Photography 101, Part III: The Best Budget Cameras

The trusty, budget-friendly Lumix DMC-FH25

 “Budget” can be a hard word to define when you’re discussing electronic gear, but here I’m discussing cameras that are under $200 (sometimes well under). I’m somewhere between this category and the above in terms of my own values as a photographer, so I chose to purchase a Panasonic Lumix (model DMC-FH25). It’s not the fanciest of the Lumixes, but it’s a solid camera that didn’t break the bank, and it’s consistently top-rated. Unlike some of the more expensive compacts, the budget cameras may not have great zoom capabilites, may have a slightly lower resolution, etc. But these are great for photographers who want the ease of taking pictures without having to fiddle with a ton of settings – much of the time the “Automatic” setting will be optimal.

A good budget camera will still capture plenty of detail.

See CNet’s list of the best budget cameras here.