If you want to be able to point and shoot your Camera at a moment’s notice in order to take a quality photograph, you are going to need to have a camera that is capable of quick autofocus. Fortunately, in recent years autofocus on cameras have improved drastically and you shouldn’t have too hard of a time finding a camera that is capable of autofocusing fast and accurately without blurring. If you are on a $300 dollar budget and you want a point and shoot camera, there are certain features that you should be on the lookout for.

In order to help inform you about these features, we have created a buyer’s guide that you can use to learn about the things that you should look for. We have also compiled a list of our picks for the top point and shoot cameras under $300 dollars on the market so that you can see what some of your great options are in the vast marketplace.

Is autofocus important for a point and shoot camera?

The whole point of a point and shoot camera is that you are able to point the camera in a certain direction and be able to take a quality photograph regardless of the situation. If you want the best point and shoot camera that the market has to offer, you are going to want to look for a camera that has good autofocus.

In order to make sure that a camera has good autofocus you are going to have to make sure that you look at the number of autofocus points that the camera has in its design. The more points a camera has, the better and more accurate the autofocus of a camera will be.

What should I look for in megapixels?

To a certain point, megapixels are extremely important as without them no picture would even be possible. However, unless you want to do a bunch of editing to your point and shoot photos, you are not going to need to buy a camera that is loaded with a whole bunch of megapixels as the image quality won’t change unless you zoom in on the picture or cut it.

Generally speaking, look for a decent amount of megapixels just to make sure you get something that can produce a good photo. Keep in mind that if you find two similar cameras and one of them is a much higher price tag with more megapixels it probably isn’t worth your money.

What are the most important accessories for a point and shoot camera?

With these types of cameras, you are going to want to make it as easy as possible for yourself to be able to take photos at a moment’s notice. In order to be able to do that, you are going to want to look for the accessories that help. Here is a quick breakdown of the important ones and why they are important for a point and shoot camera:

A carrying or holding strap-

Since you are going to be taking photos quickly and efficiently, the best way to be able to do this is to have your camera nice and close on your person without having to hold it in your hand. Look for something like a shoulder strap or even something like a wrist strap as these will do a great job of keeping your hands free to do other things and your camera ready for that precious photograph.

Memory-

If you are going to be taking a lot of pictures with your point and shoot camera, make sure that you have sufficient storage place to hold all of your content. If you use your camera on a regular basis or desire to do so it may be a good idea to look for a camera with an external memory card slot so that you can switch memory cards as needed and store all of your content without having to go through and delete things.

Carrying case/ storage case-

In order to keep your camera well and in-tact make sure that you look for a proper case for it. The more you store your camera away in a case, the less chance it has to be scratched or have a build-up of dust and debris on it, which could potentially ruin your photo.

What kind of a zoom should I expect?

Unfortunately, you are going to have a very hard time finding a point and shoot camera that has interchangeable lenses and that doesn’t cost a really high price tag. However, as long as you don’t need to photograph things that are a really long distance away, this shouldn’t be too much of an issue. Generally, you should expect to find a point and shoot camera with 5 to ten times zoom depending on the price tag that you pay for the unit.

Should I pay attention to the warranty when deciding on which product I want to purchase?

It is definitely a good idea to pay attention to warranty when you are deciding which unit you should buy as it can be a great indication of the quality of a camera. If a manufacturer is willing to back a warranty on a product, they must trust that they themselves have made a product that is capable of outlasting the warranty and that is a high enough quality that they are willing to put their own money behind this claim. This is definitely a good sign to see quality as a consumer and something that you should always be looking out for.

Top 4 Best Point and Shoot Camera Under $300 Reviews

 1. Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX9V

If you want to get a quality design, this may just be a good option for you. This camera packs in some pretty good zoom as well as a built-in GPS so that you never get lost while you are using the device.

