Kodak DX3500

WHAT'S HOT: The DX3500 earned the highest image quality scores of any sub-$500 camera we've tested so far. The camera produced impressively accurate exposures and bright colors. Our only complaint was some loss of subtle color shades. Kodak markets this model as a camera for those who want to keep it simple, and for that it hits the mark. Dispensing with all but the most essential buttons, dials, and menu options makes learning how to use this camera very quick. Battery performance is another plus: We took 218 shots on one set of AA batteries.

WHAT'S NOT: Keeping it simple means Kodak left a lot of features on the design table. For example, it's one of the few cameras we've seen that does not have an exposure-value (EV) compensation control; most cameras, at the very least, give you a minimal adjustment. User- controlled white-balance settings, or an exposure lock--useful when you want to stitch together multiple shots--are also missing....