I think it's interesting that the camera used to take a snapshot in the film "2001: A Space Odyssey" plays a pivotal role in the story. In the Tyco crater sequence, when the astronauts pose for a picture in front of the monolith, the photographer's flash appears to trigger the blast of sound that ultimately directs the expedition of Dave, Brad, and HAL toward Jupiter's moons.

You've got to assume that it's a digital camera this intrepid moon-based photographer is using for this shot. And why not? One of the major and obvious advantages of using digital cameras over their film-based siblings is that these cameras don't require film or photo-chemical processing, thereby eliminating any release of harsh chemicals into the moon's ecosystem. Even back here on Earth, after creating images with a digital camera, you can download them into a computer where they can be manipulated, sent over the Internet, or incorporated into a print or Web-based project. One class of video-centric digital cameras lets you show your freshly-made pictures on any television set with camcorder input jacks.

Classes of digital cameras

Digital cameras fall into three general categories: point-and-shoot, field, and studio cameras or backs. The first group is the digital equivalent of the ubiquitous, compact 35mm cameras that are popular wherever ease of use and low cost are important. Digital point-and-shoot cameras are used for business purposes but, just as often, are used by amateur photographers to take family and travel photographs. When combined with online image-sharing sites such as Zing, these cameras do a great job of letting family members share photos from special moments, such as birthdays, weddings, and graduations--no matter where they're located.

The second group is composed of professional-quality digital field cameras, some of which are based on conventional single-lens reflex 35mm camera bodies from companies like Nikon and Canon. Because some digital field cameras use the same lenses as conventional, film-based cameras, they can easily be integrated into an existing camera system, making digital field cameras a popular choice for photojournalists or on-location photographers working on tight deadlines.

The ultimate in image quality comes from expensive digital studio cameras and backs that deliver film-like resolution needed for advertising, large prints, and catalog work. These high-resolution cameras often have five-figure price tags that make them unavailable for casual shooters; but the same downward price pressure that affects point-and-shoot cameras (and even field cameras) is sure to affect studio cameras and backs. The only question is when. For the time being, we will avoid these cameras in our reviews--at least until they become affordable.

Which digital camera should I buy?

This is a question I'm often asked by friends, colleagues, and readers. The criteria I used to evaluate and rank the digital cameras that I have tested all year are based on the same characteristics that any good camera--digital or otherwise--should have, including lens quality and ergonomics. But digicams have unique characteristics that need to be evaluated as well. Image quality was high on my list because a camera's main function is to create photographs. But there's more to it than output resolution. The entire imaging path--including lens, chip, and internal software--combine to produce the final photograph.

The amount of compression was also considered. Less compression yields the best-quality images, and no compression is even better. Less compression also means fewer images can be stored, but for anyone interested in image quality, storage is less important. Digital media can be removed and replaced, just like a roll of conventional film. These days, most cameras use CompactFlash or SmartMedia cards. Sony's floppy disk-based camera uses an innovative design, but is ultimately limited by the media's capacity, which may be why the company introduced the innovative but proprietary Memory Stick.

An LCD preview panel is indispensable for evaluating images, and all the cameras on the list have one as standard equipment. Since most of these cameras have optical viewfinders, you can use the LCD panel as an image-management tool. Not every image you shoot is a keeper, so you can extend the camera's storage capacity by reviewing and erasing any that are not up to your standards. Since you only keep the ones you like best, the storage capacity is effectively multiplied many times.

Ergonomics was an important part of my evaluation, because how a camera looks and how much its controls function like a film-based camera minimizes the learning curve.

Last, in order for a digital camera to appear in this list, I must have actually used it for an extended time. Some manufacturers would have liked me to consider their cameras based only on the specifications and limited use at a trade show instead of a real-world test. Each and every camera listed here was used extensively to capture images under the same conditions you might use it.

Of all of the digital cameras that I tested this year, these are the ones that stand out from the rest and are presented in reverse order of preference, with the best appearing last. Regardless of their placement in the top camera listing, all of these cameras are winners because they all passed my real-world testing.

