When it comes to camera manufacturers, it seems that experience counts.  Canon and Nikon dominated the field in 35mm SLR cameras for decades and, not that the digital dust is settling, they continue to make the top-rated digital cameras.  They both figure strongly in list after list of the best cameras recommended by experts to buy, whether you’re talking about top professional gear or compact digital’s for the weekend photographer.

Canon leads the pack with its EOS 5D Mark II.  This is serious camera for the serious photographer.  It gives excellent picture quality when teamed with the right lens and a comfortable and hassle-free shooting experience.  It’s a worthy successor to Canon’s venerable 5D.

Nikon’s D7000 is also pretty close to the top drawer of digital cameras.  It’s an excellent DSLR for experienced photographers who will find that it delivers perfect shots and extremely ergonomic operation.  The viewfinder here is particularly excellent.  The Canon 5D Mark II probably has a slight edge on it, but it is also considerably more expensive.

For the professional or serious amateur, it’s hard to go past both of these cameras.  Serious shooters tend to be either Nikon or Canon fans and their familiarity with one or the other brand will probably be the deciding factor in their choice here (apart from the price).  But what about the other end of the market?  What are the top rated digital cameras for lesser mortals?  Once again, Canon and Nikon have pretty much got it sewn up.

Canon’s PowerShot S95 is a real gem among compact cameras.  It’s well designed and relatively compact and takes great photographs.  Despite its compact profile, this is a serious camera which is capable of great results, particularly when the shooter takes advantage of the full set of manual controls.  That’s the reason it won the hearts of a lot of professional photographers when it was released.  It’s a great second camera for the professional and a real step-up in quality for amateurs who have used less advanced compacts.

Nikon’s Coolpix S8100 is the company’s best entry in the compact field.  It’s around a hundred bucks cheaper than the PowerShot but packs enough features to make it good value for money.  Nikon learnt the lesson of the earlier S8000, which was a little on the mediocre side, to produce this new model which takes great shots and is easy and comfortable to use.  It’s only drawback is a lack of manual control, but most people buying at this price range are not going to be concerned about that.

Olympus is another manufacturer with a long tradition and just slips into this list with its E-PL2.  This is a little pricier than either the Nikon Coolpix or the Canon PowerShot, but it’s high performance and advanced features justify the price in most areas.  Flexibility is the name of the game here, with its customisable interface and interchangeable lens system.

There are other cameras which are good value for money, but these five really stand out from the crowd.

The digital camera market has been fiercely competitive over the past few years.  Manufacturers have been adding features to attract customers and dropping features to keep prices low.  The range of cameras now available is huge and bewildering and the choice for consumers is more difficult than ever.

Digital cameras are all about compromise.  Buying one is a matter of making the best choice between the features available and the money you want to spend.  Sony have long led the pack with their Cybershot cameras which provide a huge range of features at a pretty broad range of prices.  Sony do well in positioning digital cameras in the market right at the point where features and price add up to a good buy and they’ve done this again with the Cybershot DSC-W350.

The DSC-W350 packs a pretty good range of features in an attractive and compact package at the magical price of $200.

This camera is lightweight and small enough to carry in most pockets, but feels robust and solidly built.  Despite its size, it is textured enough to feel secure in the hand without the feeling most cameras this size that you’ll drop them if you’re not careful.  It uses SD and SDHC cards for memory and these fit into the same hinged compartment which houses the battery.  The controls are simple and easy to use.  The power and shutter release buttons are on the top.  On the back, to the right of the display are a zoom rocker and a circular control pad as well as the playback, menu and delete buttons and these work together to navigate the on-screen.  The menu system is logical and easy to navigate.

It’s this simplicity that puts the W350 ahead of the pack.  This aimed at ordinary people who want a camera which can be used anywhere and everywhere and this Sony Cybershot certainly qualifies for that.  It’s not meant for the serious photographer but does offer an unusual range of manual control for this price range.  It’s simple to adjust ISO, light metering and exposure as well as white balance, autofocus targets and the Dynamic Range Optimisation system which lifts detail in shadows.  But if you want to make photography an even simpler process, there’s an Easy Mode which lets you take perfect point and click pictures under a wide variety of conditions.

The DSC-W350 takes surprisingly good photographs for a camera in this price range.  This is partly thanks to the very good Zeiss wide angle lens.  It has a 4x zoom which works well, with no distortion.  It also features optical and digital image stabilisation which functions very well for shake-free photographs.

This is an excellent camera for the ninety per cent of photographers who simply want to record events and share them with friends or family.  If you’re looking for a serious camera for art or professional work, you’ll want to look elsewhere, but as far as value for money goes it’s very hard to go past the Sony Cybershot DSC-W350.