16. PLAYBACK MODE
Show off and fix photos
Part of the fun of digital is the instant gratification of sharing the moment (or checking your shot) right after you shoot the picture. Depending on the model, playback can be rudimentary, with just a handful of review options, a basic slide show, and a printing menu. On some cameras, though, playback mode is a world all of its own, with advanced image tweaking, redeye fix, artistic filtering, black-and-white conversions, slideshows with spiffy transitions and music, and all sorts of other fun, functional, and frivolous extras that hardcore enthusiasts may never touch. After all, image editing is what your computer is for.
17. BUILT-IN FLASH
Use with care
Every compact and EVF camera has a built-in flash. It will throw light a few feet, but when you're at a rock concert or school play, it's simply not powerful enough to reach the stage -- all it does is blast the back of the heads of the people seated or standing in front of you. Turn the built-in flash off for better pictures of the distant action.
Still, the built-in flash can usually light subjects within 10 feet in dark conditions. In bright daylight, you can alsouse it to fill in harsh shadows and correct backlit exposures. At evening, combine it with Slow-sync or Night Portrait mode to capture distant scenery while illuminating the foreground subject.
18. ACCESSORY FLASH
An occasional option
Some compacts and EVFs can be fitted with bigger, more powerful strobes, triggered either by a hot-shoe connector or by the built-in flash. Accessory flashes can throw light farther than the built-in, but they still won't help that shot of a performer on stage from the upper deck. Their real advantages: You can move your light source off to the side or bounce it from another direction, instead of using the harshly frontal built-in position. And they have their own power supply, so they recycle faster between shots and won't drain the camera's battery.
19. OTHER ACCESSORIES
Pile on what you can
Some compacts and most EVFs can be outfitted with accessories, including filters, wide-angle and telephoto converters, and even underwater housings. A high-quality compact or EVF with such extras isn't so much a camera as a camera system. Such accessories increase your versatility, allowing for more creative photography while still taking up significantly less space than a DSLR, lenses, and strobes.
20. SPECIAL FEATURES
Know your style
There are too many to name, but we've seen compacts that double as MP3 players, capture stop-action and time-lapse video, use Wi-Fi for photo sharing, work underwater, and on and on. For some shooters, the unique feature matters most.
So, if your tween wants the Samsung L74 Wide ($240, street) because it has a built-in tour guide, get it! If your extreme sports fan wants the weathertight, shockproof Olympus Stylus 770 SW ($325, street), get it! You can argue that one camera performed better in our tests than another, but at the end of the day, if there's a specific camera someone on your gift list wants, get it -- then go buy yourself the camera you think they should want.
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