3. Canon EOS Digital Rebel T1i

• EOS Rebel T1i Black...
• • US1Camera
  • $699.00
• • STAPLES
  • $799.99
• • Abe's of Maine
  • $729.00
• • Newegg.com
  • $719.00
• • 42nd Street Photo
  • $719.99

$899.99

Many new fathers feel pressure to document the early days of their offspring’s life in stunning photo and video glory. For these important moments, dad might want to step up his game and get a little bit more serious about his picture-taking. To turn casual-looking point-and-shoot snaps into polished, beautiful memories, we recommend a starter DSLR camera like Canon’s EOS Rebel T1i, which has 15.1 megapixels and a new processor.

 If dad has a large enough SD card (those run in capacities up to 32GB of flash these days), he will also be able to capture HD video via the T1i, which is one of the cheapest cameras on the market to shoot 1080p HD video. Keep in mind that at 1080p, the camera will only shoot 20 frames per second, but at 720p resolution, the camera will manage 30 frames per second. An HDMI port on the camera will put these home videos and photos on the living room plasma before mom has a chance to say, “Change the diaper!”

The T1i comes with a “kit lens” (EF-S18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS) for $899.99, but if dad already has a compatible Canon lens, he can save $100 to get this model without a lens. The back of the camera boasts a bright 3-inch LCD screen for navigating menus, viewing your video, and checking out your still shots.

This camera, naturally, has many more settings and features than a dad whose been using a point-and-shoot would be familiar with. But if dad is motivated to take great pictures, we think he’ll be able to tame this serious camera one feature at a time.