Nikon, one of the top DSLR camera makers, is quickly emerging as a serious challenger among leading compact camera manufacturers. The S (S for Style) series of ultra compact cameras is evolving quickly and currently the S560 is the camera with highest zoom range. The camera has 5x zoom lens, which has enough reach to help capture the natural expressions of kids. Equipped with the latest EXPEED image processor, this camera produces images that are relatively noise free even at higher ISOs. Consequently you get more blur-free shots of your kids and pets. The performance too has improved over its predecessors.

Other useful features are:

• Smile Mode, which automatically takes a picture when the person in focus smiles.
• In-Camera Red-Eye Fix, which will automatically look for and fix most instances of red eye.
• Face Priority AF is Nikon’s face-finding technology that quickly finds and focuses on up to five faces in a group portrait.
• Blink warning will let you know when your subject’s eyes are closed so you can retake your picture.

For the last few years, the Fuji F series of cameras, equipped with super CCD sensors, have become synonymous with good image quality in low light. This camera is one of the latest additions to this series. It packs a high resolution 7th generation super CCD sensor and a 3x zoom lens in a sturdy body.

Equipped with high quality optics and improved processing, it produces images with minimal noise; however, at high ISOs the images contain unpleasant looking noise reduction artifacts (akin to a water color painting).

The Fuji F60fd offers many features that are useful for low light shooting:

• Dual-stabilization mode To freeze moving subjects it automatically raises the ISO setting. It also uses mechanical image stabilization to mitigate the effects of camera shake.
• i-flash It tries to strike a balance between flash output and high ISO that results in a good image with natural tones and without a “washed-out”; effect.
• Dual shot mode It quickly shoots two images in rapid succession – one with the flash and one without – and saves both.
• Face detection 3.0, featuring Automatic Red Eye Removal The camera is able to identify faces at much more extreme camera angles than before and correcting focus, exposure, and white balance automatically. It removes red-eye too.

The images retain corner-to-corner sharpness throughout the zoom range and image quality is good with rich colors and lots of detail. The Fuji F60fd is snappy performer too.

The camera also has useful Aperture/Shutter Priority modes for more experienced users.

This is the best value for money pick from Canon’s highly successful SD series of ultra compact cameras. It has an optical viewfinder, which is a great feature for keeping track of fast moving kids and pets.

Other useful features are:

• Face detection Adjusts exposure based on faces in the scene and removes red-eye automatically.
• Motion detection technology Combining inputs from its Face Detection Technology, the optical Image Stabilizer, changes in scene brightness and changes from frame to frame, it raises ISO to freeze action.

Camera’s acclaimed DIGIC III processor tries to control noise at higher ISOs in low light situations, resulting in images that are grainy but highly detailed. However the noise is overwhelming at ISO1600.

Panasonic cameras are renowned to have relatively better performance (shutter response and focus speed). This is one of the two cameras in the recently launched FS series (easy to use, affordable and stylish). The camera is equipped with a 4x zoom lens and is a snappy performer. The latest image-processing Venus Engine IV produces minimal color bleeding, which was an issue with earlier models. However noise reduction is still a bit too high at higher ISOs, which turns the areas of fine details into a colorful mush a bit more than many of its rivals.

The camera is equipped with useful features like: Intelligent ISO – in this mode the camera can determine if the photo subject is moving and change the ISO setting and shutter speed accordingly, thus giving a blur-free photo.

Face Detection – Detecting up to 15 faces, Panasonic’s Face Detection can even track a face if the subject is moving.

.”Quick AF – The Quick AF (auto focus) system starts focus on the subject by just pointing the camera to the subject, thus minimizing the AF time.