look at the long string of hits, the Fujifilm X10, the X100 the XPro-1 all look distinct and timeless and make stunning pictures. The Fujifilm XF1 is the junior of the line, it will appeal to the more fashion conscious users who want a stylish, compact and powerful 12 Megapixel point and shoot camera that features a full array of settings and possibilities for a SRT of $500.

Panasonic Lumix DMC-TS20

Looking for the perfect compact camera for the active and outdoorsy persons in your life. Look no further than Panasonic's Lumix DMC-TS20. Aside from being exceptionally rugged, you can take the DMC-TS20 underwater for up to 16 feet, ideal for snorkeling photos and videos. 

Panasonic's Lumix DMC-TS20 is also shockproof to approximately 5 feet (1.5 meters), dustproof and freezeproof to temperatures as low as 14ºF. Despite all this strength the Lumix TS20 (16.1-megapixel) features a flat and slim profile with a 25mm ultra-wide-angle lens and a 4x optical zoom (35mm equivalent: 25-100mm) and pricing is around $160 What's not to like?