COVER STORY GEARTO GO MATCHING COLORS Our eameratesters ‘measure how accurately each advanced model Captures a set of reference colrs Recommended models only From73 tested ‘e est Een ‘The recommended modal offer robust performance ané some ofthe ost ophlsteated camera features avaiable ‘Modes are ranked ty overall score which considers the attnutes shown 35 well asters. The quality of stilimages isnt omparaoleto tna of basiccameras, which are testedtoalower standard) Attributes thatarenit shown include Ease of use, ThisIs our assessment of controls, start-up time, and shutter delay incegularandiow ight We check manual ana autofocussystems. and how easy tistoinser lang removea memory card and battery. Most. ‘models we tested were good or very good. Flash photos, These vere mostly good ocvery good when using a bulin lash We ow powerful fasandé how! ‘evenly ciluminateethesubjectand si LED size, Thisisroughiy3incheson mos. Ratings & recommendations Advanced cameras dels, few have touch screens and swivel, asnoted for modelsat ight Through-the-lens viewfinder. ThesiRs allhaveane that's very good or excelent Image stabilization, For most models that accept removable lenses,’ built into select lenses only, Some Olympus, Pentax. and Sony SLa-ike and SLR modelshause tin the cameras body, sit works with all compatible lenses. Alistablizrs ofboth types that weve tested were very good or excelent Weight, point-and-shoot: typically weigh ounces orless StRclike models weigh 20 0 10 ounces; owerrankee models with fewer features weigh less SLAs weigh2510 S0ounces Battery life. © shootmodels, oucan © shotson a charge. $0 cameras offer sever ept ora few point and LRé and SLR-lke xCRBt By Rone @riceem gol © cond ar @ Po a alia - 18 eal 5 ColFiciwie Piriciole A_POINT-AND-SHOOT Has a built-in lens and SLRike features. 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MESO 100 NM SNM © © — scene F3 ompses 1700 2 KSIMRDe BO SURE Sales andighverthnansiuesrenonbeleses 7 handToo 110) NL MMS TFaASOTI gy C16 WHAM © ETS SMMSH iy MT SSIS @ FAME LIMI g9 MM HLMMDE | SF NEST ny MB ESRALI® 6 © ee ee Oe eee eee ery ee PS Sango 70 Ct MN oe EAP EH yn ssantsle © C6 Som 0 NE HMM OS Fy mono — 90) ENN EMMIS O8 )7 kon 7) KN HABIT OO Fw whantx00 oo CN MMII Oe ©) 8 Sansing 20 1000 NE IESE © OO Em when 450 M1 SIRI OO 9 Says $0 ON 2 SSSI © vB ma) 80 ON IK IMMIIS OO | 2/10 somo 50 MNF ERM | F/M Pes 1250 N16 SS MIS@ OO | Ct SoyN 50 1 EMMIS oS 15 titon000 750 Ns MOA SS | eC a ors | 28 CONSUMER REPORTS ACOVER STORY CAMERAS D The family historian Here'sone or the memory keeper who fils photo aloums with shots ofeveryane and hisuncle—Iterall some of tose magic ‘moments take pace ona eld ar stage, so | superto0m such a the Sony Cyber-shot 'DSC-HX300, 5450, win ts extremely ong, SOx opicalzcom les, isjustthe ticket. Uniike ‘most basic cameras, has an electronic \iewinde, hich makes iteasy to compose shtsin brightlight that woulawash out an LCD. Plus, this Cybershot can capture 30 photos. something smallerand lighter would tthe bil, consider tie Sony Cyber shot DSC-HXSOV, 5450, whichhasa 30x op tiealzoom. Abonus ecan communicate wirelessly with smart phone or able. By downloading an app toa mobile device, ie'also passbleta wirelessly cantol the HXSOV ftom afar—ay, fits placed near the stage or irish linet capturea close-up. Ratings Basic cameras Recommended models only From logtested Detar ots [sa Overview Basic cameras Image-qualty scores for basic models are based on alower standard than those for advanced camera. In addition to the other models mentioned, theseare good choices. TOP CHOICES AY Nikon 320, 1 Olympus $400 2 Panasonic si00 ‘Aww appeal to advanced users, withits fast{f1 Bens, for more profesionaHlooking EIcRBes5y Rearend creme Over goo! © cond Far @ Pon a af aa aig Snewie niles sutcoupacr isis ps et surezo0u nines ao le i SSS Mieco 0 oainourtios 30 ume oO B_ COMPACT simple to use, with advanced features. DEES na eh HILO. Bupa Ses ih SSSSSE [1M mitemavcmie 50 HMMM 40.080 EAReeeaA TS PNESROOS epee craters imi SATO eS oe ee CO Ty teint 