5 Great Digital Cameras for Less Than $250

At 2.5 inches diagonally, this camera's screen is smaller than the ones on some competing models, but we found that it worked just fine indoors and out. Getting into and around the menus is fairly simple, too, even without consulting Pentax's detailed manual.

Unlike many other digital cameras that are priced under $300, the Optio A40 delivered outstanding image quality. Photos looked sharp and did a nice job of avoiding halos and artifacts. Don't expect miracles, though: Like most digital cameras, the A40 is not completely immune to noise.

Shots occasionally came out hit-or-miss in dimly lit indoor situations and in quick street snaps, but this Pentax's output consistently beat the results from several competing point-and-shoot cameras. The Optio A40 performed especially well in bright sunlight.

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