Whether you're a weekend photographer or seasoned professional, Wired's Charlie Sorrel says you should always use your digital camera's RAW setting—no excuses. Sorrel cites increased dynamic range, no in-camera processing of the image, and full reign to adjust the results using all of the pre-compressed, raw data available in the image (hence RAW). The downsides to RAW, on the other hand, include slower capture times, larger files, and lack of support on lower-end consumer cameras. (Then again, if you've got a Canon point-and-shoot, there's a good chance you can add RAW support and other high-end features by installing the easy-to-use Canon Hackers Development Kit.) Wired's recommendation is one thing, but we're curious what mode you regularly shoot in. So we want to know:

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Canon Australia's new IXUS 80 IS digital camera combines aesthetic style with affordability to deliver superior image quality. Advanced technologies to optimise spontaneous capture include Optical Image Stabilizer, Motion Detection Technology and Noise Reduction Technology, which combine to intuitively control blurring.

The IXUS 80 IS features a 2.5-inch PureColor LCD screen, an enhanced DiGIC III image processor that includes in-camera red-eye correction and improved Face Detection with White Balance (WB). Boasting an 8.0-megapixel CCD and 3x Optical Zoom, the IXUS 80 IS ensures image quality in a compact and striking design that's available in Blue, Camel, Pink, Brown and Silver to satisfy every personal preference (RRP $379).

[IXUS 80IS via Canon Australia]

Canon Australia is launching three new IXUS models for the social or travelling photographer. The new IXUS 970 IS, 90 IS and 85 IS exemplify IXUS style and intelligence in compact, stylish camera bodies. The trio combines Optical Image Stabilizer, Motion Detection Technology and Face Detection Technology to control blurring and features an improved DiGIC III image processor.

All three boast a 10-megapixel CCD to allow poster photo prints of up to A2 size. The IXUS 970 IS (RRP: $549) leads the charge with 5x Optical Zoom and includes a Safety Zoom function to avert image degradation when shooting distant subjects. The IXUS 90 IS (RRP: $479) incorporates a chiselled design with a vibrant three-inch Pure Colour LCD display. The final addition, the IXUS 85 IS (RRP: $429) commands portability as the slimmest model in the IXUS series. All three models are available nationally now.

If you're using a consumer grade point-and-shoot Canon digital camera, you've got hardware in hand that can support advanced features way beyond what shipped in the box. With the help of a free, open source project called CHDK, you can get features like RAW shooting mode, live RGB histograms, motion-detection, time-lapse, and even games on your existing camera. Let's transform your point-and-shoot into a super camera just by adding a little special sauce to its firmware.

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Wired's How-To Wiki takes a group-edited look at the digital camera market and how a newcomer (or, more likely at this point, a buyer replacing their first, outdated model) can parse all the features and statistics to come out with a reasonable bargain. Their advice on megapixels, one of the most hyped features on any camera, is pretty reasonable:

Then there is the fact that even a 3.1 MP camera, which is obsolete for non-camphones, can take a perfectly passable 6" by 8" photograph. The current standard for the low end of consumer digital cameras is between 5 and 7 megapixels, allowing flawless 8x10s. Really, when any camera you buy lets you print 8x10s, do more mexapixels matter?

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iPhone only: Camera application Snapture adds advanced features to your iPhone's default picture-taking capabilities, like digital zoom, grey scale, auto-rotation and burst mode. You'll need a jailbroken iPhone to install Snapture (if you haven't already here's the easiest method), and from there you can use Installer.app as usual to load it up. Snapture also adds a handy visual leveller, and makes taking self-portraits easier by making the entire screen tappable (instead of just the shutter button.) Snapture is a free download.

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You might think your consumer-model Canon digital camera can't pull off the kind of fancy shots and tricks that make you stop and look on Flickr—until you unlock your camera's potential with the Canon Hacker's Development Kit. The completely reversible firmware upgrade, available for models running the DIGIC II or DIGIC III platforms, speeds up fast shutter modes (from 1/1,600th of a second to 1/60,000th!), allows for time-lapse photography and other scripted shots, unlimited interval shooting, better HDR pics, and much, much more. Wired's How-To Wiki has a handy guide and introduction to the CHDK, available at the link below. I lack a Canon to try out the CHDK, so let your fellow readers know what you think if you've taken this step already.

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Photo-project site Photojojo offers a simple guide to creating a cheap fisheye lens—the kind that give great skateboarding and sports shots their all-encompassing look—for a digital SLR camera. The only ingredients are a pair of far-sighted glasses (the thicker the lenses, the better) and black electrical tape. You won't have an easily swap-able attachment or a professional wide-angle lens, but you capture some pretty unique angles, as shown in the related Flickr set. Point-and-shoot enthusiasts can get similar results with an $11 wide angle lens.

Computer magazine Maximum PC posts up a helpful guide to finding deals on electronic gifts this shopping season without getting taken advantage of—either by con artists or the retailers themselves. In particular, the magazine recommends staying away entirely from too-good-to-be-true digital camera deals from independent retailers. That's because after you place your order:

Months later, you still haven't received your camera. You call the vendor, and you're given a song and dance about it being back-ordered because of X excuse, (but) would you like to buy the camera bundle with some accessories for $1,700? ... If you fall for the up-sell ... you'll notice that your package bundle includes (only) the battery and charger (which are normally included with the camera for MSRP). If you give up and cancel the order, you've wasted a ton of time, you don't have a camera, and the company has had your $600 for three months.

In part one of this series you kicked your digital SLR camera's auto mode to the curb with the help of program mode. In doing so, you learned to control the flash, the ISO value, and the white balance. Now in part two we're going straight to manual mode to learn about aperture sizes and shutter speeds. So let's do this thing. Put your camera in manual mode by turning the mode dial to the "M" setting as pictured above.

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