The Fujifilm FinePix E900 Digital Camera has a 9-megapixel sensor and a 4x optical zoom lens with a variable focal length of 32mm to 128mm (35mm equivalent). It has a true wide-angle to moderate telephoto perspective. The 1/1.6-inch SuperCCD imaging chip supports a top ISO rating of 800. The FinePix E900 is a useful step-up from entry-level compacts. Digital Camera Info has a comprehensive review of this digital camera. For example: "The FinePix E900 is a very solid compact camera, with unusually high resolution, good color and image quality, good manual controls and a well-crafted interface. It's a sensible upgrade from standard compact cameras for users who want to use manual controls, either to learn how to use them, or because they want to actively shape their images. "Fuji's cameras typically deliver image quality at the top of their classes, but lag in other areas of technology -- Fuji super-zooms lack image stabilization, and Fuji DSLRs are slow and at the low end of resolution. The E900 is true to this pattern – great image quality, great control and really nothing extra. Get the E900 to shoot sharp, big files with good color, and you'll have to put up with a small LCD and do without manual focus. Well, for users concerned with image quality foremost, it's certainly worth it." Check out the latest price of this camera here.

The Sony Cybershot DSC-T5 is the newest of Sony’s ultra-slim digital cameras, and has a 5-megapixel sensor and 3x optical zoom lens. NFHQ has this review: "It is certainly an attractively designed camera, and at just 20.3mm thick and 139g including battery and card it is one of the skinniest and lightest cameras on the market. It can slip into a shirt pocket with barely a bulge, making it ideal for social occasions. Priced at around $279.00 - $350.00 online, or £279.99 in the High Street, it is competing with the likes of the Pentax Optio S5n, the Canon IXUS 55 and the Olympus FE-5500." Check out the latest price online.

Kodak EasyShare V570 digital camera is a conversation piece if nothing else. Its twin-lens spec is unusual and effective. DigitalCameraReview has a comprehensive review of this camera: "Many of my subjective thoughts regarding the look of the images can be overcome by some adjustments of the default settings (like the sharpness setting). The speed of camera operation was satisfactory, but not amazing, and battery life was very good. ... The ultra-wide angle lens is impressive and a great feature to have in a camera of this size. By including the fun panorama assist feature, Kodak has given the photographer a lot of flexibility for fun landscape or cityscape shots." Current price for this camera: $399.99. Check it out here.

The recent announcement by Nikon that it was withdrawing from the film camera business has been topped by today's announcement from Konica Minolta that it's transferring its assets to Sony and withdrawing altogether from camera production. Here's part of the press release: Konica Minolta Announces Withdrawal Plan for Camera Business and Photo Business (Konica Minolta News Release) Konica Minolta has long been a leading company in photo imaging business covering wide range of imaging from input to output. In addition, we have provided inspiring products and services by fusing our unique technologies. In camera business, we have expanded picture-taking opportunities by developing innovative technologies such as the world’s first autofocus cameras. In 1962, our camera, well-accepted for its high reliability, boarded on the US’s first manned spaceship “Friendship 7.” Also, ever since introduction of the world’s first body-integral autofocus SLR camera, Maxxum/Dynax series, in 1985, SLR cameras have become more popular among picture-takers, and we have succeeded in selling 16 million units of interchangeable lenses since then. However, in today’s era of digital cameras, where image sensor technologies such as CCD is indispensable, it became difficult to timely provide competitive products even with our top optical, mechanical and electronics technologies. Read the rest ...