Selecting a digital camera under Rs 10,000 is a tough one especially with many things like 'MegaPixels', 'Zoom' and 'Exposure' creeping in to the mind making the buying decision more difficult. However, it is always good to know that a camera having more 'Megapixels' may not necessarily give better picture quality. The same way, optical zoom is the one that should be considered rather than the digital zoom. There are indeed a lot of other factors to be considered before selecting your best camera under Rs 10,000.

Having said this, while you may not be able to get a DSLR quality camera with under Rs 10,000 price range, some do make justice to their price tag.

Here is a list of best compact cameras in the price range with some decent features.

1. Canon PowerShot SX 400 IS

Price: Rs 9,500 to Rs 10,000

Available in many attractive colour options, SX400 is a powerful budget point and shoot camera which is an answer for users who would like high zoom at an affordable price. It comes with features like HD Recording, ISO 100 - 1600 (Auto), 16 MP CCD sensor, 3 inch LCD Screen and aperture range is from f/3.4 - f/5.8. The SX400 is capable of capturing up to 3.2 shots per second while the shutter speed ranges from 1 to 1/1600 sec. It can record films for up to 50 non stop minutes. It comes advanced network connectivity option i.e WiFi. This device is undoubtedly one of the best digital cameras under Rs 10,000.

2. Sony CyberShot DSC W830 

Price: Rs 7,000 to Rs 7,500

The Sony CyberShot W830 is a compact digital camera designed to be easy to use. Featuring a 20.1 MP HAD CCD sensor and a Carl Zeiss 8x optical zoom lens, the camera comes with an Aperature range of f/3.3 - f/8.0. W830 also features optical steady shot which should help keep shots steady in low light or when using a lot of zoom. The W830 is also capable of shooting macros which are as close as 5 cm at the wide end and 55 cm at the telephoto end giving you a wide range to play with.

3. Canon IXUS 160

Price: Rs 5,500 to Rs 6,000

The IXUS 160 by Canon is powered with the latest digic 4 processor which is usually found in high-end and latest DSLR's from Canon. The camera comes with a 20 MP sensor while supporting 8x optical zoom. The IXUS 160 also features a 2.7 inch LCD, f/3.2 - f/6.9 aperture range and ISO sensitivity of 100 to 800. This handy device also comes with ECO mode which darkens the LCD screen to reduce battery consumptions. You can click up to 30% more photos.

4. Nikon Coolpix S3500

Price: Rs 7,000 to Rs 7,500

The Nikon Coolpix S3500 comes with 20.1 MP CCD Sensor with 7x optical zoom and 4x digital zoom. The camera comes with a maximum shutter speed of 1/2000 sec while the minimum speed is 4 sec. The S3500 also comes with a smart mode which is best for the non photographers as it can adjust very well accordingly to the light sensitivity. Other features of the camera are 2.7 inch TFT LCD, ISO 80 - 3200 and fits right in the hands perfectly.

5. Nikon Coolpix L330

Price: Rs 9,750 to Rs 10,500

With price spilling slightly over Rs 10,000, anybody can afford it as the camera comes with features like 20.2 MP CCD Sensor, HD Recording, 26x optical zoom, f/3.1 - f/5.9, ISO 80 - 1600 and 3 inch TFT LCD Screen. You can also recording HD videos at 720p with this camera which looks more like a DSLR.

Tags : Nikon, Sony, Canon