The 10 Best Digital Cameras of 2012
No matter what type of digital camera you’re looking for, we’ve got a top-rated shooter for you.
The problem with buying a digital camera is not only that there are hundreds of models for sale at any given point in time, but you also need to figure out which type of camera is right for you. The good news is that we review lots of cameras—and these 10 are among the best we’ve tested.
Do you want a small camera that requires minimal effort, but takes great pictures? A pocket point and shoot is probably your best bet. Need to get close to the action without carrying a huge camera with a big lens? A compact superzoom model is likely for you. Or do you want a lightning-fast shooter that lets you swap out lenses and play with settings? Then you want a D-SLR or a compact interchangeable-lens camera. Plan on shooting on the beach or the slopes? You need a ruggedized waterproof model.
We picked winners from the cameras we’ve reviewed in each of the five aforementioned categories to make up our top 10. Remember, though, the digital camera market is a robust one; manufacturers release new products throughout the year, and we’re continually testing and reviewing cameras. Before you buy, be sure to hit our Digital Cameras Product Guide for the latest reviews. But for now, here are 10 of our favorite digital cameras.
Digital Cameras in this Roundup:
Point-and-Shoot Cameras
Canon PowerShot S100
The Canon PowerShot S100 is a worthy successor to our previous Editors’ Choice high-end point-and-shoot camera, the PowerShot S95. It adds a longer zoom lens and GPS, and improves on the S95′s image quality and performance.
Canon PowerShot Elph 310 HS
Canon’s compact PowerShot Elph 310 HS packs an 8x zoom lens into a body that can slide into your shirt pocket with ease. When you consider its high-res LCD, excellent image quality, and 1080p HD video capture capability you have a camera that earns our Editors’ Choice.
DIGITAL SLRs
Nikon D5100
The Nikon D5100 offers a fantastic mix of still-image and video-recording quality, along with plenty of features including top-notch in-camera effects. This well-rounded shooter is an easy Editors’ Choice for under-$1,000 D-SLRs.
Sony Alpha DSLR-A580
The Sony Alpha DSLR-A580 is the only digital SLR that can deliver beautiful images and blazing fast autofocus whether you’re framing your shots with the optical viewfinder, or with its articulating LCD in Live View mode. Video-capture options are a bit limited, though.
Compact Interchangeable-Lens Cameras
Sony Alpha NEX-C3
The Sony Alpha NEX-C3 builds on the already-excellent NEX-3, but manages to be lighter and more compact. Not only does the NEX-C3 produce stunning images, even at high ISO settings, it easily earns our Editors’ Choice for compact interchangeable lens cameras.
Sony Alpha NEX-5N
The Sony Alpha NEX-5N delivers a lot of performance from its compact body, packing a sensor as large as those found in most digital SLRs and recording video in full 1080p HD. But it doesn’t quite edge out its little brother, the NEX-C3, our Editors’ Choice.
Olympus PEN E-PM1
The Olympus E-PM1 may be the smallest member of the Micro Four Thirds PEN family, but it delivers the same solid build quality and good-looking images as its larger siblings—and it’s lightning fast.
Superzoom Cameras
Nikon Coolpix S9100
The speedy-shooting Nikon S9100 delivers a big 18x optical zoom lens and a high-res LCD in a small, pocket-size package at a great price. It is our’s Editor’s Choice for Superzoom Cameras.
Nikon Coolpix P500
It won’t fit in your pocket, but Nikon’s Coolpix P500 is a killer camera that combines sublime speed with a huge 36x zoom lens, HD-video recording, and a high-res articulating LCD.
Rugged/Waterproof Cameras
Panasonic Lumic DMC-TS3
Images from the Panasonic Lumix DMC-TS3 are on the soft side, but its tough build and innovative feature set make this pocket camera our favorite rugged outdoor shooter. It is our Editor’s Choice for Rugged/Waterproof Cameras!
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