Have got a big night tonight – will update later, but for now you can munch on the details of the press release and Imaging Resource’s short overview/analysis.

Digital cameras don’t come out all that often, so this may be a quarterly guide.  This also may not reflect the very cutting edge – it takes a little while for reviews for the newest cameras to come in, and it’s impossible to really assess the cameras until they do.

All prices based on the lowest of amazon.com or bhphotovideo.com

Have you got a use case/need that isn’t covered here?  Feel free to post it in the comments, and I’ll keep it in mind for future guides.  And if you think differently about any of the cameras, feel free to share that too!

General advice:

To give you all an idea of the perspective these recommendations are written from, here’s a few guidelines I mostly go by:

Features trump image quality: With modern cameras, image quality differences are mostly a consideration of the past.  Almost every camera released today has megapixel resolution far in excess of what’s needed (or even usable) for most applications, and in most daylight scenarios there is practically zero difference between cameras, especially among the top tier of manufacturers.  The main differentiator in your photographic experience and capability, then, is what features you’ll have to work with – being able to take a wide shot with a 28mm wide-angle lens, or having a fast 4fps continuous shooting mode for action shots, for instance, is going to go a long way towards getting you the photographs you want compared to minute differences in image quality or resolution.

Price/performance: The recommendations for different categories will mostly recommend the camera with the best value proposition – a lot of these are often written in the format of: Best budget camera under $200, best midrange camera under $300, best premium camera under $500, etc. While oftentimes, yes it’s true that Camera Xa has a slightly bigger LCD screen than Camera Xb and is therefore better, and the $50 premium still puts it under the $300 budget, as a knowledgeable consumer you wouldn’t want to spend that much more on a mostly cosmetic difference, and as an informed friend you would do best by recommending Camera Xb to your friend.

Simple Ultracompact

For many people, cameras are just cameras, and all they need is something that, for lack of a less-hackneyed phrase, they can “point and shoot”.  They’re not interested in photography and don’t need nor want full manual controls, and rarely would use and can make do without a huge zoom range.  They’ll take snaps while they’re out at social events or just randomly at home or in their room, but that’s about it.  For this group there’s the simple ultracompact – a basic camera that has a few useful features (possibly wide-angle lenses for indoor group photos and image stabilization for low-light situations) but otherwise just provides good overall quality and a small formfactor that can be slipped just about anywhere.

Simple Ultracompact, midrange: Canon SD960

A plethora of Canon, Panasonic, and Fujifilm cameras rule the roost in the ultracompact category, all roaming around the $300 range.  For a little less than $300, Canon’s SD960 puts together the best combination of image quality and features, with a 28mm wide-angle, image stabilization, and even 1280×720 (720p) video capability.

• 12MP resolution
• 28-112mm (4x) zoom range
• f/2.8-5.8 aperture
• 1280×720, 30fps video (720p)
• Image stabilization
• 145g (5.1oz)
• 99.1 x 53.3 x 22.9 mm (3.9 x 2.1 x 0.9 in)
• 200 shots battery life (CIPA)
• $281 on Amazon

Simple Ultracompact, budget: Panasonic FS15

If you’re looking for cheap and portable, the Panasonic FS15 is the most capable camera around.  For the most part the FS15 is your typical point-and-shoot ultracompact – it’s 0.9″ thin and 4.1oz light, so you can definitely take it just about anywhere.  The most prominent features is the 29mm wide-angle lens, allowing you to get a much wider view for sweeping landscapes or cramped indoor group photos.  The FS15 also features an image stabilization system, which helps greatly to reduce camera shake blur in low-light situations.  You’ll be hard-pressed to find either of these features on an ultracompact this small or a budget camera this cheap, much less both, which is what makes the FS15 by far the most capable camera in its class.

