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Top 10 Point-and-Shoot Cameras With Manual Controls

These cameras put you in charge of your photos, providing manual controls for aperture, shutter, and exposure. The PowerShot G12 reigns supreme, but we're torn on the number two spot. If you want sheer imaging power at the expense of complexity and size, go for the Nikon Coolpix P7100. If you want a pocket camera that's far more beginner-friendly, pick the Canon PowerShot S100.

Edited by Tim Moynihan   

Rating & Price
Products
1
PCWorld Rating
Prices from $399

Canon PowerShot G12

The G12 delivers excellent image and video quality, and it backs up its manual controls with fun scene modes, an optical viewfinder, and a tilt-and-swivel LCD screen.

Full Review | Specs - Rated: January 20, 2011
2
PCWorld Rating
Prices from $447

Nikon Coolpix P7100

Nikon’s Coolpix P7100 is as complex as it is powerful, with excellent image quality and a feature set to please even the fussiest photographer. Just make sure you’re up for the challenge.

Full Review | Specs - Rated: December 23, 2011
3
PCWorld Rating
Prices from $377

Canon PowerShot S100

The Canon PowerShot S100 is just about the most capable compact camera we've seen, and it's packed with features that will please both novices and advanced shooters.

Full Review | Specs - Rated: December 23, 2011
4
PCWorld Rating
Prices from $409

Canon PowerShot S95

The PowerShot S95 is a perfect camera to grow with, thanks to its pocketable size and its compelling blend of automated and manual controls.

Full Review | Specs - Rated: January 20, 2011
5
PCWorld Rating
Prices from $365

Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX5

The Lumix LX5 isn't the most novice-friendly camera, but it offers an insane amount of power for a fixed-lens camera when you dig into its manual controls.

Full Review | Video Review | Specs - Rated: January 20, 2011
6
PCWorld Rating
Prices from $280

Canon PowerShot SX230 HS

Building on an already-excellent camera, the 14X-optical-zoom PowerShot SX230 HS adds a new sensor, 1080p video capture, high-speed shooting, and in-camera GPS to the mix.

Full Review | Specs - Rated: May 02, 2011
7
PCWorld Rating
Prices from $310

Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS20

The Lumix ZS20 is a top-tier travel camera, thanks to a far-reaching zoom lens, built-in GPS with mapping, extensive shooting options, and good (but not great) image and video quality.

Full Review | Video Review | Specs - Rated: May 17, 2012
8
PCWorld Rating
Prices from $400

Olympus XZ-1

The Olympus XZ-1 is a manual-oriented camera with great optics, but its autofocus and exposure levels are weak spots, and it's not entirely novice-friendly.

Full Review | Video Review | Specs - Rated: April 19, 2011
9
PCWorld Rating
Prices from $299

Samsung TL500

The Samsung TL500 has some drool-worthy specs and shoots great photos, but it stumbles on usability and video quality.

Full Review | Specs - Rated: January 20, 2011
10
PCWorld Rating
Prices from $224

Fujifilm FinePix F550EXR

The 15X-zoom FinePix F550EXR has GPS features and in-camera extras that go beyond the norm, but in image and video quality it lags a bit behind competitors.

Full Review | Specs - Rated: September 07, 2011

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