Snap judgment: whether you're a vacation chronicle or an amateur Ansel Adams, digital cameras have leaped in power and shrunk in size--here are some great options.

If you're really serious about the digital thing, then it's time to invest in the Canon EOS Digital Rebel XT ($899 for body kit, $999 for kit with lens), the best entry-level single-lens reflex camera out there. Use your existing Canon EOS lenses and prepare to be blown away by the results.

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Now that you've got your camera, it's time to set up the digital darkroom. Start with Canon's Pixma MP760 ($249), a scanner-printer that prints and makes copies of photos directly from your memory card--and even from slides and negatives.

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Everyone sells a camera phone nowadays, but not everyone offers the quality of the VX6100 by LG ($149.99), a 640- by 480-pixel cellular with a 4x zoom, a flash ... and probably some phone stuff too.

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Now that your cell phone fits in your pocket, it's about time your camera did too. The Sony DSC-T33 ($349) is light on manual options and other bells and whistles, but it is very portable. Though tiny, it still gives you a giant LED viewing screen.

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The 30-gigabyte version of Apple's iPod Photo ($349) not only plays your music but now lets you view all your photos on the go. You can even transfer pics directly from your camera to the iPod using a Camera Connecter ($29). Perfect for long vacations when 500 pics just isn't quite enough space.

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