• 12MP resolution
• 29-145mm (5x) zoom range
• f/3.3-5.9 aperture
• 840×480, 30fps video
• Image stabilization
• 115g (4.1oz)
• 96.5 x 53.3 x 22.9mm (3.8 x 2.1 x 0.9 in)
• 330 shots battery life (CIPA)
• $188 on Amazon

Workhorse Compact

While simple ultracompacts make great cameras for casual snapshots, they don’t quite meet the needs of avid picture takers.  While a casual user might go to a party and want to take three or four photos with her friends the whole night, and might not care about quality so long as they’re passable for Facebook, the avid user is someone who’s going on a family trip to Yosemite and doesn’t exactly aspire to be the next Ansel Adams, but definitely wants to take hundreds of pictures to document and remember the whole trip.  The workhorse compact is the ideal camera for these users – good, versatile cameras with the capability to handle a large number of common situations from daylight to low-light and cramped interiors to outdoor graduations from a distance, while still retaining fairly simple functionality and a smaller formfactor.

Workhorse Compact, midrange: Panasonic ZS1, Panasonic ZS3

The Panasonic ZS1 and ZS3 are the latest in a line of compact ultrazoom cameras from Panasonic – both feature big 25-300mm (12x) zoom lenses that provide versatility for long-range photography and a very wide short range that’s especially useful for landscapes or interiors (the 25mm lens is in fact significantly wider than the kit lenses that come with most DSLRs).  The ZS3 features 1280×720 HD video capture and a higher resolution screen compared to the ZS1 –  the first might be a worthwhile feature if you’re interested in taking video as well, although for now it comes at a hefty price premium.

• 10MP resolution
• 25-300mm (12x) zoom range
• f/3.3-4.9 aperture
• ZS3: 1280×720, 30fps video (720p); ZS1: 848×480, 30fps video
• Image stabilization
• 206g (7.3oz)
• 104.1 x 61.0 x 33.0 mm (4.1 x 2.4 x 1.3 in)
• ZS3: 300 shots battery life (CIPA); ZS1: 320 shots
• ZS3: $399 on Amazon; ZS1: $260 on Amazon

Workhorse Compact, budget: Panasonic TZ4

The Panasonic TZ4 is the previous model in Panasonic’s series of ultrazoom compacts.  While the newer ZS series cameras provide wider lenses and slightly better high ISO performance, the TZ4 is nothing to scoff at – no other camera outside the TZ/ZS series provides a 10x zoom in as small of a package as the TZ4, and certainly not for the sub-$200 price of the TZ4.

• 8MP resolution
• 28-280mm (10x) zoom range
• f/3.3-4.9 aperture
• 840×480, 30fps video
• Image stabilization
• 208g (7.3oz)
• 104.1 x 58.4 x 35.6 mm (4.1 x 2.3 x 1.4 in)
• 330 shots battery life (CIPA)
• $190 on B&H

High-Performance Compact

Most users who are highly interested in photography – both in terms of having a high degree of control and producing the best images possible – are most likely to be interested in a full-fledged DSLR camera, but there does exist a niche market of high-performance compacts for the same user group.  Some might not be quite ready yet to take the plunge into the world of DSLRs, and others may not be interested in the size and micromanagement required of using a DSLR system.  Another common form of user in this group is the actual DSLR user looking for a second “social” camera that can be a bit more automated and definitely more pocketable, while still retaining the highest quality and a great amount of user control.  It should be noted that these cameras aren’t really the easiest to use or most versatile; in many cases they’re actually very specialized and limited in use, and require a strong technical proficiency to get the most out of the images, but in the right situation and in the right hands, these can be far more capable than your typical compact camera.

