Many lawyers, including myself, want high image quality and a lot of flexibility from a camera that we can fit in a briefcase or a large pocket without having to lug a camera that’s heavy, bulky and intrusive. This month, I discuss the two other principal types of digital cameras, including a few models that combine high quality and flexibility in a conveniently small package.

Compact cameras: This popular group includes the broadest range of mostly consumer cameras, including a number of cameras with excellent optical and image quality under good lighting conditions. There are scores of models, but only a few that I can recommend from personal experience as providing optimum image quality relative to other models in this category. Compact cameras are highly portable, typically easy to use and are often capable of taking both high grade still images and high quality video. As a result, top end compact cameras can be particularly useful for a law office. Due to their moving mirror design, digital SLR cameras are precluded from taking video, the major drawback of a dSLR style camera in my opinion, aside from their bulk and higher cost. Compact cameras will typically fit in a coat pocket, briefcase or large purse. Higher end compact cameras often have very good image quality under daylight conditions but lose out to large sensor dSLR cameras under dim light or when a burst of photos must be taken in a very short time. If feasible, get a camera that includes built in optical image stabilization, which shifts the lens or sensor to minimize the blurring cause by camera shake when taking photographs at slow shutter speeds. Optical image stabilization is probably the single most useful innovation in the past several years.

I have found the following compact cameras to have image quality sufficient to make good-looking 20"x24" or larger exhibits and, in some cases, up to 24"x36" without objectionable degradation noticeable from the jury box. All of the compact cameras mentioned here make decent quality video files and all have both reliable automatic modes as well as substantial manual adjustment capabilities for the more experienced user. Image sensor sizes vary quite a bit among various compact camera models. Generally, it’s highly preferable to get a camera with a larger sensor whose size is expressed as 1/1.8", 1/1.7" or 1/1.6". These will provide discernibly better image quality compared to cameras using smaller, less expensive 1/2.5" sensors.

A. Canon G9 ($499)- this is the newest incarnation of Canon’s flagship G series and noticeably better than its 10MP G7 predecessor and became one of the most popular digital cameras overnight despite its rather high cost. The robustly built G9 includes an exceptionally sharp 6X zoom lens (equivalent to a 35mm slight wide angle to 210mm medium telephoto), 12MP 1/1.7" sensor, RAW file format capability with some unique and useful adaptive noise reduction options, very capable optical image stabilization, the same Canon DIGIC III image processor used in more expensive Canon’s dSLR cameras, and numerous other useful features. If quality in a compact form factor is paramount and price secondary, and if you are willing to later do some post-processing of RAW photo files with your computer, then this is the compact digital camera for you. The G9 still retains a viewfinder that you can correct for your eyesight, a real plus when shooting under some conditions, especially bright light or fast action. Personally, I still prefer to use an optical viewfinder rather than the small LCD screen on the back. The G9's construction quality is excellent, as it should be in a $500 compact camera. This is the best and most comprehensive compact camera that I have ever used. Stabilization works well and the lens is very sharp. It's nice to have RAW format capabilities available again in a compact camera, which is the main reason why I bought this camera. I use my G9 almost exclusively with Canon’s CR2 RAW format, which is recognized both by Canon’s own software, included when you purchase the G9, and also by Adobe Camera RAW 4.2 and Lightroom 1.2, although initially with only a beta calibration. Noise is something of an issue, though, at ISO 400 and higher sensitivities and under lighting conditions less optimum than bright outdoor sunshine. Overall, this mostly metal alloy camera is straightforward and pleasant to use, with generally excellent image quality. The Canon G9 handles very well and its overall sense and feel remind me of a classic 35mm Leica. There are very few semi-pro grade compact cameras remaining on the market with a RAW file capability and the G9 is probably the best such camera, although my older Fujifilm E900 produces image quality that's nearly as good once you know how to work around its quirks. The G9, in contrast, has no obvious quirks to work around and its image stabilization really helps in dim light situations. The G9 has both standard 640x480 and wide screen high resolution video modes and a very easy to use panoramic mode which I find very useful in real property and accident litigation.

