The easiest cameras to use
— -- Whether you're shopping for yourself or for someone else, there's probably no worse feeling than getting someone a brand new camera, then having them open the box and have no idea how to work the stupid thing. The truth is, whether you're talking about a DSLR or a point-and-shoot, ease of use isn't always a guarantee.
Between "smart" auto modes, green buttons, and iAuto modes, cameras are always trying to simplify the experience for the user. Sometimes they succeed, but sometimes they only make things worse. Here are the easiest cameras to use that we have reviewed recently.
Canon 100 HS
The Canon ELPH 100 HS is one of our favorite point-and-shoot cameras of 2011. The 100 HS is an affordable camera with solid image performance, easy handling, and a simple menu system. Canon's smart auto mode doesn't open up many options to fiddle with, but it is also pretty hard to screw up. Add to that the fact that it's got a fairly accurate autofocus and exposure system, and it's rare you'll press the shutter button without getting something close to the picture you wanted.
Panasonic FZ47
The Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ47 features a great combination of ease of use, optical zoom power, and simplified control for a reasonable price point. The FZ47 does have a robust feature set, but with a physical mode dial featuring a bright red iAuto symbol, you can learn the camera at your own pace.
Think of that big red camera symbol as your own personal panic button: screw something up and all your pictures are now coming out completely black? Switch the dial to the big red camera symbol and your pictures should return to normal. The FZ47 also features Panasonic's quick menu, which is a simple collection of common shooting options that lets you make adjustments without going into the full menu.
Canon T3
The Canon T3 is a DSLR, which most people assume will be more complicated than the non-DSLR camera they're used to. This isn't necessarily the case with the T3, which features the manual controls you'd expect on a DSLR, but with many of the same automatic modes and scene modes you've come to rely on with a point-and-shoot camera. Those accustomed to any camera in the Canon lineup will find the T3 to use many of the same symbols and terminology, as well.
You should still expect a learning curve compared to a basic point-and-shoot camera, but the menu is clean, legible, and color-coded indicating what each page of options will affect. The lack of a dedicated "help" button explaining what each menu option means is unfortunate, but the overall experience is about as simple as you'll find on a DSLR.
This will also apply to Sony's newer NEX-model cameras, the NEX-C3 and NEX-5N, as they have very similar menu systems and physical designs. Regardless of which NEX camera you're thinking about, we think the menu systems are about as beginner-friendly as you'll find in an interchangeable lens camera. The user interface on the entry-level NEX cameras is not cluttered with many dedicated controls, using just a simple rear control dial/directional pad with two context-sensitive buttons. The result is a control scheme that is intuitive without being intimidating. (There aren't 15 different buttons to memorize.)
On top of that, Sony provides in-camera shooting tips, an iAuto mode that switches between various scene modes depending on what the camera detects, and no-fuss handling and operation that responds the way you expect. We'd recommend beginners stick to scene and automatic modes mostly, as the terminology and displays in these modes are designed to enhance ease of use for those unfamiliar with more advanced photography.
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To read more digital camera reviews, visit DigitalCameraInfo.com. Reviewed is a division of USA TODAY.
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