If Aunt Maud is in need of a camera upgrade, this is the guide for you. We’re taking a snapshot of the Top Ten digital cameras on the market that will produce a great picture.

We’ve covered a range of price-ranges to make sure you get the camera you want but still have some pennies left over to buy Uncle Bill’s pressie as well.

So get the siblings together and chip in for one of these stocking fillers.

Fujifilm FinePix Z90
RRP: £129.99
Specs: 14 megapixels, 5x optical zoom
Key Feature: Upload pics straight to Facebook

Featuring a large touchscreen on the back, the Fujifilm FinePix Z90 will appeal to anyone not wanting to squint at tiny symbols to change picture settings. For the younger generation, this camera has the ability to upload pics directly to Facebook or YouTube.

The camera comes in six different colours so will quickly become a fashion accessory in your handbag. Tech-wise, the camera offers digital image stabilisation to prevent blurry action shots, and you can also touch-up pictures without having to download them to your computer first.

This is a great all-rounder camera that looks great and won’t break the bank.

Kodak EasyShare M575
RRP:  £90
Specs: 14 megapixels, 5x optical zoom
Key Feature: Easy to use, great pics

For a camera that won’t break the bank but will still take a good picture of it, the Kodak EasyShare M575 is a great option. It’s easy to use with its default “Smart Capture” mode which just means you can push the button and the camera will take care of everything else. In doing so, this camera provides quite impressive pictures considering its budget price tag.

Available in red, green and black (all metallic), the EasyShare M575 is perfectly themed for Christmas. There is also a video record function that will let you film High Def up to 720p, which isn’t top of the market but is definitely decent. Unfortunately you can’t zoom while filming your latest Spielberg moment with this camera.

The Kodak EasyShare M575 is a stocking stuffer that beats a pair of socks.

Nikon Coolpix L120
RRP: £249.99
Specs: 14 megapixels, 21x optical zoom
Key Feature: Extreme zoom capability

For something that looks a bit more serious at a relatively affordable price, the Nikon Coolpix L120 provides easy-to-use functionality in a serious camera casing. With an impressive 21x optical zoom, the Coolpix L120 will ace that hard-to-get-to shot. The camera also features a Vibration Reduction lens which provides an additional 4x digital zoom.

Seventeen dedicated scene modes will keep those with a basic understanding of photography happy, or there is also an easy to use auto function for those who prefer to point and click.

For the budding photographer, the Coolpix L120’s super zoom ability is bound to impress.

Canon PowerShot A800
RRP: £70
Specs: 10 megapixels, 3x optical zoom
Key Feature: Best cheap camera on the market

For a basic, no bells and whistles point and shoot, the Canon PowerShot A800 is hard to go past. It doesn’t have the best specs in the world with video resolution of 480p and limited zoom, but it does take surprisingly good photos and really represents value for money.

The PowerShot A800 is also good for travellers as it takes 2 AA batteries (remember them?) instead of having to be charged at a strange-looking international powerpoint. While it won’t max out your credit card, it doesn’t look cheap as it’s available in 4 metallic colours with a silver lens housing. There is no image stabiliser but there is face detect which goes a long way to helping you take great family portrait snaps.

At a bargain basement price the Canon PowerShot A800 punches well above its weight.

Panasonic Lumix DMC-FT3
RRP: £369.99
Specs: 12 megapixels, waterproof to 12m, shockproof to 2m, freeze-proof to -10° C, dust-proof
Key Feature: Will go to Everest with you

This camera is for the extreme adventurer in your life. It looks like a rugged piece of work because it is. With its own GPS system, the Lumix DMC-FT3 will make sure you never get lost in the Alps. It also packs a compass, altimeter and a barometer which will also read underwater depth. While you pay a bit more for this camera, you will get your money’s worth in terms of extra features.

The Lumix DMC-FT3 comes with full 1920×1080 HD video recording so your scuba diving movies will turn out a treat. There is also the now standard face detection focus as well as AF tracking and spot focusing.

For a tough camera to take on a snorkel adventure, the Lumix DMC-FT3 is exactly what you need in your wetsuit pocket.

Pentax Optio RS1500
RRP: £80
Specs: 14 megapixels, 4x optical zoom
Key Feature: Batman (or if you like, changeable skins)

The first thing you may notice about this camera is Superman. With a range of changeable skins, the Pentax Optio RS1500 can be personalised to express almost any personality. You can either choose from Pentax’s DC Comic range of skins, or pop on over to the Pentax site and upload images to create your own skin.