B. Fujifilm E900 ( About $239 from Amazon.com) - this older 9MP camera is still available and has an excellent 1/1.6" sensor, retains an optical viewfinder, and includes a decent but not spectacular 32mm-128mm equivalent lens. As with the G9, the E900 has a RAW file format option and an optical viewfinder. Because of its sensor design, the E900 does better in dimmer light than many other compact digital cameras. Unlike most other compact digital cameras, the E900 can produce usable pictures at higher sensitivities like ISO 800. I have made fairly sharp 24"x36" enlargements from RAW files taken with my own E900 and my 13 year old step-daughter found this camera easy to use. Unlike most newer high end compact cameras, the E900 does not have any form of optical stabilization, which can be a drawback. This camera has its quirks and familiarization takes a little longer than with some other cameras, but I gradually warmed to mine and now use it quite a bit. Most of its quirks can be overcome by using it in the aperture priority (Av) mode and setting the lens to a medium lens aperture, say f 5.6, at which point the lens is quite sharp and aberrations are easily corrected after the fact in Photoshop. If you want to use RAW files and make big enlargements on a very tight budget, then this is may be the right camera for you. If you don’t need an optical viewfinder or RAW file format capabilities, then consider Fujifilm’s F30 or F50 compact cameras. These both have a very good reputation, especially at higher ISO sensitivities because of their relatively large 1/1.6" or 1/1/7" sensors.

C. Panasonic Lumix LX2 ($400) - This wide screen 10MP camera has a decent RAW format and a very good quality Leica lens but it’s undone by its very noisy sensor, which limits the size of enlargements, and by its lack of an optical viewfinder, which results in difficulty when photographing in bright sunlight.. However, the LX2 does have excellent optical stabilization, a fairly wide field of view at the wide angle end of its zoom range, and very good construction. Overall, though, the noisy sensor was a deal-breaker for me as it has been for other serious photographers. The LX2 has both standard 640x480 and wide screen high resolution video modes. Some other Panasonic pocket cameras are also worth considering, especially the new TZ3, an optically stabilized pocket camera whose Leica lens can zoom from a 28 mm equivalent wide angle through a 280 mm equivalent long telephoto.

D. Canon A Series: (about $250 to $400) - The 2006 10MP A640 was widely praised as one of the best compact cameras on the market in terms of image quality but I found that side by side test photos taken with the A640 were noticeably inferior to those taken with my 8MP Kodak P880 or my 9MP Fuji E900. Although the A640 has a decent optical viewfinder and a really useful fold-out LCD screen, it has neither a RAW file format option nor optical image stabilization. The A640 is being discounted because it is at the end of its product life, but I would avoid the A640 even at close-out prices.

On the other hand, the new Canon A650, which retails for about $350 at the present, is excellent by all accounts and is probably the best current value in a high end compact camera. The A650 is the late 2007 replacement for the A640 and uses the same basic plastic body, layout, optical viewfinder and fold-out LCD screen as the A640. However, the A650 now includes optical image stabilization as well as the same excellent 6X zoom lens, 12MP 1/1.7" sensor and DIGIC III image processor used in the Canon G9. Overall, the A650 should be a very adequate camera unless you really want a RAW file format option and the somewhat better metal construction quality of the G9. A few glitches were reported in early production models but these should be resolved by firmware upgrades in the near future. Still, I recommend spending the extra $100 for a G9, which is exactly what I did.

Other excellent bargains in the Canon A series are the 8 MP A720IS, which retails for about $250, uses a smaller 1/2.5" sensor and includes a decent 35 - 210 mm equivalent lens and optical image stabilization. The A720IS has a reputation for taking sharp pictures despite its small sensor. If you are on a really tight budget, then the Canon A570IS may be your best choice. It includes a decent 4X zoom lens, optical image stabilization and some manual control features, all for about $175. Construction quality isn’t great, but what do you expect for $175? Overall, Canon has the best range of cameras in the mid-size compact camera category.

E. Nikon and Olympus compact cameras; - With the exception of the excellent Nikon P5000/P5100 series, Nikon and Olympus non-SLR compact cameras generally have undistinguished reputations for image quality and can be safely avoided in favor of Canon’s broad range of good quality compact models, which is generally superior to most other manufacturers’ at the same price points.. I have not personally tried the 10MP P5000 ($350), but published third party resolution and low-ISO sensor noise tests suggest that the P5000's image quality is quite good. The Nikon P5000 only shoots JPEG files and does not have a RAW file mode although it does have optical image stabilization. The P5100 ($400) is a more recent 12MP version that is an evolutionary product. The Nikon P5000/P5100 is roughly equivalent to the Canon A640/A650 series. If you really don’t care about RAW file options, then the P5100 might be a good alternative to the Canon G9 or A650. Lower level Nikon compact consumer cameras are generally undistinguished. I’d still buy the A650.

