Canon Powershot G1 3MP Digital Camera w/ 3x Optical Zoom

The 3.3-megapixel CCD captures images at user-selectable resolutions of 2,048 x 1,536, 1,024 x 768, and 640 x 480--which means you can take pictures for making detailed 8-by-10 prints as well as clicking snapshots for the Web and e-mail. The G1 also lets you choose between three varying degrees of JPEG compression, or, when taking pictures at highest resolution, you can store images in the RAW format, which, unlike JPEG compression, is a lossless, and reversible, type of compression. RAW files are roughly one-third the size of equivalent TIFF files. They can only be read by Canon's included software, but they can be losslessly converted and saved as TIFF files by your computer.

For those uninterested or uneducated in the more detailed mechanics of photography, the G1 can function like a point-and-shoot, automatically taking care of virtually every setting. If, however, you're more interested in setting the camera's functions manually, the G1 is perfectly willing to accept your commands, allowing control over every function on the camera. ISO can be set at speeds of 50, 100, 200, and 400, and the G1 also features aperture and shutter priority modes. Manual focus can be used, although Canon only recommends using it in tricky focus situations. AE/AF lock allows you to set exposure and focus setting for a given scene, letting you recompose and shoot without losing time. Other shooting modes include flash-exposure compensation; programmed control zones (portrait, landscape, etc.); movie mode; and slow shutter-speed mode, which opens the shutter for long periods of time in low-light situations and applies noise reduction. Auto-exposure bracketing takes three pictures, intentionally over- and under-exposing the two extra shots to help capture the best picture possible. The G1 has five different flash modes, including red-eye reduction, and is compatible with all Canon EX-series Speedlite flashes. A macro mode rounds out the package.

No digital camera is complete without an LCD monitor, and here the G1 shines as well. The 1.8-inch color monitor sits on a swivel mount. The monitor rotates on two axes, flipping out to rest on the same plane as the back of the camera, and also rotates up to 270 degrees. This versatility lets you view your shot from almost any angle or around corners; you can even see yourself while you're taking a self-portrait. Best of all, because the G1's monitor flips and swivels, you can store the camera with the monitor screen nestled safely against the body of the camera, protecting it from any scratches. The G1 comes with a USB port and cable, battery and AC adapter, 16 MB CompactFlash card, software, lens cap, and neck strap. For people with older systems, there is also a serial port, but PC and Mac serial cables are sold separately.