Gordon Laing of CameraLabs.com reviews the Canon PowerShot A640 compact digital camera.  The PowerShot A640 has 10 megapixels of resolution and a 35mm - 140mm 4x optical zoom lens.  The A640 is larger than most compact digital cameras, but the good thing about this is how easy the camera is to grip.  It has full manual control including aperture and shutter priority.

The PowerShot A640 has a 2.5 inch flip out and tilt LCD screen.  This is very useful if you want to take shots above everyone’s head or low to the ground.  You can also use the cameras optical viewfinder if you want to conserve battery power or if it is bright outside.

Some of the cons of the PowerShot A640 include the fact that the LCD screen has a low resolution and the size of the camera may not be desireable if you want a compact digital camera you can put in your pocket.  The Canon PowerShot A640 currently sells for approximately $350.00.

Canon PowerShot A640 in depth reviews and sample photos:

CameraLabs Canon PowerShot A640 review
DPReview Canon PowerShot A640 review
Steve’s Digicams Canon PowerShot A640 review

Canon PowerShot A640 sample photos from Flickr
Canon PowerShot A640 sample photos from Pbase

Matt from WhatDigitalCamera.com gives a video review of the Nikon Coolpix L12 digital camera.  The Nikon Coolpix L12 has 7.1 megapixels of resolution and a 35mm - 105mm 3x optical zoom lens.  You will love the 2.5″ LCD screen on the L12 as well as the image stabilization feature not normally found on compact digital cameras similar to this.  A downside to this camera is you cannot adjust the ISO which may bring noise to some of your photos in low light conditions.

The Nikon Coolpix L12 uses two AA batteries for power - so you will definitely want to buy some rechargeable NiMH batteries for more power as regular batteries will not last long.  Overall, the Nikon Coolpix L12 is an excellent compact digital camera if you want to just point and shoot and not worry about a zillion manual settings.  The Nikon Coolpix L12 currently retails for an average of $172.

Nikon Coolpix L12 in depth reviews and sample photos:

DCRP Nikon Coolpix L12 review
Steve’s Digicams Nikon Coolpix L12 review
DigitalCameraReview Nikon Coolpix L12 review

Nikon Coolpix L12 sample photos at PBase
Nikon Coolpix L12 sample photos at Flickr

Gordon Laing of CameraLabs.com reviews the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX30 digital camera.  The FX30 is an ultra compact digital camera with 7.1 megapixels of resolution and 3.6x optical zoom.  The range is equivalent to 28-100mm providing nice wide angle and telephoto views.  This camera at the time of this writing is the slimmest digital camera with a 28mm wide angle lens.  It is also slim enough you can comfortably carry around in your pocket.

The FX30 has a 2.5″ LCD screen that is bright and clear.  The metallic body has a nice, solid feel and the camera’s controls are simple and clutter free.  Gordon gives you a nice tour of the camera, menu system and demonstrates the image stabilization mode and other features of the camera.

Overall the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX30 is a nice compact digital camera, but every camera has some kind of down side to it.  The downside of this camera has to do with image noise when you zoom in on your photos after downloading them to your computer.  But, image noise is common with compact digital cameras and if you’re picky in this area, you should consider a digital SLR.

Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX30 in depth reviews and sample photos:

CameraLabs Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX30 review
DigiCamReview Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX30 review
Megapixel Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX30 review

Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX30 sample photos at Flickr
Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX30 sample photos at Pbase

Nigel from WhatDigitaCamera.com reviews the Olympus E-410 EVOLT digital SLR which they claim to be the world’s smallest digital SLR.  The E-410 is an upgrade from the E-400 and the main advantage of the E-410 is the live view feature so you can get a precise view of what your photo will look like as you are taking it.  The processor on the E-410 is faster, allowing you to shoot at 3 frames per second.

Nigel gives you a tour of the controls of the E-410 and shows that you can use compact flash or SD cards with this camera.  The Olympus E-410 has 10 megapixels of resolution and the image noise problems that were prevalent on the E-400 are fixed due to this camera’s Live MOS sensor.  The Olympus E-410 sells for approximately $799 if purchased with a 14-42mm lens, making it one of the most affordable digital SLR’s on the market.

Olympus E-410 EVOLT in depth reviews and sample photos:

DPReview Olympus E-410 EVOLT Review
DCRP Olympus E-410 EVOLT Review
ThinkCamera Olympus E-410 EVOLT Review

Olympus E-410 EVOLT sample photos from DPReview
Olympus E-410 EVOLT sample photos from PBase

BrooklynDave gives an out of the box review and first impressions of the Canon EOS 30D digital SLR. The Canon EOS 30D has 8.2 megapixels of resolution making it perfect for large prints, a large 2.5 inch LCD screen capable of being viewed at almost any angle, high and low speed consecutive shooting and includes an EF-S 18-55mm lens.

In this review, he shows you what you get when you unbox the 30D and explains that if you have small hands, the camera might be a bit large for you. The Canon EOS 30D comes with a lithium-ion battery pack and charger and stores images on CF cards. There’s a lot to learn with the 30D, but overall everything is very well laid out and easy to use. It is recommended to buy a backup battery for extra power and a skylight filter to protect your lens. The Canon EOS 30D currently sells for approximately $1,399 U.S.

After watching this video review, you might want to check out CNET’s video review of the Canon EOS 30D as well.

Canon EOS 30D in depth reviews and sample photos:

DPReview Canon EOS 30D review
CNET Canon EOS 30D review
Imaging Resource Canon EOS 30D review
Steve’s Digicams Canon EOS 30D review

Canon EOS 30D sample photos on PBase
Canon EOS 30D sample photos on Flickr