These pocket rockets slip in and out of your pants or purse and take no more than three clicks of a button to take a decent image.
The 12-megapixel Olympus T-100 is ideal for beginners who want a sub-compact camera at a sub-$100 price. Stripped of advanced features, it still has an Olympus-quality lens, 2.4-inch LCD, 3x optical zoom, face detection, digital stabilization and art filters – more than most average photographers need, and better than any camera phone.
Best for: Novice photographers or people who just want the quickest route from point A to point Facebook.
$69.99, regularly $99.99.
For outdoor enthusiasts, the rugged 12.1-megapixel Panasonic Lumix DMC-TS3R is water-, shock-, freeze- and dust-proof so it’ll last as long as you do. For serious Survivor adventures it also includes a GPS, compass, barometer and altimeter. The Leica-made lens ensures top-quality shots on a camera a third as expensive as an actual Leica.
Best for: Adventurers or just plain clumsy folk who want durability they don’t have to worry about.
$379.99.
The 12.1-megapixel Canon Powershot S100 is similar in size to other compacts but with twice the sensor size – which affects quality more than megapixels. The portable choice for shooters who want to leave the dSLR at home, this camera is packed with enough manual functions to keep pros appeased while teaching amateurs new tricks.
Best for: More advanced photographers who want a pocketable option when they can’t whip out a dSLR.
$449.99.
