Diwali 2014 buying guide: 10 compact cameras with Wi-fi under Rs 25,000

Like we had mentioned in our Advanced point and shoot camera buying guide, smartphones with good camera specifications have wrested away the market share of entry level point and shoots. One simple differentiating factor is the ability to share images as soon as they are clicked. Lately we are seeing the on-board wireless and near-field communication (NFC) functionality moving from the advanced point and shoot cameras to affordable point and shoots as well as travel zoom compacts. While on a vacation, this lets you share images without having to go through the rigmarole of transferring the images from the camera’s SD card to your mobile phone via your laptop and then sharing them via your smartphones. We present ten compact cameras you should consider, if you like the idea of sharing images. For the sharing to work, you will need to download the related app, associated with the product, in your mobile devices.

Sony Cybershot WX80 is one of the more affordable point and shoots with

This is a budget-friendly offering from Sony which offers onboard Wi-Fi functionality. The Sony WX80 features a 16.2MP Exmor R sensor coupled with a BIONZ image processor. It comes with an 8x optical zoom Carl Zeiss lens with a maximum aperture of f/3.3. It also offers a 10fps burst shoot mode. Features such as filters, sweep panorama which can be applied to still as well as movies is a definite plus. It is available online for close to Rs 9,960.

Nikon Coolpix S6500 is a comparatively affordable option over the S9700

If you are on a budget but still want a Wi-Fi-enabled point and shoot with good optical zoom, then the Nikon Coolpix S6500 is for you. Featuring a 16MP CMOS sensor along with 12x optical zoom, the Nikon S6500 features a 3-inch LCD screen on the rear side. It boasts of a 7 fps burst shooting mode and supports full HD movie recording mode. It comes with around 20 scene modes, 12 filter modes and even a Glamour retouch mode for beautifying portraits. On the shooting modes front, the S6500 does not offer the manual modes. You can get the S6500 for around Rs 10,500 online.

Nikon Coolpix AW110 comes with water-proof, freeze-proof, shock-proof and freeze-proof chops

This camera is meant for adventure junkies as it comes with all the drop-proof, water-proof, shock-proof and freeze-proof chops. While the rugged cameras from a couple of years back concentrated more on the hardware aspects, Nikon AW110 offers interesting overall feature set as well. This includes GPS, onboard Wi-Fi, an altimeter to measure heights and more. It is waterproof up to 59-feet, can operate in temperatures as low as -10 degrees Celcius and can be dropped from 6 feet without suffering any issue. It can also shoot full HD movies. It shoots 6fps in the burst mode and has a 3-inch OLED screen with a 5-level brightness adjustment.

Sony Cybershot WX300 is a light and slim point and shoot with 20x optical zoom

Sony DSC-WX300 is touted to be the world’s smallest and lightest point and shoot camera with 20x optical zoom. It weighs just 166 gms with the battery which is quite light as compared to the other cameras seen above. Housing an 18.2MP Exmor R sensor along with the BIONZ image processor, the Sony WX300 lacks fully manual shooting modes.
It is safe to assume that the WX300 is targetted at the casual users, who want a good-looking camera which is easy to carry around and offers higher optical zoom range while offering decent images. Features such as full HD movie shooting mode and wireless  functionality are like an added benefit on this camera.

Canon Powershot SX510HS is an ultrazoom with 30x optical zoom

Canon Powershot SX510HS is a 12.1MP ultrazoom camera offering upto 30x optical zoom. It comes with a DIGIC 4 image processor. Considering it comes with the HS moniker, you can rest assured of good image quality, as we have seen with some SX series cameras such as the Canon SX50HS. There is a feature called the Zoom Framing Assist, which eases locating subjects while you are at the telephoto end and helps you get a focus lock on the subject. This is quite helpful, because at the telephoto end of a 30x zoom camera, you will need to do a lot of manual seeking before you get the object in your frame. Apart from this it comes with all the PASM modes. It has a dedicated movie recording button and can shoot full HD videos. Using the Canon CameraWindow app on Android and iOS, you can transfer images as well as use the app for remote image capturing via the camera. While the MRP listed on the official Canon website is around Rs 17,995, you can get it for around Rs 15,500 in the market.

Canon PowerShot S110 offers a larger sensor with a fast f/2.0 lens

Canon Powershot S110 is an upgrade to the S100 which had impressed us. The S110 has a comparatively larger sensor at 1/1.7-inch size, and it comes with a fast f/2.0 lens. There is a 3-inch capacitive LCD touchscreen on the rear side, which will assist in navigation. To add to this there is a dedicated control ring around the lens element of the camera. There is RAW format support. The Canon Powershot S110 offers all the manual modes as well. Along with the added wireless functionality, makes this quite a feature-rich proposition under 20k. The official Canon pricing is around Rs 17,995, but you can get it around Rs 16,200 at e-tailers. Considering the S100 launched at Rs 25,000, the price point of S110 which has Wi-Fi onboard is quite tempting.

Nikon Coolpix P340 has a 1/1.7-inch sensor and a fast f/1.8 lens

Nikon Coolpix P340 sports a 1/1.7-inch 12.2MP CMOS sensor and comes in a compact form factor. Just like the Canon S110, the Nikon P340 sports a control ring around the lens barrel. It is one stop faster than the Canon S110’s lens at f/1.8 making shooting under low light situations easier. It also offers 5x optical zoom. The Nikon P340 comes with program, aperture priority, shutter priority as well as manual modes making it ideal for someone looking at an advanced point and shoot. It boasts of shooting 10 frames per second in the burst mode. Using the Nikon Wireless MobileUtility, you can transfer images to your mobile devices or use the camera as a remote viewfinder.

Nikon Coolpix S9700 offers a massive 33x optical zoom

If you are looking at a huge optical zoom in a compact travel zoom camera, then the Nikon S9700 is an option worth considering. Offering massive 30x optical zoom, the Nikon S9700 is ideal for those of you who are into landscapes and wildlife photography, but do not have a big budget. Housing a 16MP CMOS sensor, featuring all manual modes, full HD shooting mode, makes the S9700 interesting. Add the on-board GPS and wireless functionality and you have a complete package in this compact camera. If you want most of the features within the S9700 except for the GPS function and around 22x optical zoom, you can consider the comparatively economical Nikon Coolpix S9600 at Rs 16,950

Samsung WB350F offers a 21x optical zoom and a 3-inch LCD touchscreen

Canon Powershot SX700HS offers 30x optical zoom and comes with the latest DIGIC 6 image processor

Canon Powershot SX700 HS is travel zoom camera offering a massive 30x optical zoom, just like the S9700 above, in a compact body. The SX700 houses a 16MP BSI CMOS sensor with the Digic 6 image processor. It has a fixed 3-inch 922k-dot LCD screen on the rear side. It comes with an interesting feature called the Zoom Framing Assist, which lets you track and keep your subject in frame, when you are at the telephoto end. It offers full HD video recording at 60 frames per second. If you are on a budget and love wildlife photography, this compact camera is a good option to consider. You will need the CameraWindow app to transfer images.