Anyone into their retro tech will be loving the recent resurgence of the Polaroid brand.

This time around, the Polaroid Two combines a touch of the old and a touch of the new. It’s a digital camera and printer all rolled into one with that famous Polaroid branding - offering a little 1980s nostalgia.

Also known as the Polaroid Pogo in other parts of the world, the Two relies more on the novelty factor than its extraordinary image/print quality and feature set. The idea of taking a digital snap then printing it off directly from the camera in under a minute will definitely appeal to gadget freaks. Adding to the novelty value is the fact that the prints double as stickers when you peel off the back.

Printing itself is an easy process - simply press the button and you’re away. Loading the paper is also fairly straightforward. On the down side, the prints are only very small (2-inches by 3-inches), which makes sense when you consider the maximum resolution is only 5-megapixels - blow the shots up any larger for print and image quality would be seriously compromised.

That being said, quality is pretty decent at smaller print sizes and for web (you can load the images to your computer via USB). You can fiddle with the limited controls (such as ISO and white balance) plus adjustments (red-eye and crop) to achieve better results.

The Polaroid Two retails for $269.95 and comes with 10 sheets of paper in the box.

Buy a cheap digital camera on sale in Australia

By Caroline Warnes

If you’re new to digital cameras and want something cheap and cheerful with minimal bells and whistles, then the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-S2100 will be right up your alley.

It’s the manufacturer’s brand new entry-level digital camera (and the only Sony camera to use AA batteries), and as such offers minimal functionality and image quality for the bargain RRP of $129.

In all respects, the S2100 offers exactly what you’d expect from an entry-level camera, including 12-megapixel resolution, 3x optical zoom and a 3-inch LCD viewing screen. It comes with the standard shooting modes (Intelligent Auto, Easy, Program, Scene and Movie), digital image stabilisation and face detection.

On the plus side, it’s a fairly sturdy camera and isn’t unattractive to look at, coming in three colours (black silver and orange) - all finished in brushed metal on the front. But of course, the most attractive thing about this camera for most people will be the price tag, which is squarely aimed at those buying into the market for the first time.

Buy a cheap Sony camera on sale in Australia

By Caroline Warnes

If you like your gadgets with a touch of nostalgia, the new Polaroid 300 instant camera will no doubt appeal to you.

It will also appeal if you like to stand out from the crowd - while everyone else whips out their run-of-the-mill digital cameras, you’ll have your retro-styled Polaroid-branded instant film camera.

However if there’s one thing the Polaroid 300 does well, it’s remind us of one of the main reasons we all took to digital cameras in the first place - cost savings. At $149.95, the camera itself isn’t overly expensive, thanks largely to the lack of fancy features and settings (it comes with four scene settings only). Unfortunately the film is on the pricey side, with a roll of 10 costing you $19.95. Thankfully, the image quality is very good for the price.

And to answer the burning question: yes, the 300 does function just like the Polaroid cameras of old, with the print shooting out from the top of the camera.

Buy a cheap digital camera on sale in Australia

By Caroline Warnes

The Nikon Coolpix S3000 is definitely a digital camera that leads with its price tag.

And given that it’s a price tag of $199, there’s no doubt which market Nikon is aiming to hit with the S3000 - namely, first-time digital camera purchasers or anyone who needs nothing more than the most basic of cameras.

The good news is that in this case, cheap does not equal nasty. In fact, the S3000 performs quite well for a budget point-and-shoot digital camera. For starters, it doesn’t look or feel cheap - it’s finished in brushed metal and comes in a range of eye-catching colours.

Then there is the image quality, which isn’t bad at all for a $199 camera, thanks to the 12-megapixel sensor. Naturally, it isn’t as good as what you’d expect from a higher-end compact, but it still handles most shooting environments well.

The feature set is also decent, but not brilliant, and includes a 27mm wide-angle lens with 4x optical zoom and a selection of shooting modes (automatic, scene, smart portrait, subject tracking and movie mode).

The Nikon Coolpix S3000 is available in Australia now.

