Picture perfect for the holidays: Best camera gifts

Digital Cameras are always a popular gift for the holidays, but there's hundreds of different brands to choose from and the prices range from a hundred dollars to a thousand dollars. So how do you know how much to spend to get the best pictures? CNET Tech Editor Brian Cooley shares his top suggestions:

What to look for when buying a digital camera
The best digital camera is the one you have with you, so make sure whatever camera you buy it is small and light enough that you'll actually carry it (this doesn't apply if you're a real photo buff — they tend to enjoy carrying the most and heaviest gear!). Look for good battery life because most digital cameras use a special battery you can't just replace with AA's — you have to charge it.  Not all cameras of a given megapixel resolution are created equal — some take better photos than others, so rely on expert reviews that formally evaluate the quality of the images. 

Don't get too caught up on having lots of zoom — it tends to make a camera bulkier and good casual photographers know its always better to zoom with your feet.  Finally, check reviews of the camera to make sure it has good low-light capability.  That will allow you to shoot more often with the flash turned off, giving you much more pleasing photos of people in most instances and much better battery life.

Best lightweight, ultra compact camera
Sony DSC T2: It has 4GB of built-in memory, which is remarkable,  You will probably never need a memory card for this camera, it has plenty of storage built right in.   This is also one of the most pocketable cameras out there, so you're likely to carry it.  And its face and smile detection are clever attempts at curing the "bad expression" problem in your pictures — though with digital cameras you can always take another shot without wasting film to see your results instantly. $334.00-$349.99, Bestbuy.com

Best medium-priced camera for fast-moving targets
Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ3-K: This camera has a monster 10x optical zoom lens  and a generous 28mm  wide angle setting, so it will bail you out for any shot from a sports photo from mid-stands to an interior shot in a typical room. 

It also has very little lag time when you press the shutter button and gets ready to take the next photo very quickly.  Combine that with an excellent Leica lens and this camera is a solid choice for a compact digital camera that moves beyond the basics. $239.00-$299.99, amazon.com or circuitcity.com

Best camera for hard-core shutterbugs (high-end)
Nikon D80: A great D-SLR  from a name you can hardly go wrong with.  The D80 has excellent color and very little noise and artifacts in its pictures.  These are core values for a high end camera like this.  Of course, it has almost every option and menu feature you can image and takes pictures very quickly making it great for fleeting sports, nature or candid shots.  Its 10-megapixel resolution is ample for any amateur photo purpose. $779.95-$999.99, Bestbuy.com

Best camera for first timers or casual snapshooters
Canon PowerShot A570: This is my go-to camera for any first timer.  Canon is arguably the best overall line of digital consumer cameras in the world and this is one of the most affordable.  It does everything fairly well and nothing badly.  Plus it uses standard AA batteries, so you never have to stop and charge — just pop in a fresh set of batteries.  As low as $155 retail, what are you reading this for — go buy one! $142.95-$251.99, circuitcity.com

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