A smart alec once quoted, “If you pay peanuts, you get monkeys”.  So, arguably, when you are going in for digital cameras that cost under Rs 10,000, you might not be able to click award-winning shots. Yet, with some fairly well-built piece of equipment and some deft tricks, you can capture shots that win you praises and make your holidays memories unforgettable.

More often than not, with a budget of Rs 10,000, you are looking at a camera to upgrade an old hobby camera or replace a damaged or lost expensive one. Most of the cameras in the Rs 5,000 to Rs 10,000 price bracket are easy to operate and compact. They will offer 5 to 10-megapixel resolution and 3x-5x optical zoom.

The feature list for such camera will, most likely, include built-in flash, auto flash, red-eye reduction, self-timer, macro mode, various scene modes, automatic exposure and controls and video recording with audio. The images generally have good clarity when printed on standard size papers.

We have compiled a list of 10 recently released cameras, which are certainly better than your average point-and-shoot, but might just fall short when compared to high-end equipment.

Sony W190 Rs 9,900

One of the recent launches, the slim CyberShot Sony offers good picture quality and is easy to use making it ideal for the first-timers. Available in silver, black and red, this digital camera includes a simple slide switch to select photo, movie or playback modes.

In addition to its resolution of 12.1-megapixel and 3x optical zoom lens, the camera also has a choice of seven scene selection modes. It has a 2.7-inch LCD screen, face detection that recognizes up to 8 faces in a scene, and a smile shutter. It comes with a three-year warranty Sony India.

Olympus FE-5010 Rs 9,750

Touted as a great point-and-shoot, this basic compact Olympus features 12-megapixel resolution, 5X optical zoom (36mm to 180mm) and a 2.7-inch LCD.

The features included are: four basic modes—Program, Auto, iAuto, Scene and Movie, 14 scene presets, dual image stabilization and automatic shadow adjustment which help you frame crisp, well-exposed shots.

The perfect fix feature allows the photographer to correct red-eye, while face detection technology recognizes a face and fires off three shots when the subject smiles to increase the odds of capturing the expression at its peak.

Fuji FinePix F60fd Rs 9,990

The new addition to high-tech, high-quality F-series cameras, FinePix F60fd features a larger 3-inch LCD, face detection 3.0 and a proprietary, scene recognition technology. It comes with 12-megapixel sensor and a Fujinon 3x zoom.

Aimed at the hobby clickers with creative bent, this compact offers full photographic control as well. This camera is also equipped with face detection 3.0 technology, which recognizing faces at more extreme angles and can detect up to 10 faces in a scene, dual image stabilization and Portrait Enhancer features.

Nikon S52 Rs 9,995

A super compact digital, it comes in a stylish all-metal design. It offers 9-megapixel resolution and a 3x zoom lens. Available in crimson red and midnight black, the camera offers good snapshots in dim light but doesn’t allow much manual control. There are a couple of scene modes and other important features like face-priority that detects up to five faces in a scene, D-lighting and in-camera red-eye fix and Pictmotion function that allows movies and photos to be used to create in-camera slide shows. It has an optical vibration reduction and a one-touch portrait button to help click better pictures.  

Sony W180 Rs 8,900   

Recently launched in stores along with its more expensive cousin W 190, this slim camera comes in a choice of silver, black or red colour finish options. Ideal for amateur photographers, the camera offers a choice of seven scene selection modes, 10-megapixel sensor and 3x optical zoom lens. While the LCD is a 2.7-inch Clear Photo, its face detection recognizes up to 8 faces in a scene. Smile shutter automatically takes a picture when your subject smiles and SteadyShot image stabilization reduces the effects of camera shake. 

Nikon S220 Rs 8,995

Latest point and shoot offering the Cool Pix series, S220 comes with a 3x optical Zoom-Nikkor lens and 10.0-megapixel resolution. It has a 2.5-inch high-resolution LCD and features like smart portrait system, red-eye fix and face priority AE. It comes with a two-year warranty Nikon and like rest of its ilk has a Smile Mode too.

Olympus FE-3010 Rs 8,499

Available in plum, navy blue and black, the super-slim FE-3010 features 12-megapixel resolution and includes features like intelligent auto, dual image stabilization, Advanced Face Detection, In-Camera Help Guides, VGA Movie Recording with Sound and an LCD backlight boost to view images in bright light.

It has an 2.7-inch LCD and comes with a two-year warranty Olympus India.

Nikon L20 Rs 7,750

A point-and-shoot snapper, the L20 has 10-megapixel resolution and a 3.6x optical Zoom-Nikkor lens. Amongst its best selling features are smart portrait system, red-eye fix and face priority. Light-weight and compact, the camera comes with a 2x Anti Blur and has a 3-inch LCD. Despite being hailed as a camera for novice, it is capable of capturing stunning photos full of sharpness and clarity thanks to its high ISO 1600.

Sony S930 Rs 7,900

Easy-to-use S930 is a 10-megapixel camera with 3x zoom. Available in silver, black and pink colour options, the CyberShot includes features like face detection and SteadyShot image stabilization for clearer pictures in any situation. In addition, it has features like red-eye correction and image management to sort through photos in calendar view or album view. It has a 2.4-inch LCD and its PhotoMusic feature offers an HD slideshow mode with transitions and music for viewing on the camera or television. It can geotag data to pictures as well.   

Panasonic FS4 Rs 6,750

An entry range camera Panasonic stable, FS4 is a 8-megapixel snapper with 4x optical zoom lens. It has a 2.5-inch LCD and comes with a 3-year warranty Panasonic. Its Lithium-ion battery has surprisingly long battery life. Unlike other camera models in this price range, it doesn’t come with a bevy of features but includes standard ones like auto scene mode and photo frame mode. But at this awesome price, it is definitely a steal.

So choose wisely depending upon your preferences and happy clicking.