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Top 10 Advanced Point-and-Shoots

These cameras offer more manual controls, powerful optical zooms and more features than compact point-and-shoots. Rankings can change due to pricing and technology changes, so check back frequently for the latest info.

Edited by Tim Moynihan

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PCW Rating: 85.6PCW Rating: 85.6PCW Rating: 85.6

Last Rated: December 10, 2008

1. SP-570 UZ

Max. Megapixels: 10Megapixels, Optical Zoom: 20X Zoom, Zoom Range Min. (mm): 26, Zoom Range Max. (mm): 520, Weight (ounces): 19.5, Media Slots: xD-Picture Card,

Bottom Line: The king of the high-zoom cameras offers sharp long-distance pics and quality ergonomics,

Full Review • Test Report • Check latest prices 		Price When Reviewed: $500 Check Latest Prices

PCW Rating: 83.3PCW Rating: 83.3PCW Rating: 83.3

Last Rated: December 10, 2008

2. Powershot S5 IS

Max. Megapixels: 8Megapixels, Optical Zoom: 12X Zoom, Zoom Range Min. (mm): 36, Zoom Range Max. (mm): 432, Weight (ounces): 20, Media Slots: SD Card,

Bottom Line: An articulable LCD, great image stabilization and top-quality photos add up to an above-average megazoom.

Full Review • Test Report • Check latest prices 		Price When Reviewed: $350 Check Latest Prices

PCW Rating: 82.2PCW Rating: 82.2PCW Rating: 82.2

Last Rated: December 10, 2008

3. Lumix DMC-FZ18K

Max. Megapixels: 8.1Megapixels, Optical Zoom: 18X Zoom, Zoom Range Min. (mm): 28, Zoom Range Max. (mm): 504, Weight (ounces): 14.4, Media Slots: SD Card,

Bottom Line: Decently priced megazoom is a great learning tool for point-and-shoot graduates

Full Review • Test Report • Check latest prices 		Price When Reviewed: $350 Check Latest Prices

PCW Rating: 82.1PCW Rating: 82.1PCW Rating: 82.1

Last Rated: December 10, 2008

4. Powershot SX10 IS

Max. Megapixels: 10Megapixels, Optical Zoom: 20X Zoom, Zoom Range Min. (mm): 28, Zoom Range Max. (mm): 560, Weight (ounces): 23.3, Media Slots: SD Card,

Bottom Line: The SX10 IS is a great megazoom to carry around: lightweight, with a great zoom and decent video.

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PCW Rating: 80.8PCW Rating: 80.8PCW Rating: 80.8

Last Rated: December 10, 2008

5. Cybershot DSC-H50

Max. Megapixels: 9.1Megapixels, Optical Zoom: 15X Zoom, Zoom Range Min. (mm): 31, Zoom Range Max. (mm): 465, Weight (ounces): 16, Media Slots: Memory Stick,

Bottom Line: The Carl Zeiss telephoto and manual features are strong, but focus-lock is erratic and startup is slow.

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PCW Rating: 80.7PCW Rating: 80.7PCW Rating: 80.7

Last Rated: December 10, 2008

6. Powershot G10

Max. Megapixels: 14.7Megapixels, Optical Zoom: 5X Zoom, Zoom Range Min. (mm): 28, Zoom Range Max. (mm): 140, Weight (ounces): 14.2, Media Slots: SD Card,

Bottom Line: The G10 is a fun and stylish camera, but its soft focus and low-light performance are disappointing.

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PCW Rating: 80.6PCW Rating: 80.6PCW Rating: 80.6

Last Rated: December 10, 2008

7. Casio Exilim Pro EX-F1

Max. Megapixels: 6Megapixels, Optical Zoom: 12X Zoom, Zoom Range Min. (mm): 36, Zoom Range Max. (mm): 432, Weight (ounces): 28.7, Media Slots: SD Card,

Bottom Line: This innovative camera shoots full-resolution bursts at up to 60 frames per second.

Full Review • Test Report • Check latest prices 		Price When Reviewed: $1000 Check Latest Prices

PCW Rating: 80.5PCW Rating: 80.5PCW Rating: 80.5

Last Rated: December 10, 2008

8. Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ28

Max. Megapixels: 10.1Megapixels, Optical Zoom: 18X Zoom, Zoom Range Min. (mm): 27, Zoom Range Max. (mm): 486, Weight (ounces): 15.1, Media Slots: SD Card,

Bottom Line: Light, durable, and easy-to-use, the latest Panasonic megazoom model performs marvelously under most conditions.

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PCW Rating: 80.0PCW Rating: 80.0PCW Rating: 80.0

Last Rated: December 10, 2008

9. Fujifilm FinePix S8100fd

Max. Megapixels: 10Megapixels, Optical Zoom: 18X Zoom, Zoom Range Min. (mm): 27, Zoom Range Max. (mm): 486, Weight (ounces): 18.7, Media Slots: xD-Picture Card, SD Card,

Bottom Line: This lightweight model has a zoom lens that plays well at both wide angle and telephoto extremes.

Full Review • Test Report • Check latest prices 		Price When Reviewed: $399 Check Latest Prices

PCW Rating: 76.9PCW Rating: 76.9PCW Rating: 76.9

Last Rated: December 10, 2008

10. Fujifilm Finepix F60fd

Max. Megapixels: 12Megapixels, Optical Zoom: 3X Zoom, Zoom Range Min. (mm): 35, Zoom Range Max. (mm): 105, Weight (ounces): 6.3, Media Slots: xD-Picture Card, SD Card,

Bottom Line: A great follow-up to Fuji's F50fd, the F60fd adds automatic scene detection to its impressive list of features.

Full Review • Test Report 		Price When Reviewed: $300 Check Latest Prices
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