Top 5 Digicams Under Rs. 20,000

They say its not the camera that makes a good picture, but the photographer behind it. I say that having a good camera in front of that talented photographer can make a world of a difference. If you've had enough of that budget point-and-shoot camera and think you're ready for a camera which will give you more control and will offer you better features overall, then you're reading the right guide.

We have featured what we think are the best cameras in their respective categories, and cost less than Rs. 20,000. So you can not only select the right model, but also the right type of camera in your next upgrade. Check it out!

Canon Digital IXUS 65

Its cute, its small and its very functional. The 6 megapixel Canon Digital IXUS 65 is a cute little camera, roughly the size of a candybar mobile phone, that's capable of taking some pretty good quality shots. The small form doesn't come in the way of taking great shots as the camera boasts fast speed and a great 3 inch LCD screen to help out with your compositions.

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Nikon Coolpix S10

This one's purely for the show-off value. The Nikon Coolpix S10 may not be too hot on the features, but the swivel lens design makes it a great camera to pop out in front of your friends.

The rotating lens works pretty well as a gimmick, is great for taking those weird-angled shots or even a self portrait. The lack of any kind of manual features on the S10 makes it strictly for the point and shoot audience. But hey, there is a killer 10x optical zoom to play around with.

Whether its worth its Rs. 17,500 street price depends on how much you like showing off.

Canon Powershot A710 IS

I really hate categorizing the 7.1 megapixel Canon Powershot A710 IS as a mere compact camera, especially considering that it features so much more than the cameras generally available in that category. With a killer 6x zoom, optical image stabilization, manual exposure and manual focus, the Powershot A710 IS is packed with features. If you're not into the manual stuff, you can also make the most of the A710 through its various scene modes. Did I mention you can also attach additional lenses to it?

The street price of around Rs. 18,000 is pretty much justified for this powerhouse of a camera. You want to get better at photography, get this camera and experiment.

__PAGEBREAK__Pentax Optio W20

Like photography? Like swimming? Want to do them both at the same time? Then you need a camera that likes water as much as you do. The 7 megapixel Pentax Optio W20 is a waterproof camera that doesn't require a separate housing unit for underwater photography. Feel free to take this camera for your showers, swims, scuba sessions or anything else you can think of, but just make sure you have the required permissions before clicking, if you know what I mean.

You can have the W20 as your new swimming partner at a street price of Rs. 18,500.

Dimensions	107 x 55 x 23mm
Weight	150g
Type	Ultra-Compact
Connectivity	Pict-Bridge/USB/Composite
Storage	Internal/SD/MMC card
Battery Type	Li-Ion
LCD Type	2.5", 115,000 px
View Finder	N/A
Sensor	CCD
Effective Pixels	7.1 Megapixel
ISO Sensitivity	Auto, 64, 100, 200, 400, (800 candle mode)
Optical Zoom	3x
Digital Zoom	4x
Shutter Speed	4-1/2000 sec
Aperture	F3.3 - F4.0
Format	JPEG
Scene Modes	Pet, Food, Kids, Soft, Text, Flower, Museum, Report, Fireworks, Landscape, Underwater, Night scene, Sports mode, Surf & snow, Portrait mode, Self-portrait, Frame composition, Natural skin tone
White Balance	5 positions, plus manual one-touch
Flash	Auto, On, Off, Red-eye reduction
Self Timer	2 - 10 secs
Video Resolution	640x480 @ 30fps
Video Format	QuickTime Motion JPEG
Sound	Yes
Street Price	Rs. 18,500/-

__PAGEBREAK__Olympus SP-510 UZ

This new 7.1 megapixel superzoom from Olympus has a lot going for it. From its (relatively) tiny build to its extremely user friendly menus, the SP-510 UZ offers great functionality at excellent speeds. The image stabilization works almost perfectly even at full 10x optical zoom, which is more than I can say for a lot of other cameras in the series. But my favorite feature would have to be the ability to shoot in RAW mode; a function that most other cameras in the superzoom category sorely miss.

That's it for now. Let us know if you agree/disagree or simply put your own point of view in our comments section below or our forums.