One of the questions people ask me all the time is what digital camera they should get. Since new models come out all the time, it usually takes some time to research the best cameras at any point in time. So I decided to put together a list of the best and most popular digital cameras (point & shoot) for the second half of 2007 by comparing available information and data from Amazon, Flickr, eBay, Circuit City, dpreview, CNet, and more:

Canon Powershot SD850 IS Digital Camera

Price: $356.48 (Click to check current price)

This camera is a new model from the popular Canon Powershot / Digital Elph line. It’s an Amazon Bestseller (4.5/5 star rating), is one of the highest rated point-and-shoot cameras on Zdnet, dpreview, and Cnet. I’ve loved the Elph series since a friend of mine bought one in 2002 – the picture quality has always been really superior.

• 8 Megapixels
• Image stabilization
• 4x Optical Zoom
• Face detection & red eye correction
• High quality lens & 2.5″ LCD screen
• More features and reviews

See sample pictures taken with the Canon Powershot SD850 IS.

Black Sony Cybershot DSC-T100 Digital Camera

Price: $353.88 (Click to check current price)

A few years ago I bought the Sony Cybershot DSC-T1, an older model of this camera, after spending days researching the best options. It was my favorite camera for a very long time. The Cybershot T100 is the new model of the same line but is much improved. It’s slim and compact – perfect for your pocket (without making a buldge). It comes in silver, black, and red (the black version is very sleek and sexy). It’s one of the highest rated cameras at Circuit City, ZDnet, Cnet, and a bestseller on Amazon.

• 8 Megapixel
• Carl Zeiss (quality) lens with 5x Optical zoom
• Image stabilization
• 3″ LCD screen
• Quality MPG Video mode with in-movie zoom
• More features and reviews

See sample pictures taken with the Sony Cybershot DSC-T100.

So there you have it. My picks for the best two point and shoot cameras in the market today – just because I know they’re both very well rated, I’ve had personal experience with each line, and have seen the quality of the pictures taken with them. If anyone asks me what camera to get, I’ll just point them to this page (for the next few months at least). Oh, and if either of these are out of your price range and you don’t need it to be very compact or full-featured, you might want to check out the Canon Powershot A550, which is a good value at $128.94.

See the entire Amazon bestseller list or look at Trey’s SLR camera recommendations if you’re looking for something more sophisticated.

Since I take a lot of night shots and HDR sets (which require 3 photos from the same perspective) I need to shoot from a steady spot, but tripods are not always the easiest accessories to carry around. The nice thing about the Joby Gorillapod is that you can fold it and take it with you. When I first read the reviews about it I was skeptical about whether or not it would be able to handle the weight of a Nikon D50 SLR with a lens, but it’s able to hold it fairly well – so if you have the lighter Nikon D40 or anything about that size, you should be ok.

Last week I was able to curl the gorillpod into my cargo shorts for an evening out in St. Petersburg. It was a little bulky, but manageable. If you’re a woman (or European) and have a purse, then it’s probably even better.

You can fold the joby gorillapod into many shapes and either use it as a low-lying tripod or you can curl it around different objects such as fences. It’s not the steadiest thing around, but it does help quite a bit to get a nicely focused shot (especially if you put it on a timer). It also comes with a locking mechanism that lets you lock the head so you don’t accidentally slip the camera off.

Here are some photos I’ve taken while having my camera positioned on the Gorillapod SLR:

1. HDR on the sand, 3 shots while holding it with my hand
2. Wrapped around a balcony rail, on a timer – about 10 seconds
3. Sitting on a bar, holding it by hand for – about 5 seconds
4. Sitting on a concrete slab, holding it by hand

If you want other people’s opinions, you can read the Amazon reviews of the Gorillapods here:

• Basic Gorillapod ($25)
• SLR Gorillapod ($40)
• SLR Zoom Gorillapod ($55)

A UV filter is one of the cheapest and most useful accessories you can buy. After a while you won’t even think about it. I have mine on 90% of the time. It usually only adds a fraction of an inch to your lens and absorbs any abuse you might put your camera through. Replacing a $15 UV filter is far cheaper than replacing a $500 lens.

One thing to remember (which I myself tend to forget) is to take the UV filter off for night shots. When the filter is off, take extra care to avoid contact with the lens. If you leave the UV filter on, you’ll get “green ghosts” in your shots like this:

… or glare off bright lights like this:

Worse yet, you often won’t realize you’ve ruined your night shots until after you see them on your computer. Any photos of the moon are especially susceptible to this. I’ve read that more expensive multi-coated UV filters may not produce these ghosting effects but I have not been able to verify this myself.