F. Kodak’s C875 8 MP camera includes an excellent 5X Schneider zoom lens (37-185mm equivalent), a wealth of manual controls, and a very good quality 1/1.8 sensor. The C875 does not include a RAW format, optical image stabilization or an optical viewfinder. Despite that, I’ve made quite adequate 20"x24" exhibits from photos taken with the C875. Construction is surprisingly robust, with the camera made mostly from high grade metal alloys. At this time, the C875 is frequently sold for about $128 as a factory-refurbished unit that comes with a Kodak one year new camera warranty. Otter Creek Trading Company, www.ottercreektrading.com,is the least expensive outlet for the C875.Overall, the C875 and the Canon A570 are probably the best values around in a quality camera. You will need to download and install the firmware upgrade available on Kodak’s web site, www.kodak.com. The C875 is also a great vacation camera or camera for your kids. It can produce high quality prints, is very easy to use in auto mode while providing more advanced optional capabilities for you to grow into, and is sufficiently inexpensive that, if lost or damaged, won’t be the end of the world as we know it.

G. Kodak P880: OK, this camera is something of a dinosaur - it’s been on the market for nearly two years, an eternity in the consumer electronics marketplace, and it does not include optical image stabilization, so you’ll need to hold very still or use a faster shutter speed. In fact, although Costco sold a gazillion of them last Christmas season and both Consumer Reports and Popular Photography listed the P880 as a best buy last year, that was last year and the P880 is now only available directly from Kodak as a refurbished camera for $299 with a new camera warranty. Despite those deficiencies and its relatively high $300 price as a factory-refurbished item, the 8 MP P880 remains one of the very nicest cameras that I have ever used in over 40 years of photography. It feels and performs just right, moderately compact and light but with excellent image quality and all of the controls of a digital SLR right at your fingertips. Its very high grade, manually controlled Schneider 24-140mm zoom lens is exceptionally sharp, image quality is crisp, color rendition and video mode are excellent, automatic modes are easy to use, and the P880's RAW format works with all major photo programs. Just today, while writing this article, I made a very sharp, highly detailed 24"x36" print for a photo show from a portion of a P880 8MP RAW file. The P880's highly useful 24 mm ultra wide angle capability is not found in any other currently available compact camera and only a few dSLR lenses, hence my continued inclusion of this camera in review articles. Construction quality is better than average. The only real drawbacks to the P880 are the lack of optical image stabilization, high noise at ISO 400 and above, and slow writing of RAW files to the memory card. If you buy a P880, be sure to download and install firmware upgrade 1.02 from www.kodak.com. The P880 is not the best overall bargain or value at this time, but it remains an excellent all-around high grade camera with a unique ultra wide angle lens capability and may just be the right camera for you.

H. Recommendations: I’d get either the Canon G9 or the Canon A650 among the more expensive cameras in this group and either the Fujifilm E900, Kodak C875 or the Canon A570IS if constrained to purchase a less expensive model.

Ultra-compact Cameras:

These barely make a bulge in a shirt pocket and are handy in a briefcase or in a purse. However, overall output quality is generally the poorest of any broad group of digital cameras, with a few excellent exceptions by Canon at the high end. As with notebook computers, smaller usually tends to equal more expensive and generally less capable. I relish compactness but not at the expense of overall image quality. However, if you have your heart set on a top end ultracompact camera and are willing to pay the $450 or so price, then I suggest that you consider Canon’s SD950, which uses the same 12MP sensor as Canon’s Powershot G9. The SD950 is expensive, typically in the $450 to $500 range, but has an excellent lens, larger high end sensor, and very good image quality, in fact much better than average for this group. If you don’t want to spend quite as much for an ultra-compact camera, the SD950's predecessor, the 10MP Canon SD900, is still on the market for about $100 less and also produces excellent photographs while Canon’s 8MP Powershot SD850 also retails for about $100 less while retaining optical image stabilization. Canon’s SD750 series retails for about $200 less while retaining optical image stabilization and receiving some nice reviews for image quality, good build construction, and ease of use. For an even lower purchase price, Kodak makes a fairly wide range of ultracompact V series cameras that have decent image quality at a price significantly lower than competitive models. For the best buy, get a factory refurbished model that includes the same one year warranty as new Kodak models. You can get the best price on factory refurbished models at www.ottercreektrading.com or at Kodak’s own refurbished camera web store listed as a menu choice at www.kodak.com. Sony’s recent higher end ultracompact cameras have received mixed user and professional reviews at best and, based upon user comments, appear lacking when it comes to making the big enlargements that you’ll want for your exhibits and they cost as much as the Canon SD850 and SD950, both of which produce sharper, better quality images.

Recommendation: Go with Canon in this product category, either the SD750, SD850 or the SD950, depending upon how much you’re willing to spend. Otherwise, you’ll likely be unhappy about image quality if you make any big enlargements for the courtroom.