Digital Camera Suggestions

[bretcopsey]

Our APS film camera has outlived it's usefullness, and the DC210 Kodak is quite old as well. I want to get a new digital cmaera, but I am overwhelmed at the chioces. I don't need professional quality, but would like nice clear images. I'm looking for either a list of features to shop for or a specific suggestion on a Brand/model. I also don't really want to spend too much.

[TonyL]

http://www.dpreview.com/

everything you want to know about EVERY digital camera avaliable.

The thing that sucks about the 100-200 dollar camaras is actual picture takeing time.
on my HP, you press a button to take a pic, even in ideal conditions, and it takes 2 to 3 seconds to snap the image. by then, what you wanted to take a pic of has passed.
and thats on "action"..... read the reviews on that site. if I had, I wouldnt have bought the camera I have.

[Jim Nilsen]

Most reviews I have ever read put Olympus on the top for optics for the money spent. In the lower price range you will get the best picture quality with Olympus cameras. The process they use to make the lens is why and it is so inexpensive for them to give you the same lens's use on their higher priced cameras leaving only features as being the main difference according to most of the reviews I have read.

As far as features go these days you can get a whole lot for $200 these days,usually more than you will ever use. Like Tony was saying ,speed is sometimes an issue and pixel size should be less of an issue to speed if that is what you are looking for. Most cameras these days have more than enough pixels to satisfy your needs.

Goodluck deciding and go to a good camera store to look and then shop around for price everywhere. Also buying a camera that is an older model can be both a good thing and a bad thing for price,repairs and service depending on the brand which also puts Olympus further up on top. I also like some of the Canon cameras available.

Jim Nilsen

[MoeBawlz]

I just picked up a Cannon A520... The camera has very good reviews. I love it it does a good job. My only complaint is that the video quality isnt all that great and that the time between pictures is kinda slow as mentioned before. But with the Cannons you can mess with the manual settings to adjust to whatever you want for picutre quality which is nice, most cameras dont have manual settings.

[Bill Howell]

Melinda spent several months analyzing everything out there before she bought the one we currently have. Unlike me, she is not an impulse buyer and will research something to death before she buys one.
However, I have talked her into giving her report on what she learned while comparing everything, so without any further ado, gentlemen, my wife Melinda:

Melinda----> Hello! I bought the Canon Digital Rebel last year when it had been on the market for a while. I like it b/c I can add lenses from the 35mm Canon, filters, flashes, etc. Anyway, I can look like a pro. I am more than pleased with my decision. Then, this year, Canon came out with the Digital Rebel XT. I researched this camera and thought about selling mine and upgrading. Unless you are going to be printing a lot of poster-size pictures, the pixel increase is not needed (for the extra $200). Also, I did not like the smaller, off-balanced feel of the body of the XT. So, I did not feel like I was going to get my $200 worth and saw no need to trade my Rebel for the Rebel XT. Now, the Rebel is $799 w/lense and the XT is $999 w/lense. I am more than pleased with the quality of the pictures that I print from my Digital Rebel. Of course, printer plays a big roll in picture quality, too. And that's another story.

FYI: I decided on the HP Photosmart 8450. (That's the short version!) Oh yeah! I always use Kodak paper. I'm sorty a picky person, huh Frank?

[CDJr]

While were on the subject, if anyone likes getting pics developed, I researched pretty thoroughly since we were having our first child and knew thered be many pics. And the best place by far, online or otherwise, is...... www.winkflash.com Theyre excellent quality, lowest prices by far (even much less than printing them yourself), offer free unlimited storage at their site, and have great customer service. Plus they deliver them to your door, which is nice if youre lazy like me.

[Jim Nilsen]

I have an Olympus D380 and I just tested it without the flash on and I took 4 photos in a bit under 4 seconds. with the flash it takes about 2 sec ea. with new or fresh batteries and it starts to take longer as they wear down. The picture quality is great and if I print on the photo paper I have it will print out pics that are as good as any photo printer to my eye.

You can now get a much better model from Olympus for around $200.

Jim Nilsen

[ProdigyCustoms]

I just got a pocket size Sony that is a bad little sucker. 5 mg shots, big view window, rechargeable and holds a charge forever, and cheap right now at $300. They were $550 a few months ago, but are being replaced with a newer model.

http://www.pricescan.com/digiphoto/items/item154912.asp?sid=O5104887&ovmkt=L3455FNQF7QGED7JM9R6QP0VP4

I got mine at Ritz for $299

[FSTFBDY]

I like my Sony DSC-V1 but I want a digital Rebal next.

[Gorilla]

It's also a good idea to keep print quality in mind. A good starting place is a 3 mp camera if you are going to print 4x6 or 5x7 photos. A 3 mp will do an 8x10, but if that same photo was taken with a 4 mp you would see the difference in the fine details. If you want to be able to do a decent amount of cropping and zooming of the photo after it is uploaded into your computer then you should get a 5 mp or higher in my opinion.

[bretcopsey]

Thanks for the suggeestions guys. The mian use of the camera will be for everyday snapshot type photos of the kids etc. My wife has gotten into scrapbooking so the pictures do need to turn out decently. My plan is to buy a decent camera, something hopefuly around $200, and have the images "developed" by a photo lab-rather than buy a new printer. You have given me a good place to start!

[wantahertzdonut]

I have a Pentax Optio 5Si, it's a 5 megapixel camera with full video (with audio) and 20 picture functions. I got it with a 512 Mb card from Amazon.com for $334 total. It takes pretty good pictures with high resolution.

The real reason I got it is the camera is so small, that it fits inside an Altoids box (which happens to be my camera case). I carry the camera everywhere, and I can forget about it until I need it.