The best cameras on the market for taking beautiful portrait photos.
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Rank
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Kagoo Score
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Average Review Rating
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Price
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Megapixels
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Optical Zoom
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Weight
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Camera Type
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Colour
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Release Date
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74 
Compare
Shortlisted
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 Fujifilm XF1
   
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$380.00
eBay
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12MP
Info
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4x
Info
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204g
Info
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Compact
Info
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Info
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Oct 2012
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79 
Compare
Shortlisted
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 Canon PowerShot N
 
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$149.99
eBay
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12.1MP
Info
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8x
Info
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195g
Info
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Compact
Info
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Info
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Jan 2014
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76 
Compare
Shortlisted
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 Samsung NX1000
   
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$119.99
eBay
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20.3MP
Info
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Depends on lens
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217.7g
Info
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Mirrorless
Info
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Info
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Oct 2012
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80 
Compare
Shortlisted
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Canon PowerShot A2300
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$27.95
eBay
+1 more shop
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16MP
Info
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5x
Info
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109g
Info
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Compact
Info
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Info
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Jul 2012
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76 
Compare
Shortlisted
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 Pentax MX‑1
 
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$365.00
eBay
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12.76MP
Info
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4x
Info
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363g
Info
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Compact
Info
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Info
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Jan 2013
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78 
Compare
Shortlisted
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Fujifilm FinePix HS50EXR
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$551.94
Overstock
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16MP
Info
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42x
Info
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758g
Info
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Bridge
Info
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Info
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Feb 2013
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75
Compare
Shortlisted
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Samsung WB2100
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$299.00
eBay
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16.38MP
Info
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35x
Info
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503g
Info
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Compact
Info
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Info
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Jan 2014
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73
Compare
Shortlisted
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Philips SIC3608S |
$32.49
eBay
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8MP
Info
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4x
Info
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90g
Info
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Compact
Info
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(Unknown)
Info
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Jan 2011
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79
Compare
Shortlisted
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Samsung 150F
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$258.12
Overstock
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16.2MP
Info
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5x
Info
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115g
Info
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Compact
Info
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Info
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Jan 2013
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79
Compare
Shortlisted
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Samsung ES90 |
$99.00
eBay
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14.2MP
Info
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5x
Info
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120g
Info
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Compact
Info
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Info
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Aug 2012
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74
Compare
Shortlisted
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Sony Cyber‑shot DSC‑HX300 |
$540.86
Overstock
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20.4MP
Info
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50x
Info
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623g
Info
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Bridge
Info
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(Unknown)
Info
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Feb 2013
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74
Compare
Shortlisted
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Sony Alpha A99 |
$2,391.48
eBay
+3 more shops
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24.3MP
Info
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Depends on lens
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733g
Info
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Slr
Info
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Info
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Dec 2014
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77
Compare
Shortlisted
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Fujifilm FinePix XP200
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$370.30
Overstock
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16.4MP
Info
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5x
Info
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212g
Info
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Compact
Info
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Info
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Apr 2013
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79
Compare
Shortlisted
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Fujifilm FinePix SL1000
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$227.59
eBay
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16.2MP
Info
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50x
Info
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619g
Info
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Bridge
Info
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Info
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Feb 2013
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83
Compare
Shortlisted
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Canon PowerShot G15
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$309.00
Adorama
+1 more shop
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12.1MP
Info
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5x
Info
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352g
Info
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Compact
Info
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Info
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Nov 2012
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82
Compare
Shortlisted
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Canon PowerShot SX260 HS
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No prices
found
eBay
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12.1MP
Info
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20x
Info
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208g
