Once again here is our annual survey of digital cameras for sale in the Vancouver area, something we’ve been doing in this space since 2002, and, in a slightly simpler form, going all the way back to 1996.

On average, prices this year are a little higher than they were a year ago for models still in production today, primarily due to the decline in the Canadian dollar.

In the late 1990s digital cameras were still a relative rarity. My school received an early model from Epson, a company no longer in the digicam business. That camera still sits in my classroom, a small reminder of how far the field has come. “Where is the screen?” students ask upon seeing the Epson unit. I have to explain that the screen was a $300 add-on that was rarely used because it drained the camera batteries after just a few shots.

As people return to an interest in photography through their experience with today’s sophisticated smartphones, they are tending to migrate to advanced digital cameras, bypassing the point-and-shoot models that previously dominated the market.

High-end smartphone camera functionality, such as that in the Samsung S8 line, the recent Apple iPhone models, and the LG V series is generally regarded as outstanding. However there remains solid, albeit declining, demand for standalone digicams, be they of the point-and-shoot, mirrorless interchangeable lens camera (MILC), or digital single-lens reflex (SLR) variety. Of course today’s digicams represent much better value, and functionality, than did that nearly $1,000 sub-megapixel Epson camera from 1997.

To serve that demand we once again have our dedicated single-page website, http://vandigicams.ca, ready for you. As this column is written, the site contains information on more than 150 digital cameras, with additional listings being added each day through Jan. 6.

Cameras on the site are primarily those advertised in print flyers delivered across the Lower Mainland, and hence units most likely to be on sale below manufacturers’ suggested list prices. Additional entries come from retailer web sites and from advertising in Vancouver’s major daily newspapers.

Prices on the site, rounded to the nearest $5 increment, are the lowest found in the November-December survey period. Quite often the lowest prices tend to occur mid-November. If you decide to buy a unit on the list, you may be able to convince the salesperson to roll the price back to the earlier low point if it has risen in the interim.

Individual cameras in the survey are allocated a single line on the vandigicams.ca site. Each listing is hyperlinked to the corresponding manufacturer’s website for that camera’s full specifications. Along with the camera sensor megapixel rating, there is an optical zoom value, an overview of around half a dozen features, and “street” pricing from up to three local retailers.

Dominating this year’s survey is the 24 megapixel sensor class, representing around a third of the cameras, followed closely by the slightly lower resolution 20 megapixel units. These two classes together account for two-thirds of all the cameras in the survey. The once dominant 16 class has dropped to third place. The remaining 20 per cent so of the survey is fragmented across classes spanning from 12 all the way up to a staggering 100 megapixels.

As in years past, the survey identifies several cameras as best buys, the optimum combination of features and price within a given class. Digital camera models tend to have a short shelf life. When considering buying a camera, do check out the manufacturer’s web site (they are all listed at the bottom of the survey site) to be sure that the model remains current.

Want an inexpensive point-and-shoot digital camera? A Sony W800  with a 2.7” screen and basic 720 HD video recording is offered at Best Buy for $120 (up from $90 when this model appeared in 2015). A starter DSLR camera such as Canon’s Rebel SL1 with a basic kit lens can be picked up for $450 from Staples. At the other extreme you’ll find models from historic Swedish manufacturer Haselblad approaching $45,000!

Looking for a rugged camera? The Olympus TG line (shockproof, freezeproof, waterproof, dustproof, and crushproof) remains popular. Olympus offers two TG units and Nikon has its W300 model. Fuji, Panasonic, and Ricoh also offer ruggedized units. Prices range from $170 up to $600.

As for a solid general purpose camera, how about something like the Nikon P900 with an incredible 83x zoom lens. Priced in the $770 range (up 10 per cent from last year), this unit takes fine outdoor shots and perfectly acceptable indoor ones as well, something often lacking in lower-cost units.

Want a DSLR package with two lenses, say a basic three times zoom, and a telephoto? Canon and Nikon have several such packages. Consider for example the Nikon D3400 package with 18-55 and 55-200 mm lenses priced at $700.

If you are just starting out with a DSLR, consider buying an inexpensive 50 mm f1.8 portrait lens. Such a lens does wonders in low-light situations, even with a modestly priced camera. With this combination, a beginner photographer can start taking decent indoor portrait shots for a price that is not too challenging.

Do check out this year’s survey list. http://vandigicams.ca. You’ll find cameras at every price point, from just over $100, all the way up to that multi-thousand dollar Haselblad. In between you’ll find cameras equipped with Wi-Fi, GPS, and OLED touch screens and numerous other features.

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The digital camera site vandigicams.ca offers information on more than 150 current cameras as rated by B.C. Catholic columnist Peter Vogel.