New multi-mode cameras: Sony Cybershot DSC-S85 & Fujifilm FinePix 4800Z

A Social Phenomenon
Although I generally resent reading hype from journalists announcing that this-or-that has "finally arrived," I'm tempted to claim as much for the digital camera, after a couple of events this month convinced me that these devices are now far ahead of their film-and-processing-centric brethren in terms of serving their owners at social events.

In the past, the digital cameras I have used have always seemed flawed in one way or another. The early models suffered from inadequate resolutions. Subsequent models addressed that situation, but as the resolutions climbed, the speed declined. They could show you a picture within seconds of taking it, sure, but just try to take three or four shots of someone walking past you -- a situation I found myself in at my daughter's graduation -- and you realize that speed is a virtue while shooting, too. The new cameras examined in this article both feature a rapid-fire "burst mode," allowing three shots to be squeezed off in three seconds.

Another problem we've frequently encountered with digital cameras is one that plagues many digital devices: they just seemed too complicated. If you've ever stood with a smile fading from your face as a photographer struggled to get his or her camera to behave, you'll know that perfect moments don't last. Manual controls and high-tech innovations are great, but not when they get in the way of the point-and-shoot experience.