When Canon really tries, few companies can match its ability to cram dozens of features into a compact, budget-priced camera. With the A620, Canon may have even topped itself.

The 7.1MP A620 comes in a classy dark silver case and is equipped with a 4X optical zoom lens. You can focus using the optical viewfinder or preview your subject with the fold-out, twisting 2-inch LCD, which helps you take pictures no matter how awkward the angle.

It looks much like a basic point-and-shoot model, but this Canon comes fully loaded with controls to let you manage almost every aspect of picture taking. You can use an automated mode or switch to shutter- or aperture-priority, full manual, or even a customizable mode. There’s also a custom white balance setting, flash power output control, and a bevy of preset scene modes for people who don’t want to mess with extra settings.

All of those features do take a toll. With its four AA batteries in place, the camera weighs in at 12 ounces, almost as much as the one-pound Fujifilm S5200, so although it’s compact, the A620 will add some heft to your purse.

Although each of our four budget picks are worthy for various purposes, the A620 is the most well-rounded of the bunch and should make both beginning and advanced photographers very happy.

Kodak EasyShare V570

The EasyShare V570 is one of the funkiest-looking cameras to emerge from Kodak’s factories. Powered off, the lustrous, almost artful body exudes simplicity and style. Press the On button, and the lens cover slips back to reveal not one, but two lenses.

The reason for the dual-lens setup is simple. Kodak wanted to create a slim-bodied camera (less than 1 inch wide) with 5X zoom, including an ultra-wide lens, but a single lens would’ve required a significantly thicker build. The answer: two skinny lenses instead of a single big one.

The wide-angle lens here is so wide that you can cover 180 degrees in three shots. And in a nice bit of digital wizardry, the camera will stitch shots together in the camera, letting you create panoramic shots without a PC. There’s even an integrated feature that corrects for wide-angle lens distortion in the camera, so you don’t have to fix these problems with editing software. On the back side, the V570 features a 2.5-inch color LCD, five control buttons, a five-way controller, and a thumb pad for the zoom.

There are some middling concerns with this camera. Because there’s no optical viewfinder, you’ll have to lean heavily on the power-hungry LCD, and thus, the Li-Ion battery pack. And like many EasyShare models, this one is short on manual controls. It is, however, exceedingly easy to use. Paired with its handsome aesthetics and snappy operation, this is one super-compact model sure to please just about anyone who loves taking snapshots.

Olympus SP-350

Not long ago, 8MP cameras were a pipedream for those who wanted a compact, inexpensive camera. For those folks, the Olympus SP-350 is dream come true.

In addition to sporting an 8MP sensor, this Olympus is small enough to fit in a snug jeans pocket and powerful enough to sate the shooting needs of novices and advanced amateurs. It comes with a 2.5-inch color monitor, 30 scene modes, and options that give you full control over shutter and aperture settings.

Even though the SP-350 is tiny (it’s only 4 inches wide and 2.5 inches tall), it comes with a 3X optical zoom lens and has a threaded lens barrel that lets you attach either a wide conversion or telephoto lens. What’s more, this is the only camera we included that comes with an integrated hot shoe, so you use a much more powerful external flash.

If you love to fiddle with an endless array of features, this one has a long list of frills. There’s a Super Macro mode that lets you get as close as an inch to intricately detailed but tiny subjects. You can record video clips directly into QuickTime format and engage the Movement Compensation feature to reduce annoying hand shake. And when you play back pictures, you can sort them by date, so you don’t have to flip through every image on your flash card. In short, if you want an adaptable, very portable camera with high resolution, few models can match the SP-350.

Fujifilm FinePix S5200

Packing a lot of extra features into a camera is one good way to tempt buyers, but there’s one capability—optical zoom—that no amount of digital wizardry can duplicate. A powerful zoom often pushes a camera out of the budget category, but Fujifilm managed to keep the S5200 price low while including a lens capable of 10x magnification, more than three times the 3X optical zoom you’ll find on typical point-and-shoot digital cameras.

The camera records still images using a 5MP sensor, and in spite of its large lens, also has video clip capabilities. If you decide you want the ability to take wide-angle shots, too, the S5200 will let you add on an optional wide-angle adapter.

You can shoot in Auto mode if you like, but you’ll also have adjustable settings at your fingertips, including shutter- and aperture-priority modes, as well as a full manual mode. There are five preset scene modes, and more important, there’s an anti-blur feature to help keep your pictures sharp even when you’re shooting at the telephoto end of your focal range (which is more likely to amplify natural vibrations from your hands).

As with the Kodak, this one doesn’t have an optical viewfinder. The S5200 has a 1.8-inch color monitor and an EVF (electronic viewfinder), both of which require juice from the four AA batteries.

Although it’s by far the biggest camera in our selections, the S5200 offers a huge zoom lens and a healthy helping of automatic and manual features at an affordable price.

by Nathan Chandler