9. Minolta Dimage 2300

Not everyone is a professional photographer, and most people just want to take family snapshots and vacation pictures. The Minolta Dimage 2300 fits this description because it's so easy to use. Its lens is the 35mm equivalent of 38mm, and the camera is small and lightweight. With its smooth-edged styling, it fits in your pocket without snagging, and the camera case with belt loop is a nice touch.

You can use the camera's optical viewfinder for most photographic situations or the LCD screen for more precise compositions. The camera has controls for automatic white balancing of exposure in daylight and fluorescent or tungsten lighting. It also has three sharpness and two ISO settings, but I found the default settings to be good enough for most of my images.

The Dimage 2300's 2.3 million-pixel CCD produces a resolution of 1,792-by-1,200 pixels with image-quality modes of Super Fine, Fine, Standard, or Economy. Saving a Super Fine image as a 6.2MB TIFF file takes more than 40 seconds, and also means that only one picture can be stored on the bundled 8MB Compact Flash card. I tended to use the Fine setting. Not only is capture time better (five seconds instead of 40), but with a JPEG file size less than 900K, you can store nine pictures on the same CF card.

Downloading images is quick with the supplied USB cable. Software installation is smooth and MGI PhotoSuite SE is included. While I enjoyed taking pictures with the Dimage 2300, I missed having a zoom lens.

8. Toshiba PDR-M5

The Toshiba PDR-M5 seems designed for snapshooters. The funky styling may not appeal to all tastes, but in real-world use, the shape of the PDR-M5 forces the user to hold it properly, which keeps your fingers from obscuring the auto-focus and metering sensors. There are fewer buttons and controls on this camera than some of the others mentioned here, but plenty of information can be found on the LCD screen, including image mode, picture number, time, flash status, and close-up information. Image quality is easily selected, as is the flash mode, which includes red-eye reduction. All this and a self-timer are controlled from three buttons next to the optical viewfinder.

The PDR-M5 also has a viewfinder diopter adjustment, but the auto-focus on the review unit seemed jerky and took longer than I expected, resulting in a considerable delay between pressing the shutter release and actual image capture. To be fair, this particular PDR-M5 had been used before, so the sticky shutter release and jerky focus problems might not appear on a new camera.

The Toshiba uses a lithium-ion battery that lasts longer than the digicam norm; expect 110 shots with the LCD on, and about 165 with it off. This estimate includes use of the built-in flash. With only eight pictures at the highest resolution, the bundled 8MB memory card seems a little stingy. Creating short movies is easy but there's no sound. I liked the 40-120 (35mm equivalency) lens. With its video-clip capability, the Toshiba PDR-M5 was a fun camera to use.

7. Agfa ePhoto CL50

Agfa's ePhoto CL50 has an optical resolution of 1.3 megapixels (1,280-by-960), but produces image quality that rivals many 2 megapixel cameras. The bundled PhotoGenie software increases the raw pixel count to 1.9 million. Some digital camera makers call this "interpolation," and although I normally prefer to judge digicams by their "raw" optical resolution, the results were impressive. The ePhoto CL50 has a slightly curved shape, offering a comfortable handhold that enhances smooth operation.

Zoom (34-102mm equivalent) and auto-focus are smooth, and the overall build quality is high. Although simple to operate, enough controls are available to customize capture settings, and they're intuitive to use.

The ePhoto CL50 has a couple of features I really like. The spring-loaded lens collapses if it's touched, accidentally pushed, or if somebody sets the camera down on its front element. When a cover above the LCD screen is opened, the SunCatcher prism catches sunlight and directs it behind the screen. Closing the cover also turns off the power to the LCD, which saves batteries. For a short time after each shot is taken, the LCD screen gives the option of erasing the picture or letting it continue saving to the SmartMedia card.

The ePhoto CL50 lacks a USB port, and the built-in serial port seems like a step backward, but the Agfa ePhoto CL50 is a good midrange camera with quality construction and images to match.

6. Epson PhotoPC 850Z

With a resolution of 2.1 megapixels, the Epson PhotoPC 850Z will satisfy many computer users. It fits comfortably in my average-sized hands, but although the zoom lever is easy to use, there's a hesitancy that's distracting. The 3X optical zoom offers a 35mm equivalent of 35-105mm and a 2X digital zoom when longer reach is needed.

