7 Best Camera Under $150 (Always update every 3 months)

Update January 2012 (Always update every 3 months)

What if you wanted to buy a camera, not more than $ 150 (Rp. 1500.000,- in Indonesia). May be for your family wedding or sudden occasion. You wanted to buy a pocket camera cause sure you need an easy use, and easy to go camera. There’s a bunch of brands but you considering the famous brands because it’s “trustable”. May be because it won’t be so hard to find service center either, in case you got something wrong with your camera.
For sure you want the best of all. But since the best means different to different persone, let see what best for you.
In my research, you will find more than 10 camera from famous brands, but I pick 7 best for you to choose. Before comparing, lets figure it out one by one. Anyway, the order list here I made by myself based on my experience and taste of camera. I will tell you short description for these cameras about its best features comes within the camera, and see the the comparation table below it for more objective comparation. I’m focused on how the camera will produce a good picture and good to handle. Those feature such effects etc I would do it on computer. So, here they are.

1. Canon Canon ELPH 100 HS (Ixus 115 HS)

Since the Ixus family is now above $150, the only choice from canon now comes to Power Shot series, the PS A4000 IS.
The camera does come with a little bit odd interface. 16 MP for this tiny sensor and 8x zoom would surprisingly attract the market people. It shoots well in good light but struggle for lowlight. For you to know, as far as I know the PS A series are suffer for speed, may stay in the bottom list for shutter lag and autofocus works slow. This will make your picture sometimes a bit hit and mess. It does start-up very fast anyway.
It designed smoothly well, but the button behind the camera is hard to push since it’s manufactured as flat as the body. No mode button so you’ll have to go a set button and find it, but its easier to take video since the video button are exposed. Well if you are canon lovers I suggest you go find an Ixus 115 HS left in the store or spend $35 more for the Ixus 125 HS.


2. Panasonic FH7 (FS22)

Pana’s always good in speed, most of its camera have a very slight shutter lag and very fast startup. That because this 16 MP camera equipped with Venus Engine IV, makes it work very fast. It also as user friendly as its competitor above. It also have a sharp image and good color. The unique of this camera is it has a 60s slowest shutter speed, makes you able of taking stunning firework pictures. Leica lens start from 28mm wide angle end at 112mm (4x zoom). Touch autofocus for specific frame location focusing.
Unfortunately this fast camera has small aperture from 3.3 wide and 6.5 maks zoom. This compensates the shutter to take a little bit longer shutter (hate dark room).

3. Nikon Coolpix S4300

I always love Nikon’s pictures. It always does handle contrast and color outstandingly. It equipped with very wide zoom start from 26mm (widest among all) and end at 156mm (6x zoom). Touch autofocus for specific frame location focusing.
This 16 MP camera has a bit slight aperture at wide angle (F3.5 - F6.5).

4. Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W620

This 14 MP camera comes with their BIONZ processor, makes it powerful in processing images. This is the only camera in this class comes with panorama feature.
If just it comes with image stabilization which is I think must for pocket camera, this one will look nicer.

5. Samsung PL170

What should I say, the company makes the camera unique with front LCD. As many people wish to take a good self portrait, this front LCD would be very useful. It also comes with Schneider-Kreuznach lens, to assure you a sharp picture.

6. Kodak EasyShare M575

This 14 MP camera also comes with panorama feature. Its “share” button allows you to upload images easily to YouTube, Facebook, Flickr and Kodak's Gallery site.
No image stabilizer.

7. Olympus VR-310

Not so famous in this class, this 14 MP camera comes with an outstanding wide to zoom lens (24-240). Unfortunately I never saw a sharp picture taken with a long zoom lens pocket camera.

8. Fujifilm Finepix JZ100

This one is quite satisfying, so I put it in since now (jan 2013). Fujifilm is one of the most known in the world of filming and documentation, you see there’s a lot of film supported by Fujifilm. They don’t make DSLRs but their technology in camera sensors is well known as one of the best, the EXRs sensors.

At $150 there’s three choice of pocket camera, I’ll pick the newest in early 2012, Fujifilm FinePix JZ100. Except if you have special needs of taking photo under water, take the FinePix XP30. The funny thing about this camera I choose is that there I no white balance feature in the camera. Probably the company thought that its rarely used by the people, indeed.

This 14 MP camera is already equipped with optical image stabilizer to makes sure the camera takes sharp images. It also have a stunning wide lens that start from 25 to 200 mm (8x zoom) and 5 cm macro range. It means you can take picture of an object from the closest of 5 cm distance. Its aperture is quite wide, F2.9 - F5.9. The movie feature is already HD 1280x720 at 30 fps.

Though, the camera works slow with continuous drive of 1,2 fps. Work slow is one of Fuji’s camera problems, however the camera takes pictures with natural color..


To let you compare these products more objectively, read table here on dpreview.com.
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Each superiority and dissuperiority :

1.       Canon PS A4000IS

Major: Sharp image, nice body, fast start-up

Minor: very slow, focus

2.       Nikon coolpix S4300

Major: good color result

Minor: narrow aperture

3.       Panasonic Lumix DMC-FH7 (Lumix DMC-FS22)

Major: very fast

Minor: narrow aperture

4.       Fujifilm T200

Major: long zoom range

Minor: -

5.       Sony DSC W-620

Major: user friendly

Minor: no stabilization

6.       Samsung PL170

Major: front screen

Minor: lack of information about this one.

7.       Kodak M575

Major: on-camera software editing, easy share button

Minor: no stabilization, odd interface.

8.       Olympus VR-310

Major: widest 24mm lens, longest zoom range.

Minor: not so popular.

8.       Fujifilm Finepix JZ100

Major: so wide 25mm lens, long zoom range 200mm.

Minor: slow, no white balance..

Match it to your character. Every camera have its own superiority and lack. Pick the camera as the superiority match better for your character and purpose:

• If you are "picture quality" fanatic, I suggest you'd have the Nikon S4300
• If you want a longlasting look of a camera, still with good photo and video result you'd choose Panasonic FH7 (fast, good for a documenter), or Olympus VR-310.
• If you love narcistic photos, get a unique Samsung PL 170.
• Want to have the cheapest one, still with good result of picture and video? May be your choise would fall to Sony DSC W-620.