For a sub-£100 camera, the Optio RS1500 really does pack in the tech with video recording to 720p and advanced automatic features, such as automatic tracking and face detection. There are night, sport and portrait capture modes and also one for taking pictures of text documents, which might come in handy for the student in the family.

For someone’s first grown-up camera the Pentax Optio RS1500 is fun and will capture growing-up years in surprisingly good quality.

Samsung ST6500
RRP: £150
Specs: 16 megapixels, 5x optical zoom
Key Feature: A designer’s camera

This camera looks stylish with a wavy finish on top and large touchscreen on the back which lets you change settings by tapping of large icons.  Its slim design also means that this snapper will fit snugly in your pocket or even the smallest of handbags.

The Samsung ST6500 comes with plenty of artistic filters and setting to keep any creative entertained. You can “vignette” or “object highlight” your pics with ease before loading your artistic endeavours to Facebook. The standard picture quality is good too considering the price, with a hybrid image stabilisation that uses both optical and digital anti-shake techniques.

For a design camera with artistic photo features, the Samsung ST6500 is hard to top.

Casio Exilim EX-H15
RRP: £180
Specs: 14 megapixels, 10x optical zoom
Key Feature: Great zoom in a compact case

This compact camera packs a wicked 10x optical zoom. Combined with 720p HD video recording capability and an excellent battery life, the Casio Exilim EX-H15 makes it worth the extra few pounds for a performance digital camera.

The camera’s big screen isn’t touch-responsive but there aren’t many buttons to play with. You can access most of the camera’s features through an easy-to-use  on-screen menu and five-way pad system. One thing this camera lacks is an HDMI output, and video recording is limited to 29 minutes, but for most people that’s more than enough to claim their two minutes of fame on YouTube.

It’s pretty in pastels to match any clutch purse but it does feel a bit chunky in your hand, while you use it to take quality pics up close and personal.

Fujifilm Finepix X100
RRP: £999
Specs: 12 megapixels, 35mm fixed focal length
Key Feature: Manual control for the photo aficionado

For a super-stylish retro camera, the Fujifilm Finepix X100 will take you back to the days when photography was a real artform. This camera is unique with its extensive set of manual controls, uilt-in lens filters, a large DSLR-size sensor sans the bulky camera casing and a bright F2.0 aperture lens.

What you don’t get for your high-end £999 is optical zoom. The Finepix X100 does however provide a lens and sensor combo that is tailor made for each other with very fast power-on-to-first-shot time and no distortion that you can get with many other wide-angle, long-zoom lenses.

For its old-style charms this camera still shoots 720p HD video, and has been one of the most exciting cameras to have been released in 2011.

Samsung EX1
RRP: £399.99
Specs: 10 megapixels, 3x optical zoom
Key Feature: Full manual mode in a compact package

While the zoom on this camera isn’t exactly telescopic, the Samsung EX1 packs a large sensor, f/1.8 lens and a maximum ISO 3200 which is not to be blinked at. That’s a lot of camera speak for this camera can take pretty much any photo you want.

The Samsung EX1 has a full manual mode, HDR capability, can capture files in RAW and comes with a good range of filters to get your artistic side excited. If all of that is somewhat meaningless for you, the camera also comes with a fully automatic mode so that it does all the hard work for you.

This camera takes great low-light photos, making it perfect for capturing those embarrassing moments at the pub.

Top 10 Digital Cameras for Christmas 2011 is a post from: UK Gadget and Tech News, Reviews and Shopping Site - Gaj-It.com

Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS7: This 12.1 MP camera is packed with features. It provides you with 12 X optical zoom, which coupled with 4 X digital zoom gives you the power of 48 times magnification. The camera has built in memory, which can be augmented by using SD Memory Card. The camera is especially good for people with butterfingers as it has built in optical image stabilization feature. Lumix DMC-ZS7 is currently priced at £229.

Nikon Coolpix P300: This Nikon camera also comes with 12 MP resolution and is capable of recording HD videos at 1080p resolution, along with stereo sound. It lets you take pictures from faraway with its powerful 4.2 X Optical zoom which is made even better with the company’s High Refractive Index Glass. P300 has four exposure modes including manual mode. However, it does not provide the feature of capturing images in raw format. You can also use this camera for high speed photography as it lets you capture 7 continuous shots at the rate of 8 frames per second. The camera will cost you £299.

