Ad: Get our free CNET Android app

Best digital cameras for Christmas

Christmas is coming -- are you feeling festive? In fact it's been coming for three months, if you believe the decorations in the local shopping centre. But as the big day approaches and thoughts turn to presents, we take a look at a selection of the best compact digital cameras for Christmas.

Let's start at the budget end of the scale, for those of you with kids or if you're just a bit cheap. The Nikon Coolpix S520 is a straightforward point-and-shoot at an affordable price. There's not much in the way of features, but the novice photographer will be happy with the images.

Next let's pick the most stylish camera for the shallow and fashion-obsessed among your family or friends, to look good when they whip it out at the Christmas party. The IXUS range is synonymous with style, and we've plumped for the subtly curvaceous Canon Digital IXUS 80 IS.

When you've taken all those pictures of the Christmas parties and presents, you'll need plenty of room to store them. The Sony Cyber-shot DSC-T700 packs 4GB of onboard memory, so as well as saving loads of pictures, you also cut down on the cost of buying memory cards. Bargain.

Finally, what's our pick of the best compact camera of the year? There can be only one, and it's the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX500. Maybe your prospective present-receiver has moved on a bit from compact point-and-shoots and wants to develop their photography. Or maybe your Dad just wants lots of options he can fiddle about with even if he doesn't know what they do. A touchscreen-controlled point-and-shoot with a wealth of manual options, the FX500 also has the usual Panasonic iA automatic mode, so if everyone's stuffed with turkey, the camera will do all the hard work for you.

The weather outside may be frightful, but with these winter warmers turning up in stockings, Christmas could be very merry indeed.

Editors:

3.0 stars out of 5

Users:

0 out of 5

Not yet rated

Nikon Coolpix S520

Despite its suave looks, the Nikon Coolpix S520 is a safe pair of hands rather than a glamorous catch. A light feature set and an absence of sexy characteristics mean it fails to stand out on any criteria except price -- but it is a solid-gold bargain Read more

£125

Reviewed on 10 April 2008

Editors:

3.5 stars out of 5

Users:

4.5 stars out of 5

Canon Digital IXUS 80 IS

Canon's Digital IXUS 80 IS adds optical image stabilisation to last year's hit Digital IXUS 70, while delivering just as impressive image quality Read more

£219

Reviewed on 5 March 2008

Editors:

4.0 stars out of 5

Users:

5 stars out of 5

Sony Cyber-shot DSC-T700

Part smart-looking snapshot camera, part 4GB portable digital photo album, the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-T700 will satisfy those who like showing off their pictures as much as they like taking them Read more

£300

Reviewed on 18 August 2008

Editors:

4.0 stars out of 5

Users:

2.5 stars out of 5

Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX500

Panasonic does it again with the cracking Lumix DMC-FX500, a point-and-shoot with a great lens, large and responsive touchscreen and a list of features as long as your arm Read more

£262

Reviewed on 11 June 2008

Post your comment

Log in with your CNET UK or Facebook account to post a user review, or click Join to create an account

Your email will not be displayed with your comment

Copy the letters and numbers to prove that you're human. You won't have to do this if you log in or register

Your comment must comply with the Terms of Use

About CBS Interactive

Copyright © 2012 CBS Interactive Limited. All rights reserved.