High-Performance Compact, premium: Sigma DP1

The Sigma DP1 is perhaps the epitome of the high-performance compact category.  It’s an extremely limited camera – it’s only got a fixed 28mm lens (no zooming at all), which makes it ideally suited for landscapes or interior photos, but leaves it absolutely useless for things like sports or other long-range events and doesn’t provide the working versatility useful for travel or portraiture.  Despite this, it’s close to a photographer’s absolute dream in a camera: it packs an extremely large 276mm² sensor that enables it to achieve much better noise performance, a very large dynamic range, and provides the option for shallower depth of field compared to nearly every other camera this side of a DSLR.  It also features a RAW mode and a hotshoe for use with external flashes, as well as fully manual exposure controls.  Sigma also makes the DP2, which is the same camera paired with a 41mm f/2.8 lens – even more specialized for low-light photography and perhaps a bit better for portraiture, but in a bit of a no man’s land in terms of focal length: a very difficult range to capture landscapes or interior photos, and still not anywhere near close enough for long-range photography.

• 4.6MP resolution
• 28mm (1x) zoom range
• f/4.0 aperture
• 320×240, 30fps video
• No Image stabilization
• 250g (8.8oz)
• 114.3 x 58.4 x 50.8 mm (4.5 x 2.3 x 2.0 in)
• 250 shots battery life (CIPA)
• $444 on Amazon

Simple Full-size

For some casual snapshooters, size is really no object.  In terms of usage, these users might use a camera very similarly to how they’d use a simple ultracompact – snapping a photo or two at social events or taking casual photos around the house or room.  In contrast to a simple ultracompact, a simple full-size camera doesn’t have portability as its main concern – you probably won’t be able to stuff it in your jeans pocket, and it might even require its own bag – but has a larger formfactor which often allows for better overall image quality.

Simple Full-size, premium: Canon Rebel XS with 18-55 IS lens

The Rebel XS is Canon’s entry-level DSLR offering.  While it’s got all the manual controls for more advanced users, like all DSLRs it has an automatic mode that reduces controls to the level of point and shoot.  In its price range, Rebel XS features the top image quality, and unlike some other entry-level models features an 18-55 kit lens with an image stabilization system to help steady low-light images.

• 10MP resolution
• 29-88mm (3x) zoom range
• f/3.5-5.6 aperture
• No video
• Image stabilization
• 450g (15.9oz) – not including lens
• 127.0 x 96.5 x 61.0 mm (5.0 x 3.8 x 2.4 in) – not including lens
• 500 shots battery life (CIPA)
• $540 on B&H

Workhorse Full-size

For many in the “avid photographer” user profile mentioned in the workhorse compact camera description, the growing interest in photography can often reach a point where taking pictures and documenting an event becomes the primary interest rather than the event itself.  As an example, rather than searching cool or fun places to visit on your next vacation, you might deliberately search for photogenic locales that will make for great photo trips.  For these users, coming away with good images supercedes the enjoyment of traveling or participating in the event itself, and thus the hassle of carrying and managing photo equipment becomes secondary to being able to capture the best images.  For these users, a workhorse full-size camera that can handle a variety of scenes and perform under even the most difficult conditions, and sacrifices no capability for size considerations, is ideal

Workhorse Full-size, premium: Nikon D5000 with 18-55 VR and 55-200 VR lenses

The Nikon D5000 is a midrange DSLR that is a bit lighter on features compared to some higher-end models (mostly in lens compatibility and fast-action capability) but packs the same sensor internals as some of Nikon’s premium sports cameras.  It’ll provide by far the best image quality in its price range, especially when a high-ISO mode is required (fast action and low-light).  The D5000 is also one of very few DSLRs currently to feature a video mode.  The 18-55 VR and 55-200 lens combo will require some lens swapping when switching between short and long-range subjects, but together will provide an extremely versatile range that can cover just about anything.  Both also feature IS systems (Nikon calls it VR) to help cut down on camera shake.  If you don’t require a long range lens, a kit with only the 18-55 VR runs for $773.