Info
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Compact
Info
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Info
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Feb 2012
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77
Compare
Shortlisted
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Canon EOS 100D ‑ Rebel SL1
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$653.63
Overstock
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18MP
Info
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Depends on lens
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407g
Info
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Slr
Info
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Info
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Mar 2013
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77
Compare
Shortlisted
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Samsung WB250F |
$311.99
Overstock
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14.2MP
Info
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18x
Info
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184g
Info
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Compact
Info
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Info
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Feb 2013
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75
Compare
Shortlisted
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Samsung WB800F
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$239.99
eBay
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16.3MP
Info
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21x
Info
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218g
Info
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Compact
Info
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Info
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Mar 2014
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69
Compare
Shortlisted
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Ricoh GR Limited Edition |
$993.99
Overstock
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16.2MP
Info
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1x
Info
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215g
Info
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Compact
Info
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Info
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Jan 2014
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No matching products found.
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24.2MP
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6000 X 4000
PIXELS IMAGE RESOLUTION |
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3x
OPTICAL ZOOM
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FULL HD VIDEO
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20.3MP
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Canon
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Nikon
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$179.00
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$181.98
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Cyber-shot DSC-HX350
$309.00
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$312.03
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
QWhat is the difference between an SLR, Mirrorless and Compact cameras?
ASLRs and Mirrorless cameras are both powerful cameras with changable lenses for a large amount of flexibility. Mirrorless cameras tend to be smaller and lighter than SLRs (because they don't have to include a mirror to bounce light onto the sensor) but are not quite as powerful.
Compact cameras are small fixed-lens cameras meant for casual photography and everyday carry. In previous generations compact cameras were significantly less powerful than other types, but modern variants are almost as powerful as SLRs.
Compact cameras are small fixed-lens cameras meant for casual photography and everyday carry. In previous generations compact cameras were significantly less powerful than other types, but modern variants are almost as powerful as SLRs.
QWhat is the difference between optical and digital zoom?
AOptical zoom uses the hardware of the camera to physically move the lenses, enlarging the captured picture. Digital zoom uses software to further enlarge the picture. This means digital zooms can go far beyond the range of optical zooms, but the quality is much worse, and degrades sharply as the image is zoomed in.
QWhat is an 'image stabiliser'?
AAn image stabiliser detects and compensates for small judders and shakes while filming, meaning the resulting images are far smoother and still.
QWhy is a big sensor size important?
AA larger optical sensor produces better quality images, because more light can be brought into the lens at once, This leads to larger, more highly-detailed photos.
QWhat is GPS function on a camera?
AGPS allows the camera to tag each photo with exactly where it was taken.
QWhat is the difference between 'waterproof' and 'water resistant'?
AThere is a small but important difference between waterPROOF and water RESISTANT - waterproof means that the camera can be submerged underwater for an extended amount of time with no adverse effects. Water resistant means that the camera can suffer limited exposure to water without any problems - normally this is limited to heavy rain or liquid splashes, not total immersion.
QWhat are the benefits of instant cameras?
AInstant cameras have been seeing a revival in recent years - modern versions work similar to the classic Polaroid cameras, but use modern thermal-reactive paper. They allow immediate printing of photos when out and about - perfect for parties! However the paper is expensive to buy, and you can easily blast through a pack of 10 shots very quickly.
Portrait Photography
Portrait photography is a popular use for everything from small compact cameras to more powerful SLRs. A well-staged photo can capture someone’s feelings and emotions in breathtaking clarity - therefore it’s important to take the time to find a camera that is particularly good at portrait photography.
When ranking our cameras for their skill in taking portrait photos, we’ve concentrated on several key attributes. The most important of these are image resolution, sensor size and image stabilisation. A larger image resolution means the portrait will be more detailed, while the sensor and stabiliser means that the portrait won’t be blurry at all. On top of that, a pre-flash can help reduce the chance of red eye, and smile detection can help find that perfect moment Finally, extras like a handheld remote control or a self timer can help with taking self-portraits and group shots.
How to Choose a Digital Camera That is Good for Portrait Photography
Maximum Image Resolution
Image resolution refers to the amount of pixels that make up an photo taken on a digital camera. It is measured as the width x the height of the image - so a 1280 x 720 resolution camera can take a photo that is 1280 pixels wide and 720 pixels tall.
Image resolution is a measurement of how detailed the photos taken by the camera are. A higher resolution means a single image is comprised of more pixels, leading to greater detail. This is important with portrait cameras, since it allows every nuance and subtlety of the subject, lighting and position to be brought to the fore by the camera, rather than being lost in a low-quality image.
Minimum Aperture Number
In photography, the aperture number refers to the size of the hole in the front of the camera lens, through which light is let through. The larger the aperture, the more light can pass through into the camera's sensor. Photographers can modify this aperture to control the 'depth of field' for their shot - this is how much of the shot is held in focus, and how much is blurred. Aperture numbers are measured in f/stops: rather confusingly a smaller aperture number translates to a larger hole, therefore a larger amount of light will be let through.
A small minimum aperture number means the lens has a bigger aperture which lets more light into the lens. This will allow a faster photograph to be taken which will allow portraits with blurred backgrounds.
Pre-Flash
The pre-flash is a small, short flash triggered by the camera a fraction before the main flash when the photo is taken.
Pre-flash is a small burst of light before the main flash - it causes the subject's pupils to contract, meaning there is less chance of red-eye from the portrait. Very helpful with a portrait camera, since eyes will be a central focus in many of your photos.
Smile Detection
'Smile detection' is a special mode for a digital camera that can detect when the subject is smiling, and take the photo automatically when it detects a smile.
Smile detection automatically detects and takes a photo when it registers a smile. A helpful utility in a portrait camera, since it gives you a way to capture your subject as they smile, rather than missing the moment due to poor timing or bad reflexes.
Handheld Remote Control
'Handheld Remote Control' denotes whether the camera comes with a device to control the camera remotely.
A handheld remote can be useful when taking selfies or group shots, since you don't have to be holding the camera to take the shot. It is helpful for self-portaits, and also for triggering a shot without having to physically touch the camera, reducing the chance of accidental blurring due to movement.
Self-Timer
A self-timer is a system to allow a digital camera to count-down before it takes a photo.
A self-timer can be useful when taking selfies or group shots, since you don't have to be holding the camera to take the shot. Helpful for self-portraits, and including yourself in group portrait shots.