Buy a cheap Nikon digital camera on sale in Australia

By Caroline Warnes

Priced at $299, the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FH3 offers great value for money as a compact digital camera.

Usually, you’d expect a camera in this price range to be light on features, but this isn’t the case with the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FH3. It boasts 14.1-megapixel resolution and a 28mm wide-angle lens with 5x optical zoom plus image stabilisation. This adds up to image quality that is above average for the price, especially when producing pictures for the web. Image quality does tend to deteriorate it higher ISOs, but this is to be expected for a sub-$300 camera.

Panasonic has also equipped the DMC-FH3 with a decent range of shooting modes, including Intelligent Auto and Sonic Speed AF (for fast-moving action). Throw in HD movie recording (though admittedly at 720p, it’s not Full HD) and you have a very decent package for the price.

Buy a cheap Panasonic digital camera on sale in Australia

By Caroline Warnes

The new Nikon Coolpix S6000 is a stylish compact zoom camera, both in terms of looks and performance.

Despite being such a slim camera, the S6000 sports an outstanding wide-angle 28mm lens with 7x optical zoom, complete with an aperture range of f/3.7-5.6 and 14.2-megapixel CCD sensor. It produces excellent images in most scenarios and handles colours exceptionally well.

It’s a fairly speedy camera when it comes to starting up and between shots, but there is a little performance lag when it comes to continuous shooting mode. There is also a small amount of noticeable shutter lag.

Nikon has equipped the Coolpix S6000 with a decent array of features, including 720p HD video recording and an HDMI output for connecting the camera straight to a TV or monitor. You’ll also find the standard shooting modes, plus a range of colour modes.

The Nikon Coolpix S6000 is available now with an RRP of $399.

Buy a cheap Nikon digital camera on sale in Australia

By Caroline Warnes

Digital SLR (dSLR) cameras are generally used by more advanced or professional users. This buyers guide can help you decide whether you should buy one.

Digital SLR or compact camera?

Digital SLR (from now on I’ll refer to it as dSLR) stands for Digital Single Lens Reflex. They are generally not a beginner’s camera, given the range of manual controls (particularly exposure flexibility) and also the fact that most dSLR cameras are somewhat bulkier than compact cameras (the upside is that they generally produce better quality images). If you want a basic camera that you can lug around with you on holidays and take snapshots with, then you need a digital compact camera.

While dSLR cameras do tend to be more expensive than compact cameras, these days the top end of the compact heap is gradually meeting the bottom end of the digital SLR heap. This is also true in terms of features. The most advanced compact cameras often have a host of manual controls – these high-end compacts are known as compact prosumer cameras.

dSLR sensors

When looking for a new dSLR camera, one of the key terms you’ll come across is sensor. The larger the sensor, the more light it can capture and the more information it can send to the camera’s processor. This results in a better quality image, particularly for shots taken in very bright or very dim lighting.

Because dSLR cameras have larger sensors than digital compacts, you can’t compare resolution between the two. That is, a 10-megapixel dSLR will generally still produce superior images to a 10-megapixel compact. dSLR cameras with the lowest sensor resolution still product great images for print, however if you’re planning on producing prints of landscapes or other detailed work you should consider looking at higher resolutions.

There are two types of digital SLR sensor: CCD and CMOS. While there are differences between the two technologies, the key is really in how each manufacturer uses them, so there is no one answer as to which one is better.

dSLR lenses

There are three main typres of lenses for dSLRs: wide angle, standard and telephoto. As the name suggests, wide angle lenses (generally 28mm and under) are best for anything where you want to capture a lot of landscape horizontally. Standard (up to 85mm) are best for general photography and portraits, while telephoto (up to 300mm) are good for wildlife, sports and so on. Macro lenses are fairly specialised and are best for shooting close-up detail, for example on flowers.

Digital SLR cameras are sold either as standalone, body-only kits or with lenses from the same manufacturer included. If you plan on using lenses from a different manufacturer with your new dSLR, do your research first as not all lenses are compatible with all makes of camera.