Sony Cyber Shot DSC-HX9V: This plain looking camera from the House of Sony is pretty sophisticated when it comes to features. The camera’s obvious USP is its 3D technology. The camera has 16.2 MP resolution and provides 16 times optical zoom. It also has spacious 3.0 inch LCD screen which lets you compose your pictures. Apart from this, it has built in GPS for geotagging of your pictures. For 3D photo capturing, it has a dedicated button. This compact camera weighs only 215 grams and will cost you only £399.

Fujifilm FinePix F550 EXR: This 16MP camera comes with EXR CMOS sensor, which lets you adds more muscles to your photography prowess. It has plenty of zoom with 15 X of optical magnification. The camera is especially good for low light photography. It can capture videos at 1080p resolution at the speed of 30 frames per second. You can also use zoom feature while capturing videos. FinePix’s USP is its ability to capture images in JPEG and Raw format simultaneously. This gorgeous camera will set you back by £329.

Nikon Coolpix S9100: This camera has comparatively lower resolution at 12 MP, however, its 18 X zoom more than makes up for the lower resolution. Its 3.0 inch LCD screen comes with anti-reflection coating, and thus is pretty clear and sharp even in the direct light. The camera store pictures in JPEG format, so if you are looking to capture RAW images, you are going to be disappointed. Coolpix also has voice memo function. You can also choose from many preset scene modes such as Close Up, Beach, Back Light and Fireworks. Nikon camera comes with a very reasonable price tag of £299.

Top Travel Friendly Compact Digital Cameras is a post from: UK Gadget and Tech News, Reviews and Shopping Site - Gaj-It.com

The findings are based on results of a study of failures covered by its warranty plans, and showed that Panasonic had a failure rate of just 5.3 per cent for cameras under US $300 (£195).

The next best camera to have in your backpack is one form Fujifilm which had a 6.1 per cent failure rate.

Olympus and Sony then fared equally well in the study with a fractionally higher failure rate of 6.2 per cent.

The two brands of lower-end cameras with the gretest chance of breaking down were Polaroid (11.9 per cent) and Casio (13 per cent).

SquareTrade did find that a camera’s failure rate will drop the more you fork out of your wallet.

A camera costing up to US $150 (£97) has about a 7.4 per cent chance of failing, compared to a 4 percent failure rate for cameras priced at over US $500 (£325).

Panasonic still topped the reliability ranks of higher-end models, with a failure rate of 1.9 per cent among models over the £325 price bracket.

Of these premium models, Canon posed the greatest risk of failure at 6.2 per cent.

Overall, SquareTrade predicts that 5.9 per cent of cameras will fail within the first year, with 2.4 per cent of those failures down to accidental damage.

By projecting the data over three years, 15.6 per cent of digital cameras will experience some sort of failure, whether it be accidental or by malfunction.

Considering the number of digital cameras out there, we’re actually quite impressed by the longevity of today’s devices, but then again these are gadgets that we tend to hold onto for a few years instead of upgrading every 24 months, as is the tendency with mobile phones.

The study concentrated on 60,000 digital cameras purchased since 2006.

Have you had to get your digital snapper fixed in the last few years? Leave us a comment and let us know.

Panasonic, Fujifilm Most Reliable Cameras Study Finds is a post from: UK Gadget and Tech News, Reviews and Shopping Site - Gaj-It.com

Pink, pink and more pink! Love it or hate it, there are hundreds of pink gadgets around these days. Such as mobiles, laptops, sat-navs, games consoles, TV’s, stereos, MP3/4 players and many more.

So, as Gaj-Its resident ‘Pink Princess’, I’ve listed my top 5 pink products.

Sony Vaio Pink (VGN-CR42S/P)

With its stylish design and spectacular performance, this luxury Pink Notebook by Sony has a whopping 200GB hard drive – more than enough room for your music, movies, pictures, games, software and more! The 14.1” X-black LCD display makes viewing a pleasure with super sharp and bright pictures with a fantastic colour depth and contrast. With a 2.1GHz Intel Centrino Duo core processor, AT19 Mobility Radeon graphics card, Genuine Windows Visa Home Premium, Bluetooth 2.0 compatibility, integrated 1.3 megapixel web cam and an extensive media package, the Sony Vaio has everything you’d expect from a state of the art laptop.

