Whether they're aspiring photojournalists, artistes in training, snapshooting travelers or just most likely to be elected chief memory officer at a kegger, there's at least one camera that would make the perfect back-to-school gift for the student giftee. The Canon PowerShot SD850 IS, SD1100 IS, and SD790 IS are great snapshot models; for manual controls we recommend the budget-priced PowerShot A590 IS or enthusiast-friendly PowerShot G9. You've got a choice of megazooms: the compact 10x Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ5 or its 18X brother, the FZ18. And there's a dSLR for every price and flexibility need.
Editors' top pick
The bottom line: The Canon PowerShot SD 850 IS has just about everything you'd want in a point-and-shoot.
Price:
$189.95 - $291.19
The bottom line: It doesn't stand out for its feature set or design, but the Canon EOS Rebel XSi delivers on performance and photo quality.
Price:
$569.95 - $799.99
The bottom line: The Canon PowerShot A590 IS's manual exposure controls and surprisingly sharp pictures make it a great choice for almost anyone looking for a sub-$200 shooter.
Price:
$104.88 - $196.39
The bottom line: The Canon PowerShot G9 is a solid enthusiast digital camera for those who want something compact to complement a dSLR.
Price:
$399.95 - $568.77
The bottom line: Canon's SD1100 IS adds optical image stabilization to last year's hit SD1000, while delivering just as impressive image quality.
Price:
$149.95 - $269.95
The bottom line: For most people, the excellent photo quality of the Canon PowerShot SD790 IS will more than make up for any slight performance deficiencies or minor shortcomings.
Price:
$179.95 - $349.81
The bottom line: Visibly better photo quality and slightly improved performance make the Nikon D300 a significant upgrade over the D200 and an excellent all-around choice.
Price:
$1,345.00 - $1,799.99
The bottom line: Nikon scores big with the D80, its new 10-megapixel, sub-$1,000 dSLR.
Price:
$756.95 - $1,099.99
The bottom line: A decent but not great camera, the megazoom Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ18 still manages to outdo its few competitors.
Price:
$274.95 - $798.44
The bottom line: Though it's not perfect, the Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ5's compact midrange megazoom feature set puts it in a class with just its sibling, the TZ4, and should deliver a satisfying shooting experience.
Price:
$223.74 - $329.99
The bottom line: Pentax's 14MP K20D is a great choice for a midlevel SLR and offers a lot of bang for the buck.
Price:
$738.95 - $1,371.45
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