Best digital SLR cameras

Popular dSLR models include the Nikon D90 (pictured here) and the Canon EOS series. Sony Alpha models are popular with first-time dSLR buyers.

Buy a cheap digital SLR (dSLR) camera on sale

Guide originally published June 4, 2009; updated May 27, 2010.

By Caroline Warnes

The Nikon Coolpix S4000 is a sub-$300 digital camera, and as such you shouldn’t expect miracles from it.

Although it looks like it could be an expensive camera - thanks to the glossy finshes, sleek form factor and 3-inch touchscreen - the S4000’s performance could only be described as average at best. For starters, it’s somewhat slow, both to start up and in continuous shooting mode. Image quality is only so-so, even at low ISO levels. You’ll definitely notice issue with image sharpness and colours.

And then there is the touchscreen itself, which has usability issues of its own. It can be somewhat difficult to use at times, though on the plus side, the navigation itself is fairly intuitive.

On the positive side, the S4000 features a 27mm wide-angle lens with 4x optical zoom and a 12-megapixel CCD sensor. If you’re looking for a camera that’s cheap and cheerful and are willing to overlook some performance issues, this may be enough for you.

The Nikon Coolpix S4000 is available in Australia for $299.

Buy a cheap Nikon digital camera on sale in Australia

By Caroline Warnes

The PowerShot SX210 IS is Canon’s most compact superzoom camera to date, offering some powerful features in a slim and stylish body.

While it’s slightly larger than the IXUS range of compact digital cameras, the Canon PowerShot SX210 IS is also significantly more powerful and versatile, thanks to the 14-megapixel resolution and 28mm-equivalent wide-angle lens with 14x zoom. What all that means is that you can get closer to whatever you’re shooting without needing a large professional lens - much better if portability is an issue.

And then there is the versatility factor. If you need the PowerShot SX210 IS to function as a fully automatic point-and-shoot camera, it can do that in the camera’s smart auto mode. But if you want full manual control, there is plenty of options for you, too - including control of shutter speed, apertures and focus. You can also set sharpness and contrast, as well as colour saturation and flash strength.

Image quality is very, very good - particularly when you consider the sub-$600 price tag. The main performance issue for this camera is speed. If you’re planning on shooting a lot of fast-paced action such as sports, you’ll probably want to look elsewhere.

Rounding out the package is high-definition (HD) movie recording at 1280×720 resolution. Even better, Canon has equipped the PowerShot SX210 IS with a mini-HDMI port, so you can connect it straight to a high-def TV to play back your footage.

The Canon PowerShot SX210 IS is available in Australia with an RRP of $599.

Buy a cheap Canon digital camera on sale in Australia

By Caroline Warnes

The new Olympus E-PL1 offers good value as a sub-$1000 Micro Four Thirds digital camera.

For $999, the Olympus E-PL1 attempts to offer the handling of a compact digital camera with the image quality and lens interchangeability of an SLR. This is thanks to the 4/3 LiveMOS image sensor chip, a specification that the Micro Four Thirds system shares with the Four Thirds system. The main difference between Micro Four Thirds (used exclusively by Olympus and Panasonic) and Four Thirds is the more compact size of the former.

Micro Four Thirds cameras are generally lighter than dSLR cameras but heavier and bulkier than your standard compact digital camera, and the E-PL1 is no exception. It weighs in at just under 350g when no lenses are attached. The camera is available in a variety of lens configurations, the most basic of which is a 14-42mm lens.

The good news is that the Olympus E-PL1’s image quality is excellent - definitely on a par with what you’d expect from a more expensive dSLR camera. The bad news is that performance is on the slow side, so if you’re planning on doing a lot of continuous or burst shooting, you will encounter issues.

Other specifications are fairly standard for any digital camera around the $1000 mark - there’s a 2.7-inch 230,000-dot LCD and HD video recording at 720p. Another nice feature is the flash, which can be popped up by pressing a slider underneath.

Buy a cheap Olympus digital camera in Australia

By Caroline Warnes