(Image Source: Sony)

Fujifilm Finepix Z20fd Hot Pink

Fujifilm’s Finepix Z20fd is stylish and ultra-compact. With its 10 megalpixels and Fujinon 3x optical zoom, it has a range of picture taking options including close-ups and wide-angle scenes. Record those memorable occasions in MPEG 4 format and take great portraits with Fast Face Detection and red eye removal. A high ISO 1600 sensitivity and anti-blur mode ensure a professional looking quality. View everything on a large and vibrant 2.5” LCD screen and Transfer pictures and videos wirelessly to your PC via the Z20fd’s Dual Blog mode.

(Image Source: Fujifilm)

Pink Blackberry 8310 Curve

The pink Blackberry Curve is small, sexy, stylish and lightweight at just 111g. With a metallic finish and soft curved edges, this smartphone is packed full of must-have features. Take photos and video recordings on the 2.0 megapixel camera. Listen to music and watch videos on the built-in media player. Keep in touch with friends, family and colleagues with push email capacity, full QWERTY keyboard, text, picture and instant messaging. Access the internet with the web browser and add extra functions, such as third party web browsers, email clients, information services and extra games. Expand the 64MB internal memory via microSD cards. Also includes is built-in GPS for use alongside BlackBerry Maps.

(Image Source: Carphone Warehouse)

Pink Sony Portable DVD Player (DVP-FX720)

If you’re a frequent traveler, this stylish, glossy-pink portable DVD player by Sony will brighten up your journey. With 5 hours of playback time, you can watch a movie (or two!) on the vibrant 7” LCD widescreen. Whether you watch a movie from a DVD or from an external USB device, this player is compatible with most video formats, including DIVX. The player also supports MP3 playback, so when the movie’s over and you find yourself still traveling, sit back and relax with some of your favourite music. JPEG compatibility means you can plug in your digital camera and view your photos. The player has a powerful embedded speaker and a twin headphone jack with volume control so you can watch or listen with a friend. Included accessories are the remote control and car adapter.

Click here to purchase

(Image source: Sony)

Freeloader Pink Solar Eco Charger

One charger to charge all! Freeloader is a solar powered charger with a 12 part adapter to charge all of your gadgets. Here’s just what this nifty, pink device can charge: LG Chocolate series phones; Motorola V66 series and current V3 series phones; all Nokia current and N series phones; Samsung A288 and current D800 series phones; Sony Ericsson T28 and current K750 series phones; Sony PSP, Tom Tom sat nav, digital camera’s, PDA’s and two-way radios; Blackberry Smart phones, Bluetooth headsets, MP3 players, smart phones, Nintendo DS lite, i-Pod, i-Pod shuffle & i-Pod video. Wow – out of breath! Taking in power from the sun (kinda like Superman!), the device, when charged, can power an i-Pod for 18 hours, a mobile phone for 44 hours, a PSP for 2.5 hours, a PDA for 22 hours… you get the drift? It can also be charged by PC.

(Image Source: The Wild Store)

Now, on a more serious note, the reason behind Gaj-It.com going pink.

Breast Cancer is now the most common cancer in the UK. Each year, in the UK alone, more than 12,300 women and 70 men die from breast cancer.

There are many deaths, however breast cancer survival rates have been improving for more than twenty years and death rates have fallen by almost a fifth in the last ten years.

Research into Breast Cancer is ongoing and scientists are coming up with new treatments all the time. Your support could make all the difference, so if you would like to show your support for Breast Cancer Research, you can make a donation online here.

And if you love to shop, check out Breast Cancer Campaign’s Online Store here. Proceeds go to the charity and shopping for such a fantastic cause is bound to make you feel good!

(Image Source: Breast Cancer Campaign)

Gaj-It goes Pink for Breast Cancer Awareness is a post from: UK Gadget and Tech News, Reviews and Shopping Site - Gaj-It.com

As digital camera technology progresses, so too does the challenge in actually using all of the features on your new camera. Long gone are the simple days of “point-and-shoot”, now you often need to adjust the subject setting, adjust the flash, decide if macro mode is appropriate and make sure that the special sepia effect is off. Well the guys at Fujifilm have obviously heard this grumble as they have unveiled their new range of digital cameras which are based on the premise that a gadget should be easy to use.

The new Fujifilm FinePix J100, J110W, J120 and J150W are all aimed at consumers who want a choice of multipurpose fuss-free cameras. Don’t think just because your grandma can use them that the photo quality is also going to go back to 1924, as this range of cameras is aimed at giving the highest quality images at affordable prices.

