Top 5 Digicams Under Rs. 20,000

They say its not the camera that makes a good picture, but the photographer behind it. I say that having a good camera in front of that talented photographer can make a world of a difference. If you’ve had enough of that budget point-and-shoot camera and think you’re ready for a camera which will give you more control and will offer you better features overall, then you’re reading the right guide.

We have featured what we think are the best cameras in their respective categories, and cost less than Rs. 20,000. So you can not only select the right model, but also the right type of camera in your next upgrade. Check it out!

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Canon Digital IXUS 65
Its cute, its small and its very functional. The 6 megapixel Canon Digital IXUS 65 is a cute little camera, roughly the size of a candybar mobile phone, that’s capable of taking some pretty good quality shots. The small form doesn’t come in the way of taking great shots as the camera boasts fast speed and a great 3 inch LCD screen to help out with your compositions.

All this can be yours at a street price of Rs. 16,500.

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Nikon Coolpix S10
This one’s purely for the show-off value. The Nikon Coolpix S10 may not be too hot on the features, but the swivel lens design makes it a great camera to pop out in front of your friends.
The rotating lens works pretty well as a gimmick, is great for taking those weird-angled shots or even a self portrait. The lack of any kind of manual features on the S10 makes it strictly for the point and shoot audience. But hey, there is a killer 10x optical zoom to play around with.

Whether its worth its Rs. 17,500 street price depends on how much you like showing off.

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Canon Powershot A710 IS
I really hate categorizing the 7.1 megapixel Canon Powershot A710 IS as a mere compact camera, especially considering that it features so much more than the cameras generally available in that category. With a killer 6x zoom, optical image stabilization, manual exposure and manual focus, the Powershot A710 IS is packed with features. If you’re not into the manual stuff, you can also make the most of the A710 through its various scene modes. Did I mention you can also attach additional lenses to it?

The street price of around Rs. 18,000 is pretty much justified for this powerhouse of a camera. You want to get better at photography, get this camera and experiment.

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Pentax Optio W20
Like photography? Like swimming? Want to do them both at the same time? Then you need a camera that likes water as much as you do. The 7 megapixel Pentax Optio W20 is a waterproof camera that doesn’t require a separate housing unit for underwater photography. Feel free to take this camera for your showers, swims, scuba sessions or anything else you can think of, but just make sure you have the required permissions before clicking, if you know what I mean.

You can have the W20 as your new swimming partner at a street price of Rs. 18,500.

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Olympus SP-510 UZ
This new 7.1 megapixel superzoom from Olympus has a lot going for it. From its (relatively) tiny build to its extremely user friendly menus, the SP-510 UZ offers great functionality at excellent speeds. The image stabilization works almost perfectly even at full 10x optical zoom, which is more than I can say for a lot of other cameras in the series. But my favorite feature would have to be the ability to shoot in RAW mode; a function that most other cameras in the superzoom category sorely miss.

All this at a street price of around Rs. 19,000 makes the Olympus SP-510 UZ an excellent deal. The scope of this feature prevents me from coming even close to describing all the features this superzoom has to offer, so look out for our in-depth review in the coming days.

That’s it for now. Let us know if you agree/disagree or simply put your own point of view in our comments section below or our forums.