Tis the season for group photos. Actually, nix that: Tis the season for documenting every aspect of our lives for posterity...or just for lingering in memory cards and collecting dust in shoeboxes.

For some of us, that means snapping away on a digital camera, while others stand by cheapo disposable film cameras, and still others haul out the old 35mm.

Recently, my FiftyShift mom called me to inquire about digital cameras. She'd noticed a class offered by the local adult education program entitled "How to Use Your Digital Camera," and thought she'd fit right in with other tech neophytes unsure which flash setting is best for an indoor shot or how to upload photos to your computer.

Until, that is, I pointed out that she doesn't actually own a digital camera. Or a computer. (Editor's note: Ms. TwentySomething is a lot like our own daughters, in that she can sometimes cop an attitude that suggests we are all idiots. It's a schtick. Or at least, we think it is. Just indulge her.)

The New York Times' David Pogue always points out the best and brightest in personal tech products, all with a super friendly and accessible tone. Recently, he rounded up a list of the best digital camera's under $300.

Pogue has produced this $300 camera story since 2001, and it's interesting to see how the offerings have differed from year to year. (You can read through an archive of his work on the New York Times' site by but registration is required for some of the older stories.)

And while we could list all of the cameras and their pros and cons for you here, the Times has gone one step further, and created a nifty table that lists all of Pogue's picks and rates them according to his specifications. It's worth printing out and bringing to your nearest electronics store when you head out to shop for a new model.

Consumer Reports also has a list of its picks, but you'll need to subscribe. One month of the online version, consumerreports.org is $5.95 per month, and enables you to search for recommendations on any big ticket item you're considering buying.

--Ms. TwentySomething