• 12MP resolution
• 18-55 lens: 27-83mm (3x) zoom range; 55-200 lens: 83-300mm (3.6x) zoom
• f/3.5-5.6 aperture
• 1280×720, 24fps (720p) video
• Image stabilization
• 560g (19.8oz) – not including lens
• 127.0 x 104.1 x 78.7 mm  (5.0 x 4.1 x 3.1 in) - not including lens
• 510 shots battery life (CIPA)
• $1000 on B&H; $773 on Amazon (18-55 lens only kit)

Workhouse Full-size, midrange: Panasonic FZ28

The market for the big, hulking ultrazooms of yesteryear have somewhat evaporated in the budget and midrange categories – for the majority of consumers, the advantages of having a portable formfactor like the Panasonic TZ/ZS series cameras is so enormous that no amount of expanded features or capability would sway them towards a larger camera.  Nonetheless, there are certain advantages to larger cameras like the FZ28: even bigger “megazoom” lenses, better ergonomics (there’s much more camera to hold onto), and manual controls that often aren’t found on compact ultrazooms for marketing reasons.  While the traditional ultrazoom cameras like Canon’s S (now SX) and Sony’s H (now HX) series still exist, they’ve somewhat transitioned into a premium niche market – Panasonic’s FZ28 is just about the only one of these to be found for a reasonable sub-$300 price.

Bajillion-x Megazoom

Olympus' 26x zoom SP-590UZ

An interesting thing about the “Megapixel Wars” is that the public’s fascination with megapixels as a selling point have somewhat waned.  I don’t have particular evidence of this – perhaps it’s just media emphasizing it less, or perhaps even that I’ve become so jaded with the numbers that I’ve mentally blocked it out. And in any case, I’m certain that any such effect that’s been noticed has purely been with the semi-educated consumer – there are still millions of consumers who have no idea how to evaluate cameras aside from megapixel count.

But as the emphasis on megapixels seems to recede, another emphasis over ever-skyrocketing optical zoom ranges mounts.  Back in the old days, ultrazooms hit 10x (something like 38-380mm or 36-360mm equivalent), and inched up to 12x and pretty much stopped there.  About two years ago, Olympus changed the dynamic of this race completely with its groundbreaking SP-550 UZ which packed a whopping 18x (28-504mm) zoom.  Olympus had about a 6-month monopoly on this range, but ever since then, manufacturers have been pushing their lenses to ever stratospheric heights.

A lot of people have decried this extreme push in lens design, which certainly has its drawbacks.  The SP-550′s 18x lens was universally panned for delivering terrible image quality, and no camera since then has really been able to deliver that kind of zoom range in a lens that is up to par with the previous generations’ more conservative 10x or 12x lenses.  Unlike pixel count, however, which past a certain point doesn’t given any usable advantages for most users and applications, a larger zoom range will always add more versatility.

So PMA saw the introduction of no less than 5 such ultrazooms (4 new releases and one North American re-release) having 20x+ zoom ranges.  A quick summary of them:

20x Ultrazooms

So we can see the zoom count is continually creeping up and up, and I wouldn’t be surprised to see an ultrazoom packing 30x in the next 6 months or so.  Depending on whether your glass is half-full or half-empty, I think one interesting aspect is that the zooms are growing in the wide-angle range as well as the telephoto, though perhaps not in equal proportions – if we take a 36-360mm 10x zoom as our baseline, from a few years ago, today’s 26-624mm (4x) cameras are about 27.8% wider on the wide-angle end, and 73% longer on the telephoto end.  This is disproportionately skewed towards the telephoto end, but it’s nice to see these cameras offering a significantly wider angle at all, compared to the earlier days of digital cameras when developing 10x lenses meant keeping the same 36mm starting point and just changing the 108mm telephoto end to a 360mm.

An interesting note is that both Canon’s SX1 and Sony’s HX1 ultrazooms are their first non-SLR cameras to feature a CMOS, rather than CCD sensors.  This isn’t an outright positive – CMOS and CCD are simply different technologies, without one being inherently superior to the other.  Historically, CCD sensors have produced better image quality, although CMOS has an inherent advantage in readout speed and Canon’s CMOS sensors for their DSLRs have beat out every other manufacturers’ CCD sensors in terms of high-ISO noise for a half-decade now.  For what it’s worth, Canon’s SX1 CMOS seems to perform slightly worse than the very similar Canon SX10, which uses the same lens but a CCD sensor, according to a head-to-head Cameralabs comparison.

