Gift Ideas for Christmas III

Nikon CoolPix P6000, $500 The Nikon CoolPix P6000 boasts smart exposure controls and has numerous options for RAW and JPEG image capture. RAW photo files contain more data than the JPEG version of the same shot, so the image can be more thoroughly fine-tuned with photo editing software before printing it or posting it online. The camera shoots at 13.5 megapixels and has a built-in flash as well as a hot shoe, the plate with metal contacts where an external flash can be attached. Pros: Very intuitive button and menu controls make the P6000 easy to navigate. The internal GPS is great for geo-tagging your photos so you'll always know where you took a shot. The images in shutter-priority mode produced the best results, displaying tack-sharp details while retaining a nice depth-of-field. Cons: The built-in flash has to pop up from its housing. When it does, it's hard to find a place for your left hand while holding the camera. Also, the optical viewfinder distorts the scene so much that it renders the feature pointless.