Spring '07 Digital Camera Preview

Technology, like fashion, has its seasons. The spring line of digital cameras is being paraded down the trade show aisles, and they're looking pretty terrific. Casual photographers are going to see a new generation of point-and-shoot cameras that are easier to use than ever before. They've all got more than enough megapixels, big LCD viewing areas, and numerous—but more sensible—features for controlling elements of your photos, like manual settings, higher ISO speeds (which let you shoot in low light, but can cause noisier photos), as well as image stabilization. Some of the differentiating next generation features include wireless connectivity, GPS photo stamping, and photo sharing. Plus, the prices are so good that I'm thinking that digital cameras are the single purchase in consumer electronics where there's no buyer's remorse.

At the recent PMA trade show, 110 new digital cameras were showcased. Here's a lineup according to their megapixel rating. I've picked the six most interesting that I expect will cause some of the season's biggest buzz.

Touch Screen Implementation on the Samsung NV11: Samsung's commitment to a sophisticated consumer who likes point and shoot but also likes top of the line features, the NV11 is a 10-megapixel camera with a 5x optical zoom lens. Its 2.7-inch preview screen uses a touch-screen technology that lets you roll your finger over the controls to select them. Niceties include an ISO of 1,600 and Samsung's face recognition software that can detect and focus on faces automatically. It will be available in May for $400. DP Review has a good overview and photos. Samsung will have a GPS accessory out in the second half of the year. It'll stamp every photograph with place and time.

Beating the Elements With the Olympus Stylus 770 SW: Apparently, this camera has been making the rounds of trade shows stuck inside a block of ice to showcase its rugged waterproof, shockproof, and frost-proof features. It's a 7-megapixel, demure little point-and-shoot camera with a 3x optical zoom. It's quite small, but there's still room for the full 2.5-inch viewfinder. It costs $380.

GE's New Kid on the Block: Gizmodo captures the arrival into an already crowded camera market of this new entry from GE. The GE cameras start at 7-megapixels with a 2.5-inch LCD, and work up to a 12MP camera with a 3-inch LCD. All the models have image stabilization. GE has brand recognition and distribution, but there's no word on price yet. The first cameras should be ready in April.

An Enthusiast's Dream With Sony Cyber-Shot DSC-W100: Sony's 8-megapixel beauty is housed in a compact body. It gives the user a high degree of control with a manual exposure mode that has extended control for up to 46 steps of adjustable shutter speeds (30 to 1/1000 sec.) and two steps of aperture control. Sony also has a new wireless camera, the DSC-G1, which allows you to transfer pictures using Wi-Fi spots. It has built-in music and great video too, making it one of the most talked about cameras of the season.

Kodak EasyShare's Attention to Low Light: Two from Kodak score high marks for a better than average zoom, high ISO, and image stabilization, making them ideal cameras for shooting in low light with no hassle. The Z712 has 7.1-megapixels and an ultra-12x optical zoom that reaches from 36mm to 432mm on a 35mm equivalent, as well as a short shutter lag of only 0.26 seconds. The Z885, with 8MP, has a 5x optical zoom lens with a 36mm to 180mm reach and a special high ISO of up to 8,000. Both cameras will be available this April.

The Surefire Bet of the Canon A570IS: Canon continues to improve its line with a camera that's image stabilized and has top of the line shooting controls. For just $279, the 7.1-megapixel camera offers a big LCD screen, uses AA batteries, and has an ISO of 1,600. You can add accessory lenses and manual control. Face recognition is a part of Canon's well-regarded Digic III processor. All said, it's a lot of camera for the price.

What $300 Gets You This Spring

• 7- to 8-megapixels;
• A large preview screen (at least 2.5-inches);
• 4x to 6x optical zoom;
• ISO speeds of at least 800, preferably 1,600;
• Automatic and manual settings; and
• Image stabilization.

    Bells and Whistles:

• Print and share photos directly from camera;
• Use of Wi-Fi;
• GPS positioning options (made both by third party and camera manufacturers); and
• Face detection.