Learn aboutTouch screens

Short Description

Small Touchscreen

The Canon Powershot S110 is one of the smallest touchscreen cameras available, providing a fun experience and ultimate convenience.

Touchscreen cameras use the rear display as a giant touchable interface instead of dials and buttons, providing the majority of the cameras controls via a visual interface. By removing all the controls and having the display screen use up all the space you tend to get very large displays and because all the controlling is done via the screen the resolution of the screens also tends to be high. Touchscreen's allow you to preview your pictures using gestures (made popular by the iPhone and its brethren) as well as manipulate them (crops, etc.). The major advantage of a touch screen is the touch controls can be re-purposed depending what mode you're in allowing in context options. Touchscreens also permit interactivity with the scene you're shooting offering features like touch to focus. Of course there are many sacrifices with having a touchscreen, the chief one is the loss of manual tactile controls - dedicated dials, wheels and buttons can be useful once you're familiarized with them allowing you to change things on the go without looking - with a touchscreen you have to keep looking at the LCD for visual feedback on what the controls will do. Also the buttons and controls on the screen will tend to be a lot larger to allow for fat fingers and the lack of tactile feedback. Touchscreen's are largely the domain of compact pocket cameras and typically aren't integrated into semi-pro or pro gear.

Touchscreen Landscape

Advantages

• Entire screen space can be used for direct one touch interaction
• Allows touch functions to be changed - providing interesting in-context interactions
• All interaction accomplished via one interface vs knobs, dials and buttons
• Ability to use gestures
• Ability to touch the area you want to focus on
• More sleek due to the lack of buttons
• Ability to provide a visual interface
• High coolness factor

Disadvantages

• Not tactile like buttons
• Buttons can provide direct access to certain functions faster
• Can't be operated blindly
• May not appeal to technology challenged photographers
• Running the LCD for control uses up batteries faster
• Experience more dependant on a strong UI design
• Large bright screen on all the time eats batteries

Best Touchscreen Digital Cameras

The following represent the best touchscreen digicams available.

	Canon PowerShot S110 from $399	Wide aperture f/2.0 24p movies For that film look High ISO 12,800 ISO Learn more about the Canon Powershot S110
	Olympus XZ-2 iHS from $549	Wide aperture f/1.8 High resolution screen 920k dots Flip-out screen Great for movies Learn more about the Olympus XZ-2 iHS
	Panasonic Lumix ZS30 from $399	Great zoom 20x High resolution screen 920k dots Wide angle lens 24 mm Learn more about the Panasonic Lumix ZS30
	Panasonic Lumix ZS20 from $299	Great zoom 20x Wide angle lens 24 mm Touch screen Less buttons Learn more about the Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS20

See more of the top digicams with a touchscreen

Best Touchscreen DSLRs

The following represent the best touchscreen DSLRs available.

	Canon EOS 650D from $580	Touch screen Less buttons High resolution screen 1,040k dots Flip-out screen Great for movies Learn more about the Canon EOS 650D
	Canon Rebel T5i from $749	Touch screen Less buttons High resolution screen 1,040k dots Flip-out screen Great for movies Learn more about the Canon EOS 700D
	Canon Rebel SL1 from $649	Touch screen Less buttons Really small Prosumer size 117x91x69 mm High resolution screen 1,040k dots Learn more about the Canon Rebel SL1
	Canon EOS 70D	Touch screen Less buttons Large screen 3.2" Flip-out screen Great for movies Learn more about the Canon EOS 70D

See more of the top DSLRs with a touchscreen

Discussion