Gizmo geeks, it’s time to get packing

Gone are the days when a simple film camera was the only electronic device most travelers took along on vacation. These days a plethora of high-tech gizmos promises instant entertainment and sophisticated ways to capture and replay memories.

The stuff is seductive, but beware because technology has its drawbacks: the specter of hauling around chargers, adapters or sufficient batteries and worries about theft or damage. Then there’s the philosophical dilemma of whether you can really get away from it all if you’re carrying so much of it with you.

If you’re still game, here are recommendations for some of the best in portable electronics:

Digital cameras

Do you want a camera you can carry in your pocket or a bigger, full-featured one with interchangeable lenses and more bells and whistles? Go for the widest range of zoom capabilities, at least 3-megapixel resolution (more for enlargements of more than 4 by 6 inches), a slot for high-capacity digital film cards, a built-in flash for red eye and shadow reduction and, if possible, a hot shoe for a powerful external flash.

* Basic: Canon PowerShot A75. $299. This 3.2-megapixel compact camera has a large, sharp 1.8-inch LCD monitor, a flash and a zoom lens that goes from 35mm to 105mm. Twelve shooting modes offer preset parameters for common shooting situations -- such as portraits, landscapes, night scenes and sports -- and manual options. Burst mode clicks off 11 frames in six seconds. A print/share button makes printing directly to a photo printer easy, or print from a CompactFlash card. Runs on AA batteries.

Size: 4 by 2.5 inches by 1.2 inches deep; 7 ounces. Information: (800) OK-CANON (652-2666), usa.canon.com.

* Midrange: Olympus C-5060. $600. This 5.1-megapixel camera offers one of the widest-ranging lenses available in a compact -- 27mm to 110 mm -- as well as a built-in flash and capability for add-on lenses and an external dedicated flash. It’s also one of the fastest compacts. A multi-position, 1.8-inch LCD screen swivels in several directions to capture shots at different angles. Special software allows users to stitch together up to 10 frames for panoramic shots. You can even get an optional underwater housing that’s watertight down to 130 feet. Dual media slots accommodate CompactFlash cards or Olympus xD-Picture cards.

Size: 4.6 by 3.4 inches by 2.6 inches deep; 15 ounces. Infor- mation: (888) 553-4448, www.olympusamerica.com.

* Splurge: Nikon D70. $1,350. Includes Nikkor 18-70mm f/3.5-4.5 lens; $1,000 without lens. Nikon’s newest entry-level digital SLR has 6.1 megapixels and 1.8-inch LCD screen and has most of the pro capabilities of Nikon’s more expensive pro models. It’s compatible with AF Nikkor lenses, from a 10.5mm fisheye to a 600mm zoom. Pluses are the built-in pop-up flash (not available on the pro Nikon models) and a hot shoe for an additional flash. The D70 is fast -- it can capture three frames per second. Choose manual, automatic settings or a combination. Comes with a rechargeable battery and charger. Media: CompactFlash card.

Size (without lens): 5.5 by 4.4 inches by 3 inches deep; 32 ounces. Information: (800) 645-6687, www.nikonusa.com.

Digital camcorders

How big is too big? Look for image stabilization, a long battery life and convenient controls. The camcorders below use mini-DV tapes, the most popular medium on the market.

* Basic: Sony Handycam DCR-HC20. $400. The Karl Zeiss lens has 10X optical zoom. Image stabilization and infrared lighting functions provide excellent picture quality. The 2.5-inch swivel-touch LCD screen is a cool feature that’s easy to master.

Size: 2 by 4.5 inches by 3.5 inches deep; 13 ounces. Information: (877) 865-SONY (865-7669), www.sonystyle.com.

* Midrange: Canon Optura 40. $999. Besides mini-DV video media, the Optura 40 also captures 2.2-megapixel stills to an SD memory card and can record video for Web use. There’s a 12X zoom lens, built-in flash for low-light situations and special shooting programs for sand and snow, sports and night scenes. The 2.5-inch LCD screen allows you to monitor audio levels on the screen while shooting.

Size: 3 by 5.3 inches by 3.2 inches deep; 20.6 ounces. Information: (800) OK-CANON (652-2666), usa.canon.com.

