Try seeking help from any photographer regarding the type of camera that gives the most outstanding results and you are likely to be advised to get one of those expensive and huge Digital SLRs. However, for the majority of casual shooters, these are simply too expensive and bulky for easy day-to-day use.
The fact is that today, we capture most of our snapshots with smartphones or other hand-held devices. But what happens when you want the quality of the image to be better than can be provided by a smartphone? Or perhaps you want the versatility offered by a real zoom lens?
This is where a point and shoot camera conveniently steps in. Also called a compact camera, a point-and-shoot is basically a still camera that has primarily been designed for simple operation. The majority use auto-focus or focus free lenses for focusing. They have in-built flash units and automatic systems for exposure settings.
Selecting a Point and Shoot Camera
The price range for these compact cameras can range from anything below an affordable 100 bucks to more complex ones costing a couple of hundreds. If you are operating on a modest budget, it is still possible to get a quality point and shoot camera for under $150.
But how do you choose the best point and shoot camera under 150? Before you finally settle on your choice shooter, read several online product reviews.
Here are my pointers:
Best Point and Shoot Camera Under 150 Buying Guide
Try seeking help from any photographer regarding the type of camera that gives the most outstanding results and you are likely to be advised to get one of those expensive and huge Digital SLRs. However, for the majority of casual shooters, these are simply too expensive and bulky for easy day-to-day use.
The fact is that today, we capture most of our snapshots with smartphones or other hand-held devices. But what happens when you want the quality of the image to be better than can be provided by a smartphone? Or perhaps you want the versatility offered a zoom lens?
This is where a point and shoot camera conveniently steps in. Also called a compact camera, a point-and-shoot is basically a still camera that has primarily been designed for simple operation. The majority use auto-focus or focus free lenses for focusing. They have in-built flash units and automatic systems for exposure settings.
Selecting a Point and Shoot Camera
The price range for these compact cameras can range from anything below an affordable 100 bucks to more complex ones costing a couple of hundreds. If you are operating on a modest budget, it is still possible to get a quality point and shoot camera for under $150.
But how do you choose the best point and shoot camera under 150? Before you finally settle on your choice shooter, read several online product reviews. Here are my pointers:
Best Point and Shoot Camera Under 150 Buying Guide
1. Sony DSCW800/B 20.1 MP Digital Camera (Black)
Vacation shots or a night out snapshots – the Sony W800 digital camera brings you numerous features to make it all fun. With this compact camera, shooting beautiful and clear photos or HD videos is easy. Whether at dusk, when you are indoors, or nighttime – the Sony’s boosted sensitivity means you’ll get brighter-looking pictures.
The standard packaging includes:
- MP Super HAD CCD sensor
- SteadyShot Image stabilization
- 720p HD Movie mode and Easy Mode Menu
- Super HAD CCD 20.1 MP sensor
- 0.52 fps Maximum Continuous Shooting Speed
The DSCW800/B 20.1 MP Digital Camera is conveniently small, easily slips into your pocket and takes great photos. This is a case of smartphone portability meeting precision photography, making this to be the best camera under 150 bargains.
2. Nikon Coolpix W150 Camera, White, Compact, Waterproof
The Coolpix W150 is among the best digital camera under 150 products today. It is designed to withstand anything thrown at it. Shockproof, waterproof, and freezeproof, this is perfect for the poolside, skiing, the beach, amusement parks, and other adventurous sites.
Easy menus and oversized buttons mean everyone in the family or group can take their turn at capturing Full HD videos and photos. It is even possible to generate fun slideshows that also have sound with this amazing camera!
Certainly, the COOLPIX W150 can be described as non-stop family fun.
Additional features:
- Shockproof up to 5 ft; Waterproof up to 32 ft deep; freezeproof down to 14° F
- 2.7″ LCD screen, 13.2MP CMOS sensor for low-light
- 3x Zoom-NIKKOR Glass Lens
- Electronic Vibration Reduction
- 13.2MP low-light CMOS sensor
- Easy menus and oversized buttons for easy navigation
- Beautiful Slideshows
With just a single button touch, your COOLPIX W150 turns into a handy HD video camera. This enables you to record the sounds and sights with stereo sound. The easy menus and oversized buttons mean everyone in the group can participate in the action of snapping the photos or in taking the Full HD 1080p videos. Then add fun effects such as Miniature and turn an entire scene into something that looks similar to a toy model.
Family life is generally full of laughter, fun and occasionally several bruises and bumps. The Nikon COOLPIX W150 camera has been designed to comfortably withstand whatever your family will throws at it, and it is as no doubt the best camera under 150 today. Being shockproof, waterproof, and freezeproof, this is the perfect camera for the amusement park, pool & beach, skiing, and many other types of bumpy adventures typically enjoyed by fun-loving families.xxx
3. Kodak PIXPRO Friendly Zoom FZ43-RD 16MP Digital Camera, 4X Zoom, 2.7″ LCD (Red)
Coming to you in a compact size that’s great for portability, the Kodak PIXPRO FZ41 is simple, with intuitive controls for usability. This is an ideal camera if this is your first time. When you want to capture those live special moments, you can switch to capture video in 720p HD modes.
- 16MP CCD sensor for picture clarity
- 4x optical zoom
- 27mm wide-angle lens
- 2.7-inch LCD screen
- PCs and Macs compatible
- One-year manufacturer warranty
The Kodak Friendly Zoom Digital Camera will capture and records all your cherished memories in vibrant high definition. This is certainly a quality product from long standing powerhouse Kodak.
4. Canon PowerShot ELPH 190 Digital Camera 10x Optical Zoom (Blue)
If you want a small, affordable camera, this is the one to get, and our Editors’ Choice, but it does have some disadvantages compared with flagship smartphones.
