(MONEY Magazine) – Digital cameras

Like computers a few years ago, digital cameras are constantly getting more powerful and less expensive. But don't let that stop you from buying one now: Prices have come down so far that you can easily find a $400 camera that will meet all your needs for years to come. Besides, folks who waited for the holidays last year found digital cameras in short supply. Below are recommendations for three cameras--at three different skill levels--that I guarantee will not be obsolete by the time you get them home.

Beginner I've loved all of Kodak's EasyShare cameras, and the DX4900 ($399) is my current favorite. What makes the Kodak line so great is the optional dock ($75) that recharges the camera's battery and syncs the camera with your PC. The DX4900 is a four-megapixel camera--which means that it has enough resolution to produce crisp eight-inch-by-10-inch prints--but advanced users may feel hamstrung by its 2x optical zoom, the equivalent of a 35mm-to-70mm lens. Just the same, it's ideal for digital newbies.

Advanced The four-megapixel Canon PowerShot G2 is great for experienced photographers. Its 12 modes include portrait and landscape, plus a pan focus for moving subjects. The 3x optical zoom works like a 35mm-to-102mm lens. A cool feature called Stitch Assist links photos to create panoramas. My only qualm: the G2 weighs nearly a pound. It lists for $1,000, but you can find it online for $700.

Near-professional The five-megapixel Olympus E-20N does virtually anything a traditional 35mm SLR does. It has adjustable f-stops and aperture settings and can shoot 2.5 to seven frames a second. Its built-in flash reads light levels, synchronizes with slow shutter speeds and reduces red eye. And it has a 4x, 35mm-to-140mm zoom. The drawback: You can't swap lenses--this one's fixed--although you can spend $650 more to buy an extension that takes it to 420mm or $250 to get a wide-angle adapter that gives you 28mm. The E-20N lists for $1,999 but is available online for $1,300.

Printer

One of the beauties of shooting digital photos is that you can actually choose the ones you want to print--no more hoping to find one or two good pictures on a 24-shot roll of film. You will, however, need a high-quality photo printer to get the full benefit.

Enter the Epson Stylus Photo 825 ($199). Besides great prints, the 825 offers the option of printing without a PC--just pop your camera's storage card right into the printer. An optional $79 monitor lets you preview the job. The 825 even lets you print border-less prints for postcards or panoramas. Epson's Durabrite inks are sharp and clear even on plain paper. And Epson claims that they're light-resistant for up to 70 years, about the same as a traditional photo.

Storage

High-resolution cameras require high-capacity storage that, for now, comes at a high price. Shooting at the top resolution available with a five-megapixel camera, you can fill a 64MB CompactFlash card with just eight pictures. Storage companies such as SanDisk now sell CompactFlash cards that hold a full 1GB of data. Slip one into your camera and you can take nearly 100 shots before running out of room. But this generous capacity will cost you as much as a good camera: the 1GB card goes for $650.