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| Olympus Stylus 1050 SW |
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 The Olympus Stylus 1050 SW failed to impress us on many fronts, and that's not just because the camera died a ghastly death when we submerged it in a block of ice as part of our "Freezeproof" test. The Stylus 1050 SW survived a couple menacing plummets and withstood water and beer. Unfortunately, the Stylus 1050 SW's image quality left a lot to be desired and we were not big fans of its perturbing interface. We're not jazzed about this camera and we don't think you will be either. Release: October 2008. Price: $250.
Pros: Good-looking camera. Survived most endurance tests. Good menu system.
Cons: Failed Freeze test. Less than desirable image quality. Uninviting interface.
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| Olympus Stylus 1040 |
| Full review » Scoreboard » Specs » Gallery » |
 The Olympus Stylus 1040 is a sexy little compact fashion cam that will lure consumers with its glossy sliding faceplate and flat light-up control panel. However, we weren’t too impressed with the functionality of the flat control panel and could have used a bigger screen, perhaps a touchscreen interface. Features are minimal on the Stylus 1040, so Manual Control-hungry shooters are out of luck. This is particularly unfortunate because the Stylus 1040 has a tendency to underexpose its images and without any advanced exposure control, most shooters will be left in the dark. In optimal lighting the Stylus 1040 shines, but you’ll have to rely on the flash for most dimly lit shooting environments. With a 38mm wide lens, you’ll have to back up significantly in order to fit content into your shots. So, we’re looking at style in an alluring compact package with the Stylus 1040, which is great if that’s all you want in a camera. Release: October 2008. Price: $200.
Pros: Compact design. Great style. Decent images in optimal lighting.
Cons: Poor low light performance. Control Panel is difficult to access. Limited shooting features.
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| Fujifilm Finepix F60fd |
| Full review » Scoreboard » Specs » Gallery » |
 We think Fujifilm could have done a better job with the Fujifilm Finepix F60fd in most respects. The shooting modes are unconventional and not very practical for many shooting environments. Advanced shooters will want to avoid this camera like the plague, and novices will struggle with the illogical menu system. The 3x optical zoom is average at best, but at least you get a 3" LCD screen. Unfortunately, the image preview screen is misleading and the image you capture will look different than what the preview presents. The Finepix F60fd is portable and possesses a significant amount of sex appeal, but there's nothing truly original about this camera. Image quality is hit or miss as well, and we found the dynamic range to be a tossup. At least the Playback image review system is sweet, but we didn't care too much about the stellar photo viewer since the pictures were far from exciting. Release: September 2008. Price: $300.
Pros: Good image review interface. Compact and portable.
Cons: No full Manual mode. Hit or miss image quality. Counterintuitive menu system.
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59%
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| Sony Cyber-shot DSC-T700 |
| Full review » Scoreboard » Specs » Gallery » |
 The prognosis is just as we expected. Sony's top of the line fashion cam is just another cute accessory packed with many consumer-driven features. And there's nothing wrong with that. The Sony Cyber-shot DSC-T700's fans would not have it any other way. Who wants to fiddle with Shutter Speed or Aperture while you're half in the bag at an Armani show? The Cyber-shot DSC-T700's offers a slew of playback features, is fully touch-screen operated and can fit in a wallet—a very big wallet that is. Perhaps the most tantalizing spec is the built-in 4GB of internal memory. How many other cameras do you see with that much space? Between the giant LCD, sexy colors and hot design, the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-T700 has its place within the digital camera world. Release: September 2008. Price: $350.
Pros: Huge LCD screen. Super Compact. Sleek design.
Cons: Inconsistent image quality. Stubborn interface. Minimal manual controls.
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59%
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| Canon PowerShot SD990 IS |
| Full review » Scoreboard » Specs » Gallery » |
 The Canon PowerShot SD990 IS is a killer intermediate camera. It's brimming with manual controls, including controls for shutter speed and aperture, it's stocked with a cavalcade of color options and it captures images up to 15MP. The SD990 IS's larger sensor lends a hand to low light shooting and captures some beautiful images. Canon's interface is highly intuitive and the spinning "Set" wheel renders manual control adjustment a cakewalk. On the downside, the SD990 IS has a small 3.7x optical zoom and a standard 2.5" LCD screen. These complaints aren't nitpicky, but easily quelched when you consider the excellent battery life and wealth of shooting options the SD990 IS brings to the table. One caveat is that this camera's high level of advanced functionality might scare the bejeezus out of inexperienced photographers. Be prepared to read the manual top to bottom, and then gear up for some of the most exciting digital imaging experiences you'll have with a compact. The SD990 IS is, as they say in Boston, "wicked awesome." Release: October 2008. Price: $400.
Pros: Great image quality. Oodles ‘o manual controls. Excellent battery life.
Cons: Menus can be intimidating for novice shooters. Menial zoom.
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74%
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