Digital camera accessories: What to get for your new toy

If a digital camera was among the holiday gifts you received, you might want to consider the following accessories, which can enhance your enjoyment of your camera:

• Memory card. This is important because, when inspiration strikes, you can never have too much storage on hand. Most models take SD or higher capacity SDHC cards, but there are other formats. Make sure you know what format your camera takes. Many 2GB or 4GB cards are now as cheap as $15 or $20. There are even memory cards with built-in Wi-fi.


• Tripod. This is useful for shooting in low light; it helps steady your shots. Prices run from $50 to $500.


• Photo-editing software. This helps you crop (trim), edit or even create special effects. There are many packages out there, including free software. For beginners, there's Adobe Photoshop Elements 7, around $140; and, for experts, Photoshop CS4, around $700.


• Also for a point-and-shoot camera. Converter lenses, waterproof cases, and rechargeable battery kits.


• SLR Lens. Here's where you can really start to spend a lot. Kit lenses cost in the hundreds of dollars, but some pro telephoto lenses can run $7000 or more. You'll find basic help about digital camera zoom lenses on ConsumerReports.org. Also, check out our additional tips for finding the right digital SLR lens (available to subscribers) for your needs.


• External strobe or flash for SLR. Many have lots of options for controlling how much illumination the flash puts out. You can adjust the flash head to bounce the flash off a wall or ceiling for more naturalistic effects.


• SLR protector. This cushions your SLR from bangs and falls.


• Snapshot printer. Good for printing 4x6s, but not larger.


• Inkjet photo printer. The Epson R1900, about $450, can print quality shots on paper up to 13x19.

—Terry Sullivan

Boxing Day sales: Last-minute tips for Canadians

The day's title baffles Americans—a celebration of pugilism, perhaps? But Canadians like me—I'm a transplant from Ottawa—know the day after Christmas, named for the long-lost tradition of giving boxed gifts that day, as one of the biggest shopping days of the year, not least for electronics gear.

Like Black Friday south of the border—a non-event in Canada, since Thanksgiving falls in early October—it's a day replete with early openings, frenzied crowds, and often-deep discounting. Unlike Black Friday, of course, it's almost all people shopping for themselves, trying to snap up stuff they didn't get given the day before.

This year, much as with Black Friday, some Canadian retailers began their sales before the actual day, especially online. For example, the major Canadian electronics chain Future Shop began its Boxing Day sales online at 8pm on Christmas Eve.

Gifts: To keep or not to keep? Check our Ratings first

After the presents are unwrapped, there's likely to be at least one gift you keep turning over in your hands, wondering "Do I really want this?". That's a question Consumer Reports might be able to help with.

Whether it's to scope out the possibilities for exchanging that digital camera for a more compact model, or to see how the camcorder you got stacks up against others on the market, our detailed product Ratings, available to subscribers, will give you the lowdown on what you got—and maybe didn't get.

If the exact model of an item you received doesn’t match what we've rated, remember that good performance often runs in the family, as our tips on buying electronics explain. Our tests have shown that untested models in the same brand as well-rated models tend to perform well themselves. We also compile brand reliability information on TVs, digital cameras, computers, and more, so subscribers can see if your gift is more repair-prone than other brands.

(Ratings and reliability info are available to subscribers of ConsumerReports.org. If you're not yet a subscriber, or might like to give a subscription as a last-minute gift, click here.)

If you decide to exchange a gift, our advice: Don't dally, and read the fine print.

Choosing an electronics store: Last-minute tips

As of sometimes this afternoon, depending on the website, it's all but official: You've left it too late to buy electronics (or anything else) online in time to get it by the holiday on Thursday.

If you still have electronics purchases to make, you obviously have little time to choose which walk-in store might best meet your needs. Retailers often carve out a niche that emphasizes low price, broad selection, convenience, or ultimate hand-holding, but no single merchant has it all. Minimize your frustration by shopping at a store that plays to your priorities.

In our Ratings of electronics retailers (available to subscribers), warehouse stores such as Costco and BJ's Wholesale stood out solely for price, so don't shop there if you want lots of service or a wide selection. (Their gargantuan size and sometimes-slow checkouts aren't exactly conducive to a quick shopping trip, either.)  Mass merchandisers, including Wal-Mart and Sears, were middling in price, and satisfaction among our survey respondents with their shopping ease and service varied from average to well below. Independent electronics stores and the best chains, all regionals such as west-coast chain Video Only, plus one manufacturer's outlet were standouts for service but tended to be below average in price satisfaction. Office-supply chains like Staples and Office Depot, though respectable performers in many ways, were among the worst for their selection of items.

Digital cameras: Good values for under $150

Many low-priced digital cameras are so-called compact models that are small enough to fit in a bag, if a bit bulkier than pocket-sized subcompacts. How good a value are these budget models, some of which cost less than $150?

The best are very solid values, according to an analysis of the price and performance of the compact cameras tested for our recently updated Ratings (available to subscribers).

The data is in the chart below. Using a tool called the Consumer Reports Value Index™, which we launched last month with an analysis of superzoom cameras, it plots the approximate retail price against overall score for compact cameras we've tested. Then it places groups of cameras into value zones – Higher, Medium, and Lower – based on the price and performance of all models in those categories. Products on the upper right side of the chart offer better values than those further to the left and bottom.

To use the Value Index, first roll your mouse over a circle to find out a bit more about the model it represents. To learn even more about a model, subscribers can click on its name to go to its page, which includes our expert review, a detailed breakdown of the model’s overall test results, Reliability data, user reviews, and a link to compare online prices for that model.

(More on the Value Index and our updated Ratings after the jump.)

