Top Digital Camera Splurges for the Holidays

Sony NEX-7

We were just smitten with the Sony NEX-7 this year. It boasts an absurd 24 megapixel sensor, a gorgeous 2359k-dot OLED viewfinder, three control dials and 1080 HD video. We could go on, or you could just head over to our Sony NEX-7 Preview and see why it should be under your Christmas tree this year.

Read the Sony NEX-7 First Look

Nikon D7000

The Nikon D7000 impressed us in almost every way. It offers some of the best high ISO performance in its class with a 16.2 megapixel sensor. You'll also find a 39-point AF system and a new 2016 pixel RGB 3D matrix metering system under the hood. Get it body-only or packaged with a nice 18-105mm VR kit lens.

Read the Nikon D7000 Review

Canon PowerShot G12

What's left to say about the Canon PowerShot G12? If you want a point-and-shoot with all of the bells and whistles and compact size isn't a primary concern, look no further. It continues to offer a 10 megapixel sensor with impressive low-light performance, 720p HD video and a 5x optical zoom lens.

Read the Canon PowerShot G12 Review

Olympus E-P3

The E-P3 is the third generation Digital Pen camera from Olympus. Our biggest gripe with previous Pen cameras has been slow AF. Olympus reps stressed the improvements of the E-P3's system and we weren't let down. It's also equipped with in-body image stabilization, a 3.0-inch OLED touch display and a new 12.3 megapixel CMOS sensor.

Read the Olympus E-P3 Review

Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS10

The Panasonic ZS10 is the Swiss Army Knife of cameras. It packs 1080 HD video, a 16x optical zoom lens, on-board GPS and a 14 megapixel CMOS sensor. The control freak will like its full manual shooting mode, and beginners will be able to shoot effortlessly with full automatic modes. All of this and it still fits in a coat pocket or small purse without weighing you down.

Read the Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS10 Review