Point-and Shoot Camera I

Canon PowerShot SD870

Though not made as sturdily as other Elphs, the SD870 IS has a big LCD and an extra-wide zoom lens, and takes great pictures.

Wide is the operative word for the $350 Canon PowerShot SD870 IS Digital Elph--not for the camera's overall size, but for its alluringly large 3-inch LCD and for its wide-angle zoom, which starts at 28mm (35mm equivalent), a focal length to warm the heart of any ardent landscape photographer.

With a shell made of both metal and plastic, and with its plastic buttons, the SD870 IS does not look quite as rugged as its two siblings. And some parts are not as robust: The battery door hinge, for example, is plastic and looks a bit frail, and instead of the typical metallic mode dial, it has a simple plastic sliding switch for Movie, Scene, and standard still shots. Nevertheless, it feels sturdy enough to survive most camera operators' punishment.

Canon's Powershot A460

This bargain-priced camera offers a solid body, a 4X zoom, and exposure compensation; but some images looked noisy.

Canon's PowerShot A460 has a sophisticated and durable look to it, yet it costs just $130 (as of 5/10/07). Though nicely designed, its boxy and chunky shape prevents it from being carried comfortably in a pocket. It will fit nicely into a small bag, however.

he 5-megapixel A460 offers a 4X optical zoom, whereas most cameras at this price level have a 3X zoom. Plus, the A460 has three metering modes (evaluative, center-weighted, and spot); most competitors have only one. The function-set menus offer exceptionally quick access to settings and are easy to use. Key controls are grouped together in an intuitive list.

The zoom control is a little unusual--instead of having a separate wide-telephoto toggle, the camera uses the top and bottom positions of the four-way thumb control for zooming. The thumb control works well enough, though its function won't be obvious to a first-time user, and its placement on the back makes the camera a bit awkward to operate one-handed.

The A460 starts up quickly, in 2 seconds, and offers both an eye-level viewfinder and a bright 2-inch LCD screen. A simple mode dial lets you select full auto (with a limited selection of menu options), manual (still automatic, but with some user settings, such as ISO and white balance), scene modes, and movie mode.

You get a choice of eight scene modes--a typical set that includes portrait, night scene, foliage, beach, snow, and fireworks. But oddly, you'll find no sports or action setting. The camera also lacks a built-in help system to explain the modes, though for most people they should be self-explanatory. However, it does have a super macro mode that lets you get really close to your subject (up to just 0.4 inches away).

A separate menu button pops up a list of less-common camera settings, such as a date stamp and digital zoom on/off. You'll also find grid lines and red-eye settings there. The menus are short and only one layer deep.