Options include "Superfine" mode, which produces a low-compression, 1,600-by-1,200 image. Epson's HyPict technology produces an image measuring 1,984-by-1,488 pixels, interpolated inside the camera before JPEG compression. The PhotoPC 850Z's controls allow you to adjust the ISO setting to 100, 200, or 400, as well as capture images in monochrome. A tiny microphone lets you add audio notations, and a speaker plays back what's recorded. Images made indoors with the built-in flash exhibited a slight cyan bias, but this was easily corrected with Photoshop.

When you need more power than the built-in flash provides, there's a hot shoe for accessory flash units. In addition to automatic exposure, the 850Z provides manual control of aperture and shutter speed. The lens is threaded to accept supplementary lenses, and has a built-in lens cap that closes when the camera is shut down. The 2-inch LCD preview panel has a solar-assist feature that saves batteries by having the sun illuminate the screen outdoors.

The bundled 8MB CompactFlash card stores from 10 to 120 images. You can download images from a USB connection using Epson's software as a standalone application or TWAIN module. The PhotoPC 850Z is compatible with Mac OS and Windows, and with selected Epson inkjet printers you can print images directly from the camera.

5. Kodak DC290

For a long time, Kodak has produced digital cameras that looked like everything but cameras. With the DC290, Kodak has combined a great-looking design whose two-megapixel resolution (1,792-by-1,200) delivers enough detail for high quality 8-by-10-inch prints. Its interpolated Ultra resolution mode produces 3.3 megapixel files that let you make larger output.

Its lens is a 38-115 mm (35mm equivalent) and there's a 2X digital zoom, when you need that extra reach. The DC290 has an optical viewfinder with a 2.0-inch LCD for review and preview. An auto-orientation sensor automatically rotates image right-side up on the Preview Screen.

The DC290 uses CompactFlash storage media, and offers USB support for direct downloads from the camera. It also combines burst mode (for semimotor drive capabilities) along with audio-recording and time-lapse functionality. The camera weighs 15.1 ounces without batteries and works with Mac OS and Windows computers.

The camera's Digita operating system lets you control everything from adding text and sound to color balance and contrast inside the camera. At the Seybold 2000 conference, FlashPoint showed an application that would let you upload images directly to the Internet when the DC290 is connected to a cellular phone. With its superb ergonomics and availability of an uncompressed TIFF caption, the only thing keeping this great camera out of a higher slot is its 2.1-megapixel image capture.

4. Toshiba PDR-M70

With any camera, I look for a certain feel. The Toshiba PDR-M70 has it. Right out of the box I found it easy to handle and use for taking snapshots. The PDR-M70 has a brushed aluminum body with the main selector knob, shutter release, and zoom control located for natural use by thumb and index finger. Frequent changes in shooting preferences are controlled by buttons located on top. The diopter adjustment is a welcome feature, and the time is always displayed in the upper LCD. There are real camera-strap lugs plus a standard PC (Prontor-Compur) flash connector for connecting a studio-type flash to supplement the one that's built-in.

When reviewing pictures, the Info button let you see resolution, picture quality (fine-normal-basic), shutter speed, aperture, ISO, strobe, and file size. With its 3.37-megapixel CCD, the PDR-M70 produced great-looking images with acceptable quality at higher compression levels, but sometimes colors varied from those in the actual scene. At Best (2,048-by-1,536) setting, the PDR-M70 places 13 pictures on a 16MB SmartMedia card and up to 165 pictures at the Basic setting. The camera ships with a Lithium-Ion battery and downloading images is fast via the USB port. A video cable is provided, allowing computer users to view their pictures on a TV set. The bundled software (Image Expert and a download manager called Camio) are adequate. The Toshiba PDR-M70 is easy to use, capable, and with a street price around $700, it is a keeper.

3. Fuji FinePix 4700 zoom

The Fuji FinePix 4700 is impressive. Its compact size means I can take this camera everywhere, and the metal shell is sturdy and looks good at the same time. I was able to quickly move through the camera's menus to adjust flash modes, picture quality, exposures, and personal preferences. This little camera has controls for ISO settings (200, 400, and 800), flash output power, bracketing, spot, average, and multi-exposure metering, and manual or auto focus.