Pros:

•    The camera has 16.2 megapixels in its design, which is awesome for capturing high-quality video
•    The unit is capable of being able to record content in 1080p HD and at 60 fps
•    The unit has 16 times optical zoom, which is ideal for being able to take photos and videos a long distance away from you
•    The camera is capable of backlight correction so that you can get the lighting conditions right each and every time
•    The camera has a speaker so that you can listen to the audio that you captured on the device

Cons:

•    The higher price tag of this unit will take up a decent chunk of your budget

Verdict:

As long as you are happy getting a camera that takes up a decent portion of your budget, you are going to be happy with the results that you get out of this camera. The amazing HD video along with a number of features like panorama mode will allow you to be able to take quality images and videos time after time.

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2. Nikon COOLPIX B500 Digital Camera

If you think you want to spend the majority of your budget on a camera in order to get awesome quality, you should check out this design.  This camera is packed with spectacular zoom and Wi-Fi capabilities. With the ability to be able to record in HD, this camera definitely packs in a lot for its price point.

Pros:

•    The camera comes in a black as well as a red design and you can choose to pick up a memory card at the time of purchase if you like
•    This camera can record in full 10800p HD at 30 fps, which is quite high quality
•    The unit can connect to devices via a Bluetooth or a Wi-Fi connection
•    The camera has an amazing built in zoom of 40 times optical allowing you to easily be able to take distant photos and videos
•    The three inch screen on the device is of a very high quality thanks to 921k dots on the LCD
•    The camera uses 16 megapixels in its design so it can take great photos every time

Cons:

•    The camera will definitely use up the majority of your budget

Verdict:

If you are looking for a camera that has a high price tag, but that also contains quality features then make sure that you take a look at this design. The camera has a very nice tilting LCD display and when combined with the ability to be able to record content in 1080p with 40 time optical zoom, you will have a hard time saying no to this camera.

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 3. Canon SX530 HS 9779B001 PowerShot

If you like Canon and are interested in what they have to offer for just under your budget, they do have a lot. The camera has some of the best zoom on the market at this price range. The camera can record in HD and it is even able to access a Wi-Fi network if you want to upload your footage in a pinch.

Pros:

•    This camera has 50 times optical zoom built into its design
•    The camera is capable of being able to record in 1080p quality
•    You will find a decent LCD on this screen that is 3 inches big and has 461k pixels in its design
•    The camera has a 16 megapixel sensor allowing you to be able to take quality photos without having to try
•    A memory card bundle is available with this device if you need some extra storage
•    If you want to go the safe route, an additional three or four year accident protection warranty can come with your purchase if you choose

Cons:

•    There are definitely some nicer screen displays available in this price range than what this unit contains

Verdict:

As long as a screen on a camera doesn’t make or break it for you, you are going to love the pictures that this unit is capable of taking. The camera may be a high price, but the videos and photos that a camera such as this can take are priceless and you will not have a problem taking long distance or short distance photos with this great camera.

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4. Kodak PIXPRO Pack

If you don’t want to come close to spending your budget and instead you are just looking for a quality camera, you should look at this deal and what it has to offer. The camera has a 28mm lens in its design and it has a pretty nice LCD display so that you can check out all of the footage that you have taken.

Pros:

•    The unit has five times optical zoom, which is pretty good for the price of the camera
•    This camera has 16.1 megapixels in its design allowing you to be able to edit your photos if you chose and have them not turn out pixelated
•    The camera has a 2.7 inch LCD in its design
•    You get a 32 GB memory card in the package deal along with cleaning supplies and a camera carrying case
•    This camera is capable of being able to produce 720p video

Cons:

•    The zoom may not be sufficient if you are trying to capture photos at a distance

Verdict:

If you don’t want to spend a lot on a camera and want something that is relatively cheap and comes with accessories, you may like what this offer contains. The ability to be able to record in 720p is certainly not bad at this price point and with a 16.1 megapixel design it is unlikely that you are going to be disappointed by your up close photos. Definitely a camera to consider if you want to save some money.

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To Conclude:

This article has hopefully given you a better understanding of some of the things that you should be on the lookout for in a camera of your own. Always remember to make sure that you know you are buying from a reputable seller and a reputable company before you purchase. It is never a bad idea to take a read through company warranty to see what you are covered by and it is also never a bad idea to take a look at the return policy in case the product doesn’t turn out to be what you were looking for in a camera. Good luck finding a new point and shoot camera and hope you take some awesome photos!

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