* Splurge: Panasonic AG-DVC30. $2,595. The DVC30 packs features usually found only in larger, higher-priced professional models. Images are captured on three quarter-inch charge coupled devices, or CCDs. The Leica lens has a 16X zoom range and solid optical stabilization. The big 3.5-inch LCD display is sharp and bright, and the stereo microphone system captures sound crisply. There’s an impressive selection of image controls -- programmed and manual. There are three modes of Infrared Super Night shooting and extensive digital zoom options.

Size: 10 by 4.3 inches by 4.6 inches deep; 2.3 pounds. Information: (800) PANA (211-7262), www.panasonic.com.

Portable DVD players

Ask yourself whether the player is loud enough for listening without headphones. Some models have dual jacks for two people on headphones. Look for “resume” mode, so you can pick up where you left off if you stop the player. Will the battery last through an entire movie?

* Basic: Audiovox D1500A. $152. Excellent bang for the buck. The 5-inch LCD screen has 4:3 widescreen aspect ratio. Rechargeable batteries provide up to three hours of playback time. It plays DVD, CD and MP3 formats, has two headphone jacks and offers text display, multi- angle viewing and picture zoom. Includes remote control, AC wall and car cigarette lighter adapters.

Size: 8 by 6 inches by 2 inches deep; 3 pounds. (800) 229-1235, www.audiovox.com.

* Midrange: Microtek FunView S350. $250. At first glance, the S350 looks like a traditional portable CD player in size and shape. Then you notice the 3.5-inch screen and realize it’s also a DVD player. It comes with a built-in foldout stand for upright viewing and plays 2 1/2 hours on a single charge of the rechargeable battery pack. Also plays MP3s. Includes remote control, earphones, AV cable and AC and cigarette lighter adapters.

Size: 6.3 by 6 inches by 1.8 inches deep; 1.57 pounds. Information: (310) 687-5800, www.microtek.com.

* Splurge: Panasonic-LS55. $500. This has cool features that make it worth the price: The 7-inch diagonal LCD monitor pivots over the base for different viewing angles, and it has up to 10 hours of viewing time on one charge of the rechargeable battery (few portable DVDs do better than three hours) and a built-in FM transmitter that lets a car’s stereo speakers play back audio from the DVD once you tune the car’s radio to the right frequency. It also plays MP3s, CDs and CD-R/RW discs. The player has dual headphone jacks, a built-in Dolby digital surround sound decoder, and it comes with a remote control, AV cable and AC adapter but no car adapter.

Size: 7.5 by 6.5 inches by 1.3 inches deep; 22.8 ounces. Information: (800) 211-PANA (211-7262), www.panasonic.com.

MP3 players

Consider how much memory you’ll need. Pay attention to battery life, the range of formats that can be recorded and played, and ease of use.

* Basic: iRiver IFP-790. $150. Featherweight tubular cherry-red flash-memory player has a friendly icon-driven interface, good sound quality, 256 megabytes of memory and 34 hours of battery life on one AA battery. There’s a microphone and FM radio, and a line-in jack and cable for recording outside content. Plays MP3, Windows Media Audio (WMA) and other formats. Other pluses are a fast USB2 port and alarm clock.

Size: 3.4 by 1.3 inches by 1 inch; 1.3 ounces; (800) 399-1799, www.iriveramerica.com.

* Midrange: Apple iPod Mini. $249. All the best features of the bestselling iPod squeezed into a tiny case. A 4-gigabyte memory is enough for most folks (though bigger iPods now have up to 60 GBs). Innovative click wheel controls, great signal quality, 10 hours of playback time and five colors to choose from. Plays MP3, Apple Lossless and other formats. There’s no FM radio or microphone, but you get calendar applications, text display, an alarm clock and games, and USB2 and firewire interfaces.

Size: 2 by 3.6 inches by 1/2 -inch deep; 3.6 ounces. Information: (800) 692-7753, www.apple.com.

* Splurge: Oceanic H2O Audio Underwater DV512. $479. No reason to stop the music just because you’re underwater. You can create up to 512 megabytes of your own sound for your next scuba dive (down to 200 feet). Plays up to 16 hours of MP3 and WMA music files, and includes an FM tuner and voice recorder with stereo input. The player has a waterproof casing with large external controls. Two-inch-diameter waterproof ear buds clip to a mask strap or sit inside your dive hood. A speaker-amplifier with 9-volt battery attaches to the dive mask.

Size: 8 by 2.5 inches by 2.5 inches deep; 20 ounces. Information: (858) 623-0339, www.h2oaudio.com.

Judi Dash writes the monthly Gear & Gadgets column.