While looking through the viewfinder, placement of the zoom buttons necessitates using the 2-inch LCD monitor when composing. The FinePix 4700 uses Fuji's Super CCD sensor, which creates a 4.3 million-pixel file interpolated from a 2.4 million-pixel sensor. The results are exceptional, and will meet any amateur's and probably some professionals' expectations.

Three levels of compression and three file sizes give nine modes from which to choose, from 2,400-by-1,800 to 640-by-480 pixels. Because the card allows only nine shots at the highest resolution, I settled on 1,280-by-960 for most of my shooting. With a 16MB card, the FinePix makes good-quality video clips with sound up to 90 seconds. Printing from Photoshop, I found picture quality held up to enlargement sizes that exceeded anything most computer users would normally print. Adobe PhotoDeluxe Home Edition is the software bundled with the camera.

2. Olympus C-2500L

Olympus's C-2500L bears more than a passing resemblance to the company's IS-3 Deluxe single-lens reflex 35mm film camera. That influence is carried over to its operational aspects as well; the C-2500L features full manual controls as well as Programmed and Aperture Priority Automatic.

The C-2500L sports a 3X zoom lens with a 35mm equivalency of 36-110mm. The lens accepts supplementary lens attachments, including a wide-angle converter and telephoto. Other features borrowed from traditional 35mm cameras include an auto-focus illuminator to help the camera focus under low-light conditions.

The viewfinder features built-in diopter correction and indicates both focusing and spot-metering areas. A 1.8-inch LCD screen is available for image composition, preview, and editing. The camera has a built-in flash and offers a hot shoe that accepts the optional and useful FL-40 dedicated flash unit designed specifically for digital photography.

The camera produces images with a 4-by-5-inch aspect ratio at a maximum resolution of 1,712-by-1,386, either as an uncompressed TIFF or JPEG file. The compressed High Quality image measures only 543K, but the image quality is still impressive. The quality of images I shot in SHQ mode delivered field camera-like results.

The C-2500L is the first camera to use a dual SmartMedia/CompactFlash media slot design. Images can be stored on either media and even copied from SmartMedia to CompactFlash for archiving or sharing. The original price of the C-2500L pushes our sub-$1,000 limit, but it's the only SLR in the bunch, and it ships with a 32MB SmartMedia card, four NiMH batteries, and a recharger.

1. Nikon CoolPix 990

Weighing slightly more than 13 ounces, the Nikon CoolPix 990 has a substantial feel. At 5.9-by-3.1-by-1.5 inches, it's not small, but users with smaller hands found the ergonomics just as delightful as I did. The 990's controls are readily accessible. Buttons (not menu choices) on the 1.8-inch LCD screen control image quality and flash mode.

All this means nothing, however, without great image quality, and the 990 delivers. With a 3.34-megapixel sensor, the Nikon offers three image-quality modes: Basic (640-by-480), Normal (1,024-by-768), and Fine (2,048-by-1,536). While image quality in Fine mode is superb, I was able to make excellent 11-by-14-inch ink-jet prints from the 1,024-by-768-pixel files.

Nikon includes a set of four alkaline AA batteries, but after shooting through most of the USB-enabled 16MB CompactFlash card bundled with the camera, the batteries were toast.

The zoom works via buttons right at thumb level. The lens offers the 35mm equivalent of a 38-115mm lens, and there are optional fish-eye, wide-angle, and telephoto lenses available from Nikon. The lens, optical viewfinder, and flash swivels in the manner of Agfa's original ePhoto design.

The built-in flash is more than adequate for snapshot use, and it has a flash synchronization terminal that lets you use a number of Nikon's flash units. The CoolPix 990 offers four metering methods: Matrix, Center-Weighted, Spot, and Spot AF Area. All of these produced well-exposed images, but having been delighted with the Matrix metering in Nikon's film cameras, that was my choice for most lighting conditions.

Impressive image quality wrapped around a solid body design make the Nikon CoolPix 990 my top pick for 2000.

Contributing Editor Joe Farace has published more than 20 books on the subjects of photography and digital imaging.