For the tech-minded, the FinePix J-range offers a core specification of a 10 Megapixel CCD sensor and a versatile and functional 5x optical zoom lens, but varies the LCD size and lens for maximum choice. They also incorporate a specially designed FinePix DSP (digital signal processor), borrowed from some of Fujifilm’s higher priced compacts.

These cameras are the perfect thing to bring with you on holiday or even on a night out with friends. This family-friendly camera range means that it does all of the hard work so all you need to do is remain sober enough to press a button. No longer will you need David Attenborough’s camera crew with you next time you go to the zoo just so that you can be proud of your motion shots.

If you fancy yourself as a bit of a paparazzi in the making, then the J110W and J150W has a wide-angle focal range of 28mm-140mm, making it ideal for a wide variety of photographic subjects. If you’re more concerned about better candid shots, the telephoto range of the FinePix J100 and J120 extends to 175mm (starting at the standard 35mm). This pulls the image of your nephew waving to you from the top of an oak tree nearer, without compromising on image quality.

The design of these cameras are so sleek that you won’t need to apologise in advance when you next pull it out at a party. Despite the higher quality 5x zoom optic, the FinePix J-range cameras are only 22.6mm wide, which means it will fit into any clutch purse- a breakthrough for many women! Encased in a high-grade brushed aluminium metal shell, they are well protected from bumps, scrapes and your drunk best friend.

Speaking of the drunk best friend, my pet hate with whipping out my digital camera on a night out is that after 1am, I can never make out who is in the viewfinder thanks to the tiny screen on my camera. That won’t be a problem with these cameras as there are two choices of screen size, both of which are perfect for the hard of seeing. The FinePix J100 and J110W have a 2.7” LCD screen and the FinePix J150W and J120 offers the bigger 3” LCD screen. Grandad won’t need his glasses for this device.

This easy-to-use, easy-to-look-at camera range will be available in September 2008, and should be a definite contender for what to get mum this Christmas.

More information: Fujifilm

New Fujifilm FinePix J100, J110W, J120 and J150W is a post from: UK Gadget and Tech News, Reviews and Shopping Site - Gaj-It.com

Overview

Poor light is bad news for most digital compact cameras so it is not suprising that FujiFilm have tapped into the market by introducing the FinePix F30 Zoom�s amazing picture quality is at its most distinctive when the light is low. Not only is its range of light sensitivities unsurpassed in a compact digital camera, but its 580-shot battery life means that you won�t have to limit the amount you use it.

Review

The FinePix F30 is a users dream for night-time photography, capturing all the goings on; no matter how dim the conditions are.

The picture quality is sharp and bright in the day, but this snapper really shines bright in the night. By pushing up the ISO setting and you can take pictures with a minimum of random dots, without using the flash. It is easy and simple to operate, however for the more adventurous there is the aperture and shutter speed settings and a good selection of scene modes. The shutter fires up in two seconds and is fast enough for action shots. The battery performance is excellent each charge gives you up to 580 shots.

However, although it has a lot of likeable features, we can�t help wishing that it could be little more attractive and less bulky. Also it�s not the cheapest camera on the market so if you can dig deep into you pockets then it could certainly prove to be worthwhile.

Specification

Aperture/Shutter priority: Yes
Auto/Manual exposure: Yes
Body Colour: Silver Camera
Weight: 155 g
Connection Type: USB 2.0
Continous shooting mode: Yes
Exposure compensation: Adjust the exposure compensation according to the level of brightness or darkness
LCD Screen: Yes
Size: 2.5 inches
Manual Exposure: Yes
Manual ISO overrides: Yes
Memory Type: XD
Motion picture recording: Allows you to record short video footage with audio
Multi mode flash: Allows you to change the flash mode according to the type of shot
Picture Effects: Get creative when viewing, recording or playing back your videos and photos with various picture effect modes
Picture Resolution: 6.3 million pixels
Self timer: Yes
Software Supplied YES
Type of Battery Included: NP-95 USB
PC Connection: Yes

The Gaj-it Verdict

• Design: 5/10
• Usability: 8/10
• Features: 8/10

• Love: Great battery life and night time picture quality
• Loathe: A bit bulky and pricey

We say: If you�ve been looking for a camera which offers a low light performer, here�s your shinning star.

Fujifilm FinePix F30 Review is a post from: UK Gadget and Tech News, Reviews and Shopping Site - Gaj-It.com