The Elph 190 IS$158.99 at Amazon is very small, just 2.2 by 3.8 by 0.9 inches, and light at 4.9 ounces. It’s the definition of a pocket camera, sliding into your pants or living in your purse. The plastic body features a glossy finish, and is available in black, blue, or red.
It offers a lot more range of coverage than you get with any smartphone, but even at its widest angle it captures less than half the light as flagship models from Apple and Samsung—which means that using it in dim light sans flash isn’t an option.
Canon expects most people to use the Elph 190 IS in full automatic mode. When it’s in this mode you have no control over exposure, although you can disable the flash if you’re taking pictures and don’t want it to fire. The Auto Zoom function only works in this mode. It uses the Elph’s face detection feature to automatically frame a portrait shot.
You can take a bit more control over your photography if you want, although there’s no true manual exposure mode. You can set the camera to Program shooting, which lets you adjust exposure compensation, ISO the metering pattern, and white balance, all via an on-screen overlay menu. There are also a number of Scene settings, including options to capture fireworks, shoot in dim light, and use a long exposure, as well as artistic filters.
- 10x Optical Zoom with Optical Image Stabilizer helps you capture images with flexibility and ease
- Built-in Wi-Fi and NFC allows for easy sharing and transferring of images and videos; Digital Zoom : 4x
- 20.0 Megapixel CCD sensor combines with the DIGIC 4+ Image Processor to help deliver stunning image quality
- 720p HD video capabilities.Dimensions (W x H x D) 3.75 x 2.24 x 0.93 in. / 95.3 x 56.8 x 23.6mm
- Smart AUTO intelligently selects the proper settings based on predefined shooting situations. Operating temperature:32-104°F / 0-40°C.Auto focus System:TTL Auto focus
- Scene Modes such as Fisheye Effect, Toy Camera Effect and Monochrome provide creative freedom to capture your photos
- Help Button provides simple explanations and easy control of your settings; Operating Humidity: 10-90%.
The Elph 190 starts, focuses, and fires in about 1.4 seconds, a good result for a point-and-shoot, and it locks focus quickly, in about 0.1-second in our standard test. It is quite slow when trying to shoot consecutive images. In continuous shooting mode there is a 1.5-second gap between shots. Compare this with a new iPhone, which shoots at a blistering 10fps just by holding the shutter button down.
We’re naming the Elph 190 IS our Editors’ Choice and awarding it a four-star rating, but it’s not the best camera for everyone. If you’re looking for something that’s very inexpensive, want a good zoom range, and understand its limitations when compared with the latest Galaxy or iPhone, it’s a solid pick. If you have a bigger budget, you can get a pocket camera that offers a more clear-cut advantage over top-tier phones.
5. PANASONIC LUMIX Waterproof Digital Camera Underwater Camcorder with Optical Image Stabilizer, Time Lapse, Torch Light and 220MB Built-In Memory – DMC-TS30A (Blue)
Made for active lifestyles, the Panasonic LUMIX DMC-T530 Digital Camera is a rugged camera that is waterproof (to 8m/26ft.)*, shockproof (to 1.5m/5ft.), dust & freezeproof (to -10C/14F), perfect for photos or video anywhere. Features MEGA O.I.S. that automatically compensates for blurring caused by hand-shake. Even slight hand-shake movement is detected instantly by a sampling frequency of 4,000 times per second to produce sharp, clear images. Recording dynamic MP4 HD video in 1280 x 720p** starts with the simple push of an independent motion picture button that allows you to switch from video to photo shooting and back again instantly. Position the camera to record stationary observation for flowers coming into bloom, scudding clouds and other subjects for Time Lapse Shooting. A series of successive images can be combined in-camera to produce time- lapse video. The red color reproduction of Advanced Underwater Mode compensates for the red tones easily lost in underwater shooting to create more natural underwater images. Additional camera action modes include Sports, Snow, and Beach and Snorkeling. Includes a Torch light to help record beautiful videos even in dusky underwater environments or in camp at night. Turn on the light on to illuminate the world around you – even if you’re not taking a photo or video. When the camera’s SD card is full, built-in memory automatically provides 220MB of additional storage. Enough for up to 34 images. The Panasonic LUMIX DMC-T530 Digital Camera is perfect for vacation, day trips, events, and everyday all-around fun. DISCLAIMER: *This camera’s waterproof/dustproof rating complies with the “IPX8” and “IP6X” ratings. Provided the care and maintenance guidelines described in the owner’s manual are strictly followed, this camera can operate underwater, to a depth not exceeding 8 m (26 feet) for a time not exceeding 60 minutes. **Sensor output is 30p (for NTSC area) / 25p (for PAL area)
- QUAD-PROOF TOUGH CAMERA – Made for active lifestyles, this rugged camera is waterproof (to 8m/26ft.), shockproof (to 1.5m/5ft.), dust & freezeproof (to -10C/14F), perfect for photos or video anywhere
- MEGA O.I.S. CAMERA LENS – Automatically compensates for blurring caused by hand-shake movement. Detected instantly by a sampling frequency of 4,000 times/second to produce sharp, clear images
- BEAUTIFUL UNDERWATER SHOTS – The red color reproduction of Advanced Underwater Mode easily compensates for the red tones easily lost in underwater shooting to create more natural underwater images
- MP4 HD VIDEO RECORDING – Recording dynamic MP4 HD video in 1280 x 720p** starts with the simple push of an independent motion picture button allowing you to switch from video to photo shooting instantly
- 220MB BUILT-IN MEMORY – When the camera’s SD card is full, built-in memory automatically provides 220MB of additional storage. Enough for up to 34 images Vendor Central Updates made on 02/05 not showing live