The Six Best Subcompact Digital Cameras in the World

Lightweight and small in the hand these digital cameras can be hidden in your pocket

Welcome traveler to the next hub in our series on the best digital cameras on the world market today. Today we will be discussing our picks for the world's six best subcompact digital cameras and how they compare to one another and the other types of digital cameras on the market today.

You may pay a little more on average for a subcompact digital camera as compared to a compact model but the decrease in size and weight make these models worth the extra shekels.

•1. Canon PowerShot SD430 Combining some of the best print quality with ease of operation the 5 megapixel Canon PowerShot SD430 weights in at a lightweight 5 ounces. With an 11.5 ft flash range, along battery life providing up to 520 shots before requiring recharging, just a 0.8 second shutter lag, a 2 second next-shot delay and a 3x optical zoom the PowerShot is our pick for the best subcompact digital model on the market today. The PowerShot also comes with the much heralded movie mode feature to allow you to form movies from your shots. The one fault we found was the Canon PowerShot doesn't come with manual controls for the more control-conscious individual. Price $ 440.

•2. Canon PowerShot SD500 Digital ELPH With about the same level of print quality and ease of operation as the PowerShot SD430 the 7.1 megapixel Canon PowerShot SD500 Digital ELPH comes in at a hefty 7 ounces. With an 16.4 ft flash range, a 3x optical zoom, a 1 second shutter lag, and a 2 second next-shot delay the Canon PowerShot SD500 is number two on our list, the one draw back with this model is the relatively short battery life before requiring recharging of only 160 shots on average. Like the Canon PowerShot SD430 this model comes with the movie mode feature as well as the lack of manual controls if you want to control all aspects of each shot. Price $300.

•3. Sony Cyber-shot DSC-N1 The 8.1 megapixel Sony Cyber-shots print quality is slightly below the level of our first two models, but its ease of use is comparable to the first two on our list and it falls in the middle between the first two models in weight at 6 ounces. With an 16.4 ft flash range, a 2 second next-shot delay, 3x optical zoom a 0.3 second shutter lag, and the ability to take about 300 shots before requiring recharging the Cyber-shot comes in third on our list. Like all the models on this list the Sony Cyber-shot comes with the movie mode feature for aspiring directors, but unlike the models higher on our list this model comes with manual controls so you can control more aspects of your shots. Price $420.

•4. Sony Cyber-shot DSC-T30 This 7.2 megapixel subcompact digital camera has about the same print quality and ease of functionality as the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-N1 and also comes in at 6 ounces in weight. Included with this model is an 11.2 ft flash range, a 1 second next-shot delay, a 3x optical zoom, a 0.3 second shutter lag, and the ability to take about 420 pictures on average before recharging is required. You can use the movie mode feature like all the models on this list, but like the first two the Sony Cyber-shot doesn't include the manual control capability for the control conscious photographer. Price $360.

•5. Casio Exilim EX-Z850 The space-age 8.1 megapixel Casio Exilim EX-Z850 has slightly better print quality then the Sony models that placed third and forth on our list, but with about the same level of ease-of-use as the Sony models in this 6 ounce subcompact digital camera. The Casio comes with a 14.1 ft flash range, a 2 second next-shot delay, a 0.6 second shutter lag, a 3x optical zoom and the ability to take about 440 shots before you need to recharge the Casio. Use the movie mode feature to create your own movie like experience and the manual controls to control the look of every frame. Price $320.

•6. Fujifilm FinePix F30 The 6.5 megapixel Fujifilm has about the same level of print quality and ease of functionality as the 3rd, 4th, and 5th models we reviewed above, only in a 7 ounce body instead of the six ounce. The Fujifilm comes with the best flash range of the six best subcompact digital cameras we review here at 21.3 ft and the best battery life at approximately 600 shots per recharging. Included is a 2 second next-shot delay, a 3x optical zoom and a 0.6 second shutter lag that allows the Fujifilm to take spectacular shots. The manual controls included allow the user to control even the finest details of each shot and the movie mode included will have you walking the streets like a director on site. Price $290.

If you're looking for additional models to check out the models below are a little farther along on our list.

• 1. Casio Exilim Card EX-S600
• 2. Casio Exilim EX-Z1000
• 3. Samsung NV10
• 4. Fujifilm FinePix V10
• 5. Kodak EasyShare V570
• 6. Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W50

Well that's it hubber for our picks for the six best subcompact digital cameras on the market currently, we hope this helps you make a decision on which one you want to purchase. Join us next time as we will list our picks for the six best advanced compact digital cameras in the world today. Happy hubbing!