The sheer number of cameras available in the market today can be overwhelming. Especially, for a novice with little knowledge of what features to look for all the options can get confusing. Given the wide range of features on cameras these days, for a beginner the most important factors that help in the decision making process are the cost, the size of the camera and its resolution. Here are a few compact cameras which have been getting positive feedback and are available for less than Rs. 7,000.
 
The Canon PowerShot A480

This camera is capable of taking images of resolutions up to 10 megapixels with a maximum image size of 3648 x 2736. It has a 3.3x optical zoon and a 4x digital zoom. Weighing just 140 grams, the Canon PowerShot A480 is extremely compact with dimensions of 92 x 62 x 31 (mm W x H x D). It has an Easy Mode that simplifies operation. Other features include face detection and auto focus making this a good choice for beginners.

The Kodak EasyShare C182

The Kodak EasyShare C182 camera takes pictures of up to 12 megapixels with a maximum image size of 4164 x 3050. Weighing 128 grams, the C182 has dimensions of 97 x 62 x 28 (mm W x H x D). It has a 3x optical zoom and a 5x digital zoom. Kodak EasyShare cameras make sharing pictures extremely simple — just pressing the share button lets you organize, share and print your photos. A high resolution of 12 megapixels lets you crop and enlarge images while maintaining the picture quality.

The Fujifilm FinePix A170
This Fujifilm FinePix A170 camera is equipped with a 10 megapixel sensor that helps you capture detailed pictures of high resolution and clarity. With features like scene recognition auto, face detection and anti-blur mode, taking better photos becomes easier. It has a 3x optical zoom and a 5x digital zoom. Its dimensions are 92 x 55 x 20 (mm W x H x D) and it weighs just 113 grams.