Hybrid cars that combine gas and battery power are hot. So are smartphones that meld the functions of phones and computers. How about hybrid cameras combining point-and-click simplicity with the quality of more advanced photography?

"This year, a new trend -- hybrid cameras that fall somewhere between a small compact and a big Single Lens Reflex (SLR) -- is building steam," CBC News reported earlier this month. "The result is a healthy competition for the growing market of people who want more performance and control from their cameras, but who don't want the bulk, complexity, or cost of a full SLR."

Olympus and Panasonic (NYSE: PC) pioneered the technology a few years ago. CBC reviewed models from these two companies, Sony (NYSE: SNE), and Samsung

CBC News in May reported this comment from Ed Lee, an analyst at InfoTrends: "Sony is a good strong brand, and they should certainly bring more legitimacy to this market, and they'll definitely bring a lot of marketing dollars to this category." InfoTrends said the cameras had failed to gain traction in North America.

On the Digital Versus site, a Canon (NYSE: CAJ) spokesperson is quoted as saying the hybrids are "a product dreamed up by manufacturers, rather than a product designed to meet consumer needs."

Obviously, companies have agendas when they promote or disparage a new kind of product. To judge what these spokespeople are saying, investors can start with their own experience as amateur photographers. What do you want in a camera, and are you willing to pay for it? Talk with friends and family. Read product reviews by independent sources.

Help your fellow Fools by letting us know in the comments section below how you go about weighing comments made by company representatives.