20 EN 6 110.090 4 Wilko Coolpix 610 = bimeeco 1% Wavinan Se cacao WOOL 2, Us mbes Gols eOoe JA tumrimaces ar EMM 2 B0.0e 0 iy ce Wied0e80 C_suptaoomasanrene esate ones om Tinamrsaans 50 Emm waeeoe Bsa” Stee scone 1 amc) AO CONN 1 20.0 0.0 © __D_BUGEEDE WATEEDROE Ds re wt sts 1 yserencn) 40 mm x o666 i manamneS oe EA 5 e OSS Fisted ao ne Ose 23 mmo m0 EM Ke Gee Tat 00 KN 2m 0008 )'s smeemDKM0 7 EM OO 9 anccnse 20 LOOK 7 ommsKnS MM neo OO Manip) HNN eCCe Vt amnesam EMM #0000 Cia oyemstinsiKis ae ME 0600 EA ¥ emesnranks” mm a's lee 40. CONSUMER REPORTS DECEMBER 20135 5 5 . f 5 ° DO} 0 OO OO 10 Oy images, plus fas startup time. Blincudes «a byorid control ing built around the ens, ‘which lets youassign various functions. €2 is lightweight and thi, includes a ong 20x optical zaom lens, andhas builtin Wie FOR EXTREME CONDITIONS 2 oWympuss250, D3 Nikon S280 “The manufacturerof D1 dims thatitcan besubmerged toa depth of 3 feet ana canwithstanda 6 foot crop. also includes NFC(nearfieleommunication for quickly Lploacing mages and vdeotoamobile Gevice, 2's manufacturer claimsthatit ‘can be submerged toa depth of 33feetand ‘an athstanda§ 5 oot crop. D3has|ots loffeatures, anlits manufacturers that itcanbesubmerges'toa depth of 59 feet Dang Da alsohave wireless capability ‘Overview Advanced cameras Image-qualityscores for advanced models are based on a higher standard than those for basic cameras. Prices include the lens. listed, In addition tothe other models mentioned, these are good choices. TOP CHOICES 1A2 Sony 750 82 Panasonic S750 1 canon ss0cR Best Buy ‘a2 pas very good image aualityand performance across the board, Pls, nas Wi’ and NFC (near eld cornmunicaton), foreasy connection with mobile devices. 2 combines solid performance anda full complement of features, Italsohas Wi and can capture3D photos, provided you buy the lens. Clincludes avery good ‘quality touen-sereen, swiveling LCD, and very good through-the-lens viewfinder. Ratings Advanced cameras Recommended models only From 68 tested. BEST VALUES. [AG Panasonic SS00 CR Best Buy BB. Sony S450 CR Best Buy C10 Nikon $ss0 ER Best Buy ‘As basa very good quality viewfinder, which rot ll advanced point-ang-shoots have. ‘BB has avery good swiveling LCD that's helpful when composing hard-to-reach shots, (Ois very versatile, takes very good photos, andhas a very ood CO andviewfinder Exc pet Biy Recomended @ bse © Yerygoat OCees @ ar @ For 2 ges 2 : 3 Sa : Bae ‘ » 8 ‘ of 2 é iriensie = = ee A_ POINT-AND-SHOOT Has a built-in lens and SLR-like features. SLR-LIKE continued Tom 1 i an 6 Oe Dhnpisheners 100 EF HRMS OS WP Samoa 59 20 s0I0m © 66 Soy — 1250 CNL BEMIS © © e ea a STS Soy 90) EM 2 SMM OS TZ 4 pence 0 6 a @ 0:8) ohmescm 50) CNM 1s HEMI © © 5) Panasonic ae 15 Sonne. 60 ENN 650MM a OMCLAL 0 2 Bes © ‘Sony SLEASSK oo 2 1855mmL5 OO O 7 fasenewni 5 MT 290M GO Sang 15) CRN 55M © OO 8 cawnPinesia Gls 45) EMM 224MM © © SC suRHasthe most advanced features and removable lenses (9 Fai 20 0) A 2 wien COS ETT comtsrte 0 A 1 smn oo 6 fo Peta Nw O88; memo ise MME 5 go v] jea varie 2850 CMM 16 26-70mm oO u, a aa a ace (4) 3 Canone0s600 1000 TT 18 185mm.) 6 OS Sn ohms? 60 OM 2 IRM 268 LAs comcosienist 70 LE nM) © OO (ZB Somvcioerstot 699 CEM 20 281000 OE Ses 5 minorno 10) ms ESE Bb eo B snimesnoleronighertananswesremoee Fh g cautisnid 0 NN Nad © © © TTT Faso a a ee Ee Me TS 7 AES ey Ms BEM 5 6 ©) 2 Pannen oe il? eee 750 CNN 16 HIM © © © Pg canoneosnebeT? 600 CAMMY — 2 185811) © © _O (3 Pamsonc wn 9g Ns HOMMeE OO 9 ikon 05200 100 C2 ess FOF fies 4 OlympusOM-DEMS 1,000 EMM 16 1250mm2.0) @ © & [EA 10 Wikono3200 550 CE 24 i6Ssmm05) 8 O08 (2) Ss samsungio00 700 CERN —-20-1855nmLS) © © @ EZ] Mt Nikon3100, 4) Cm 4 tessa 6 6 0 © Pausini Luni 600 CNN enn s) 0.9 © EA w remares0 50 EM 16 1855nni5) © O_O 2 Sms 80) NM NB) | OD (|B Pes 25) CNM 155MM © O_O Ee smc E16 son © © © EAM Maeosco ao Ne 5505 © © © 9 Samsungio20 85) ERM 20 asm) @ OO LAS Pentax 0 CA 16 1Bs5mM05 6 OF [P10 semsirksk 750 CERNE 2k UNssmm as) OO © EA 16 Pemarkso0 600 EN 6 185M) OOO FABER 2013 CoNsUMERREPORTS.Org 41