From The Straits Times    |

Looking to step up your selfie and photography game? Why not ‘upgrade’ yourself and invest in a camera instead of just using your phone’s camera?

Compact cameras come with so many new functions these days and some are even made specially to take selfies.

I’m the first to admit that I’m a tech noob so unless the instructions for using a camera are straight-forward and pretty idiot-proof, I’m at a loss as to how to use it. With that being established, these cameras were rated according to how user-friendly they were, and of course, how pretty they look.

4 cute compact and super user friendly cameras sony camera.jpg

Image: Sony

 

#1 Sony KW11
Ease of use: Easy

The Sony KW11 has got to be one of the girliest, fanciest cameras I’ve ever seen. The camera is very compact and fits nicely into my palm, just like a handphone. It is also just the right size for me to keep it in a small handbag on a night out, and it doesn’t hurt that it looks just like a perfume bottle!

The camera was really easy to use, and all the controls were clearly stated on a the touch screen. There are also five beauty effects that make your selfie taking a whole lot easier. These effects include skin toning and skin smoothing effects that are adjustable while you are shooting and eye widening, face slimming and shine removal effects that help you edit your photo after you’re (almost) happy with it.

The camera also has a swivel screen, which allows you to take photos from varying angles. There is also the choice to turn on a self timer if you want to take selfie with your friends.

This elegant camera is perfect if you are looking for a camera you can flaunt in front of friends. The elegant design of the camera also makes it a perfect gift for mums or the girly girls in your life.

4 cute compact and super user friendly cameras canon powershot n2.jpg

Image: Canon

 

#2 Canon Powershot N2
Ease of use: Moderate

This camera is so tiny and cute you’ll want to take it wherever you go. The Canon Powershot N2 is compact with rounded edges, giving it a very fun look. The entire back of the camera is a touch screen and flips up 180 degrees and the selfie mode of the camera is immediately activated when the screen is flipped towards you.

The camera has a self-portrait mode which allows you to enhance your favourite selfies by brightening and smoothening them digitally. You can also use the creative shot movie function to record special moments and view these creative shots in retro, monochrome, special and natural filters.

This camera also comes with a free selfie stick! It’s the perfect camera to travel with, given it’s compact size and video functions.

4 cute compact and super user friendly cameras nikon camera.png

Image: Nikon

 

#3  Nikon Coolpix S6900
Ease of use: Easy
If you’re going out on a cafe-hopping session with friends, the Nikon Coolpix would be the camera to take along.

Besides having a flip screen that swivels and allows you to take photos from many different angles, it also has a gesture control function that lets you take take pictures with the palm of your hand. If you want to take photos from a distance and perhaps pose with both your friends and food, the stand at the back of the camera props it up.

If you’re more interested in the selfie aspects of this camera, it has a front shutter button and also a glamour mode which allows you to preview the effects you might want in your photo. A huge plus point for this camera would be that its touch screen is really sensitive and the settings menu is simple and easy to navigate. I really liked that it was easy to tell which buttons led you to which options on the menu and deleting photos was very straightforward.

4 cute compact and super user friendly cameras casio cam.jpg

Image: Casio

#4 Casio EX-ZR3500
Ease of use: Moderate

This camera is perfect if you’ve always wanted to get a good camera, but you’re not ready to commit to the expensive and more advanced Digital Single-Lens Reflex Camera (or better known as the DSLR). It has all the settings you need to take really professional looking, high quality photos.

There’s a 180 degree tilt screen that allows you to make sure you stay in shot while taking the photo and also a front shutter for selfie-taking. If you were looking at the previous cameras and going ‘these cameras are too girly and cute looking for me!’ this camera will be perfect for you. It is still fun looking, with a more sleek and simple design.

The colour of photos taken with this camera came out really vibrant and the HDR Art and panorama modes were really fun to experiment with. If you were to use the optical zoom function, the aperture of the camera also changes automatically with it which, put simply, helps you to adjust the depth of blur and sharpness in a shot.

In addition, if you like to post your photos instantly after taking them, you can also make use of the bluetooth feature in the camera to transfer photos to your smartphone without hassle. You will only have to download the EXILIM connect app to do so and you’re pretty much Instagram ready 24/7.

If you were thinking of going pro, but not very sure if you should invest in a more advanced camera, why not try this one first?

Main Images: Herworldplus, Pinterest

Still love using your phones to take selfies the best? Check out our review on these smartphone cameras!

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