Review: Casio tops list of best digital cameras

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By the PC World staff

(IDG) -- Many of the current digital camera offerings seem to be have been created using the same cookie cutter. But that's far from true of the three new 5-megapixel models we tested for this month's Top 10 Digital Cameras, $500 and up.

Nikon's Coolpix 5000, Olympus's E-20N and Sony's Cyber-shot DSC-F707 come from schools of design as different in outlook as Frank Lloyd Wright, Ludwig Mies Van der Rohe, and Frank Gehry.

Nikon's Coolpix 5000 is easily the most conventional of the three; its boxy case with right-hand grip adopts a shape commonly used by Nikon, Olympus, and other digital camera builders. That's not a knock against it -- of the three newcomers, the Coolpix is the most compact, the lightest, and the easiest to grip. And it far surpasses earlier Nikons in overall design and ease of use.

Olympus's E-20N is one of the two polar opposites among these three cameras. Like its E10 forebear, this semipro camera is huge, heavy, and (at $1,999) almost ridiculously expensive. But it possesses an extremely rare -- and exceptionally desirable -- quality for a digital camera: true through-the-lens viewing.

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The radical of the trio is Sony's Cyber-shot DSC-F707. Though this camera falls between the Nikon and the Olympus in size and weight, its design takes a completely different direction--it's like something you'd find in the Star Wars prop closet.

Roughly L-shaped, it joins a massive lens to one end of a shrunken body; this design supports the relatively fast 5X optical zoom lens while restraining the overall size. Two other features put the Sony into a niche of its own: a laser-based focusing system that works in total darkness, and an electronic viewfinder (as opposed to the optical finder found on most cameras). Though the former is an interesting (and occasionally useful) extra feature for any photographer, the latter--with its typically jumpy, grainy images -- is strictly a matter of personal taste.

The final question to ask about all of these cameras is: Do you really need the power of 5-megapixel imaging? The answer for nearly every casual photographer is definitely no. You can save yourself a pile of cash by picking up a 3- to 4-megapixel model -- many of which have been discounted heavily in recent months. If you take your photography seriously, however, it's hard to argue with the flexibility that a 5-megapixel camera offers for really large prints or for tight cropping. And as any craftsman will tell you, good tools cost more.

Top 10 digital cameras

1. Casio QV-4000: The QV-4000 is a flexible, inexpensive camera for families or businesses, and it's easy for people with very different photographic interests and skill levels to use.
2. Nikon Coolpix 995: The Coolpix 995 is a strong performer that may overwhelm novices.
3. Canon PowerShot G2: Canon's PowerShot G2 offers great photo quality, long battery life, and top-end features for enthusiasts, though it's a bit complicated for novices.
4. Sony Cyber-shot DSC-F707: The great pictures, the long lens, and the ease of use afforded by the impressive focusing mechanisms make the Cyber-shot DSC-F707 a strong 5-megapixel choice, though we'd consider the camera's size and weight very seriously before we bought one.
5. Epson PhotoPC 3100Z: Epson's $699 PhotoPC 3100Z is an excellent general-purpose digital camera that's very easy to use.
6. Nikon Coolpix 5000: A good bet for sophisticated photographers looking for a powerful, light digital camera, the Coolpix 5000 is a fine digital companion for people still attached to their 35mm film SLRs.
7. Olympus E-20N: A worthy upgrade to the well-regarded E-10, the E-20N adds extra imaging power to an already extremely versatile camera.
8. Olympus D-40 Zoom: As a high-end point-and-shoot model with an extensive selection of user options, the D-40 should appeal to those who take recording life's events fairly seriously.
9. Sony Cyber-shot DSC-S85: Despite an oversensitive shutter, the DSC-S85 is a reasonably priced, elegantly designed 4.1-megapixel camera.
10. Canon PowerShot S40: Learning how to use the fairly pricey PowerShot S40 (and to work around its quirks) can take some time, but its impressive pictures and case design make it worth the investment.