Web site: www.sony.com
Street price: $399

In a class of snazzy models, the Cyber-shot DSC-T10, available in September, still manages to stand out. Available in four colors (black, white, silver and yes, we dare you to buy it, pink), the camera offers up very solid performance, and manages to include some nifty features, like optical image stabilization (allowing you to take shots in low-light situations without a flash). The camera is slightly larger than a credit card (though, of course, thicker than one, at about 3/4 of an inch), so it will easily slip into a shirt pocket. The DSC-T10 can produce images at resolutions up to 7.2 megapixels, and features a Carl Zeiss lens (2x optical zoom, 3x digital zoom). It also has 56MB of storage built in, so you can store a few extra shots once your memory card runs out of space. Nice.

Casio Exilim EX-Z850

Web site: www.casio.com 
Street price: $325

Boasting an impressive 8.2 megapixel sensor, and an impressive set of features, including a good image stabilizer, a bright, easy-to-see LCD display, and some 35 different pre-set modes, including one that optimizes shots if you want to post a photo on eBay, Casio’s EX-Z850 manages to pack a lot into a very small package. Unfortunately, the EX-Z850, while very impressive, does trail Sony’s Cyber-shot DSC-210, in one key area—image quality. The Exilim’s lens is simply no match for that of the Cyber-shot’s Zeiss lens. That said, you may be able to get the Exilim for close to $100 less than the Cyber-shot, which may well prove to be a worthwhile trade-off.

Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX3

Web site: www.panasonic.com 
Street price: $250

Yet another model that will be hitting stores in September, Panasonic offers up impressive technology with the Lumix DMC-FX3, which is the least-expensive camera we look at here. Panasonic’s image stabilization is excellent, especially in low-light or high-motion shots, and it’s capable of shooting video in wide VGA mode, which will fill out the screen on a wide-screen TV. The Lumix DMC-FX3 also has a nice, if not super-robust, Leica lens. On the negative side, the DMC-FX3 is only capable of six megapixel shots (though in reality, that shouldn’t be a deterrent to most of you), and unlike the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-210, only offers up 13.5MB of built-in storage. The bottom line: If price is key, you won’t go wrong here.

Canon EOS Rebel XTi

Web site: http://www.usa.canon.com
Street Price: $899 (with 18-55mm lens), $799 body only

Though similar to the existing Rebel XT, the Rebel XTi, expected to be in stores in September, has a few noticeable differences. First off, it has gained a couple of megapixels, so it’s now capable of 10 megapixel shots, which is more than enough for 99.9 percent of the consumer world. Canon says the new model is also capable of taking three frames per second, and up to 27 consecutive shots, without needing to come up for air. But from a golly-gee perspective, arguably the coolest new feature is the XTi’s self-cleaning lens, which uses a vibrating filter to shake dust away from its sensor. Hmmm, maybe I should cover my house with a vibrating filter.