Digital Trends

Seven- and 8-megapixel cameras are so last year! A new wave of 9- and 10MP digicams are now in stores and more will arrive shortly. They range from the fairly straightforward Fujifilm FinePix E900 to *uber* models like the $999 10.3MP Sony DSC-R1 and the 10.2MP Nikon D200 S-SLR for $1,700. And not to leave the E900 by itself, Fujifilm also introduced the more expensive 9MP FinePix S9000 ($699) with a 10.7x optical zoom.

Given all these announcements have we reached a point of diminishing returns where the megapixel horsepower race has become meaningless? Is 9MP overkill for the average picture taker and is a $199 4MP model like the Canon A520 with a 4x optical zoom good enough? Nah; boys will be boys and we love our toys. What red-blooded American would buy a 4-cylinder car when a supercharged 8 is rumbling next to it? It's in our DNA...

The E900 with its 4x optical zoom seems like a baby compared to the other 9- and 10MP digicams and is a fraction of the price. Yet for around 450 beans, the compact digicam seems to offer a wealth of photographic treasures including RAW file capture and the Natural Light setting we liked so much in the 6MP FinePix F10. To see how it fares, click on...