Released by Computing Which?:

Snaps for a Snip

Many digital cameras now cost around £100 (about the same as a good compact film camera) but can these cheaper buys take snaps good enough to put in the family album? The answer is yes, reports Computing Which? (published today Tuesday 4 November 2003) - as long as you know what to look for.

Many consumers know you need a digital camera with sufficient resolution to ensure that photos don’t look grainy or pixelated when printed. But producing good-quality digital photos isn’t just about resolution. The type of digital sensor used to capture the image is just as important.

In the Computing Which? test of six cameras, the best photos were produced by those using CCD (charge coupled device) sensors. But three cameras on test use CMOS (complementary metal oxide semiconductor) sensors, which are common in cheap digital cameras. In general, photos from the CMOS cameras on test were of poor quality, and often blurred.

“Anyone looking to spend £100 or more on a digital camera would be wise to avoid cameras using CMOS”, advises Jessica Ross, Editor of Computing Which? “However, the good news is that CCD digital cameras, like our Best Buy Konica KD-25, are now available for such a low price.

The £100 cameras on test don’t sport as many features as more expensive rivals. But they do offer enough resolution to produce detailed 6x4 inch prints and key basics like LCD screens, optical viewfinders, flash and self timer. A major shortcoming, however, is that all lacked an optical zoom and the digital zooms that replace them are best ignored as they reduce picture quality.

All in all, the Computing Which? test proved that it is possible to get good digital snaps for a snip of the price you’d expect to pay.

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