A bevy of ruggedized cameras

Olympus has been hammering away at this niche market for years now with its mju line of waterproof cameras.  The other big players seem to have finally jumped on the bandwagon, with Canon’s D10, Fujifilm’s Z33, and Panasonic’s TS1.

It’s a bit sad to see another innovative market or feature that Olympus found, targeted, and penetrated first, only to eventually lose that ground to other bigger players who seized on their innovation.  Then again, this is a huge boon for consumers, not only because it offers more selection, but frankly because Canon, Fujifilm, and Panasonic know how to execute and produce quality cameras in a way that Olympus can only dream of.

Fujifilm's ruggedized Z33

Canon introduces the compact ultrazoom SX200 TZ-killer, Panasonic one-ups everyone again with the ZS3/TZ7

Canon SX200 IS

Panasonic has had a long and successful run with its TZ series of ultrazoom cameras.  They first introduced their 10x, 1.6in thick TZ1 in 2006, back when the only 10x+ cameras on the market were huge, bulky ultrazooms like the Canon S3 (3in. thick), Sony H5 (3.6in.), or Panasonic’s own 5.4in. FZ30 behemoth.

The TZ was an ideal blend of versatility and compactness, which more or less made it the ideal travel camera, especially as one of the few cameras (much less ultrazooms) to offer a 28mm wide-angle lens at the time.  Even when Canon and Sony attempted to mount some competition with their own ~2in. ultrazoom releases in the past year, they were still significantly bulkier and lacked the all-important 28mm wide angle end.

Finally, 3 years after the release of the original TZ, Canon appears to have come out with a viable contender in the SX200 IS, a 1.5in compact sporting a 28-336mm (12x) f/3.4-5.3 lens.  It’s also got the ability to record 1280×720, 30fps video (720/30p).

Panasonic ZS3 (aka TZ7)

But like clockwork, Panasonic’s already rolling out the next generation of cameras that, on paper at least, offer more innovative features and better performance. The newest TZ7/ZS3 continues Panosonic’s recent trend of setting 25mm as the new wide-angle standard, featuring a 25-300mm 12x lens at f/3.3-4.9.  The ZS3 also features a 1280×720, 60fps video mode (720/60p) (though with this level of processing throughput, one wonders why 1080p couldn’t be offered), and even allows you to utilize the optical zoom while recording (something which many cameras, Canon SX200 included, surprisingly can’t).  Following the trend of some other high-end Panasonics lately, the ZS3 also seems to be offering an oversized sensor, which allows it to deliver “full-frame” coverage for its lens and offer the same angle of view irrespective of aspect ratio (so you won’t get cropped off images when shooting 16:9 video on a native 4:3 sensor).  The Panasonic ZS3 also offers a 2.3fps burst, and 6fps burst in a 3MP mode, compared to the SX200′s paltry 0.8fps.

Sony, meanwhile, just pumped out its H20 compact ultrazoom, which still tips in at a bulky 1.9in and features the same boring restrictive 38-380mm zoom.  On the other end of the spectrum, Samsung introduced the HZ15, which features a 24-240mm 10x zoom.

Oh, and in case you were wondering about image quality (and the oft-repeated stigma that Panasonics can’t do low-light), here’s a comparison between last generation’s Panasonic TZ5 at ISO1600 and dcresource’s recent review of the Canon SX200 IS at ISO1600.

So for now, it seems, Panasonic still rules the roost as king of compact ultrazooms, and on paper the ZS3 appears to be the perfect camera for anyone looking for maximum versatility and portability in a single package (i.e. travel photographers).