Online shipping: Deadline and opportunities, December 17-18

If you're among the folks who plan to shop online this holiday season—some 44% of adults, according to a survey by the Consumer Reports National Research Center—the next few days are important to getting your purchases shipped at minimal cost and with maximum assurance they'll arrive by Christmas.

While the deadline for free shipping has already passed for some retailers, many others have deadlines of tomorrow or Thursday to place free-shipping orders that will arrive by December 24. Most notably, tomorrow's the deadline to place such an order that qualifies for free shipping with Amazon.com, the online giant that's among the higher-rated websites in our Ratings of electronics retailers (available to subscribers). The company will fill orders with standard shipping on the 18th and still guarantee delivery by the 24th, but you'll have to pay the shipping yourself.

Also, as Tightwad Tod, our frugal-shopping guru highlighted recently, Thursday is being billed as Free Shipping Day, with a host of retailers supposed poised to offer no-cost shipping on orders placed that day, with delivery guaranteed by Christmas Eve. Many participating merchants are already listed on Freeshipping.org, the site that's coordinating the effort; others may announce their participation late, in order not to dampen sales over the next day or so. The site also provides a handy one-stop list of shipping deadlines for many websites.

Ratings: Best Places to Buy Computers

Just in time for the holidays, we've got the inside scoop on shoppers' favorite places to buy computers. Our Ratings of electronics stores (available to subscribers only), based on more than 50,000 responses from Consumer Reports subscribers, cover purchases of new desktops and laptops between January 2007 and June 2008.

Our readers told us what they thought of their shopping experiences at 13 walk-in stores, nine retailer Web sites, and seven manufacturer sites. Each was rated based on selection, price, and service. Readers were generally highly satisfied when buying computers, but when you hit the stores, remember to follow our advice on extended warranties. (Watch our video on saving on electronics which offers more tips to help you save money while holiday shopping. Click on the player at right to view the video.)

So if a new computer is on your shopping list, where should you buy? As a group, retail Web sites were best all-around for price and selection, and not bad for service either. Manufacturer sites were the best places to find the widest selections, which makes sense since you can configure your own systems to order at most of those sites. With a few exceptions, walk-in stores were not the best places to shop if you're looking for variety, although a couple stood out for price or service. Take a look at our Ratings (available to subscribers only) to find the stores and sites our readers liked best.

—Donna Tapellini

Shopping tips: Buying a digital camera for a child

If it's time to buy a digital camera for the child in your life, what type should you buy and how much should you spend? While you can find digital cameras for as little as $20 to $60, those are often built more like toys than serious cameras. Fortunately, there are a number of good, modestly priced cameras out there. Here are some tips for buying one for a child between the ages of 8 and 12:

• Choose a compact. This is the best type for a beginner, because the controls are usually large enough for a child to operate. All the compacts in our digital camera Ratings (available to subscribers) can shoot in Auto mode—which is important for a child—and have a built-in flash. Nearly all have face detection and image stabilization, both of which can help improve your child's photos. The best compacts had excellent or very good image quality; the rest had good quality. I suggest a price range between $100 and $150. For example, the Canon PowerShot A470, which had good image quality, is a good choice at $110.


• Consider last year's models or refurbs. Although we include only new models in our Ratings of digital cameras, you should be able to find some great deals on discontinued ones. Try searching eBay or other auction sites. For example, I recently found a 7-megapixel Canon PowerShot A620 compact, which we top rated in 2006 at $220, on sale for $90 to $100. Or look for a refurbished model, which has been returned to a retailer or manufacturer and supposedly restored to good-as-new condition, and re-sold at bargain prices. For more on refurbished goods, see our previous blog entry, "Refurbished electronics: A bargain shopper's guide."

HDTV values: Consider plasma, 720p, less-familiar brands

If you're out shopping for a flat-panel HDTV this holiday season, you're likely wrestling with which models and technologies offer the most bang for your buck. The chart below (after the jump) aims to help by grouping LCD TVs and plasma TVs, in two popular sizes, into value categories.

The chart uses a new tool called the Consumer Reports Value Index™, which we launched last week on our Money blog. Based on a survey of median online prices taken earlier this week, it plots price against overall Ratings score for LCD and plasma sets in two screen sizes: 40- to 42-inches, and 50- to 52-inches. It places the sets into one of three value zones—High, Medium, and Low—based on the price and performance of all sets in those categories. Products on the upper right side of the chart offer better values than those further to the left and bottom.

The upshot: The High and Medium values are all among the sets we recommend in our plasma TV Ratings and LCD TV Ratings (both available to subscribers). That's not surprising, since value factors heavily into those recommendations (also available to subscribers). The results also jibe with our general HDTV buying advice, including our updated video buying guide on TVs. (Click on the player embedded on the right to watch.)

Here are highlights of our advice on flat panels, with some specifics on how the chart's data reinforces these points:

You better watch out when shopping online

Consumer Reports' Guide to Online Safety offers a lot of useful information on how to protect your computer and your private data while surfing the Net. And if your holiday shopping plans include visits to at least a few cyber-stores, here are a few tips to keep in mind:

• Pick up a "virtual credit card." This is a temporary credit-card number you can get from your card issuer. You're not using your real number, so cyber-thieves can't steal your card information. Also, you're more protected shopping with a credit rather than a debit card. With a debit card, thieves can quickly relieve you of your funds, while your liability when using a credit-card is usually limited to $50.


• Set up safe passwords. A well-crafted password uses a combination of at least eight characters. Be sure to include upper- and lower-case letters, some numbers, and some punctuation; don't use personal information like your address or birthday. One way to form a password you're unlikely to forget: String together the first letters of a song title and add some combination of a number, punctuation, and an upper-case letter.