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There are several reasons these days to buy an advanced camera instead of a point-and-shoot or single-lens reflex (SLR) camera. The advanced features give you more manual control than most point-and-shoots offer, and some models even cost less. When compared to digital SLRs, more-expensive advanced cameras offer a similar glut of manual controls--minus the option to use specialized lenses. But if you're likely to stick with the zoom lens that accompanies your camera, an advanced model is worth a serious look.

Three new advanced models capture positions on our chart, but the top spot goes to the returning Fujifilm FinePix S5200. Proving that you can get high-quality photos at 5-megapixel resolution, the S5200 scored well in color and exposure tests despite being the least-expensive camera on our chart.

Equaling the S5200's exposure score, the 8-megapixel Olympus SP-350 debuts at number two on the chart and is our strongest performer. The SP-350 is also the most compact model on the chart, lacking the large protruding lens barrel of the other models. Unfortunately, its design leaves little room for control buttons, so adjusting settings and changing scene modes almost always requires a trip to the on-screen menus.

The Pro815 from Samsung, on the other hand, is anything but compactit almost feels as if you're holding a Hummer in your hand. Everything about it is huge. The Pro815 has a massive 15X zoom, an enormous 3.5-inch LCD on the back, and an array of configurable settings aimed at seasoned photographers. Like an SLR, the Pro815 displays current settings in a second color LCD up top, and it has plenty of control buttons for making quick adjustments without consulting an on-screen menu. Almost the only thing the Pro815 doesn't have is image stabilization, which you may long for when shooting with the powerful zoom and at low light-sensitivity settings. (The Pro815's highest light-sensitivity setting is ISO 400).

The fifth-ranked Canon PowerShot S3 IS has many features, too. It boasts a 12X zoom, optical image stabilization (hence the "IS" in the name), and plenty of control buttons to let you change settings quickly. And it's the only model here with a swiveling, rotating LCD for shooting at odd angles--say, at yourself. Also, the S3 IS lets you take stills while shooting a movie. Its battery life wasn't tops, however: The S3 called it quits after 331 shots on four AA nickel metal hydride batteries. In contrast, the Fujifilm FinePix S5200 lasted through our maximum of 500 shots on the same set of batteries.

Find the Very Latest Digital Camera Charts

Click on the links below for the latest online digital camera rankings or a comprehensive list of all digital cameras we've tested.

• Most current Top Advanced Digital Cameras chart
• Most current Top Point-and-Shoot Digital Cameras chart
• Most current Top SLR Digital Cameras chart
• All Digital Cameras

Top Advanced Digital Cameras From the November 2006 Issue of PC World Magazine