Topic: Opinions on camera to buy

[jasonw]

I want to buy my gf a digital camera for when she goes to Spain.  I want to spend around 2-350.  Suggestions? 

[braweave]

I want to buy my gf a digital camera for when she goes to Spain.  I want to spend around 2-350.  Suggestions? 

cannon SD800

by far the best camera on the market right now.
retail is 399 but it is well worth it (if you check online you might find it cheaper.) If best buy has it on sale in the comming weeks I can let you know as soon as we get our ads (usually on thur or Fri)

7.2 mp camera, one of the only small bodied camera's on the market that has Optical Image Stabilization.

take it from someone who sells cameras everyday, the Cannon SD800 is the best camera on the market.

[Church-Audio]

I want to buy my gf a digital camera for when she goes to Spain.  I want to spend around 2-350.  Suggestions? 

I just purchased a Canon Powershot A530, and I have to say its great. I get about 350 pictures on a 1 gig card and my 2400 mA batteries last about 150 shots! very good for a digital camera. Best of all this thing is small and takes great pictures. I purchased the 1 gig card from Ebay for $9.99 or so + shipping won it on a auction.

Chris

[tfs8271]

Canon

[shaggy]

Canon SD900, got one and am more impressed with each passing week I shoot with it.

It has the abilty to shoot low light at 3200 iso, a bit grainy but you can get the extremely low light shot off without a flash.  It has little noise at 400 iso.  There are many many shooting modes including manual.  0.5 sec lag time when shutter button is pushed, less than 1.5 sec start up lag from off.  Anti-shake and 30fps 680X420 MPG videos.  This is the Cadillac of the Digital Elph series.....

$370 is the lowest list price.  Get a 1GB SD card for this one and it will store 247 shots at the highest resolution.

[Corbin]

Canon A710 IS

[shruggy1987]

i can speak on the Canon SD800 IS...
this camera is THE SHIT (just got it a few weeks ago).

so small, but I'm taking better pictures than I've ever taken.  a little more than $350, you might be a little happier with one of the lower Canon models.  if they are anything like this one, they are sure to amaze.

a friend has a Casio Exilim (more in your price range)...he takes some great shots with it.

ben.   

[jmon]

bought my GF the SD900 for Xmas.... awesome camera.. you can find some good deals if you look around on the comparison sites, also look for web coupons. I got mine from beachcamera.com - they had the cheapest price at the time, and i was very satisfied with the transaction.

One great thing about the 900 - the body is titanium, so it will resist alot of the nicks and scratches from normal use.

[Ryan Sims]

I spent in that range a few months ago for my Canon A610.  It has now come well down in price.  I love it for what it is.  It takes fine shots indoors and outside during the day.  It lacks in night shots, ISO 400 is the highest it gets.  It's a great little camera for pretty much anything except low-light situations. 

Some examples on my very poorly updated Flickr page:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/86994850@N00/

[china_rider]

I also got the canon SD800IS a few weeks ago.  Upgraded from a S400.  It's a great point and shoot camera.  Almost went for the 900 but really wanted the image stabilization.

[BobW]

I'm the lone dissenter, I guess.
I have recently been seriously annoyed by Canon's Camera service center.
And I have sworn to never buy another Canon product based on a lack of reliability and durability, and their poor customer service.

Currently I'm loving Nikon.

In point-n-shoot, I would consider strongly Fuji as well.

[china_rider]

I'm the lone dissenter, I guess.
I have recently been seriously annoyed by Canon's Camera service center.
And I have sworn to never buy another Canon product based on a lack of reliability and durability, and their poor customer service.

Currently I'm loving Nikon.

In point-n-shoot, I would consider strongly Fuji as well.

I guess I'm pretty lucky that I have not had to deal with the Canon service center.  My old S400 was built like a tank.  The new SD800IS also seems to be very well constructed.  I did have a Fuji Finepix before my S400 and I had a horrible experience with their repair center.  The zoom stopped working soon after the 30 day return period.  Sent in the camera several times and they sent it back not fixed.  Finally after the third time they sent me back a different refurbished unit.  Nothing like getting a refurb about 60 days after you paid for a new one.

I've been playing around with the image stabilization in the SD800 alot in the last few days and have decided that is is now a must have for any camera I purchase.  Epically a smaller point and shoot where you have the tendency to move the camera when pressing the button to shoot.    One thing I have found in talking to a friend that is very knowledgeable about cameras is to get one with optical image stabilization.  That way the actual optics are stabilized instead of stabilizing using digital tricks and the CCD. I also borrowed the friends waterproof case for the Canon.  Very cool and good quality.  Just played around in the pool with it a little bit.  It would be a very good accessory for anyone that lives around the beach or plans on vacations where water is involved.

EDIT: PS..... Alot of new models are being announced at the CES electronics show this week.  If you have some time before your GF goes on her trip I bet prices of alot of the current models will go down once the new ones hit the store shelves.

[tiberiusbkirk]

Canon issued a service notice on Batteries for the A530/540

http://www.usa.canon.com/consumer/controller?act=PgComSmModDisplayAct&fcategoryid=218&modelid=13390&keycode=2111&id=28799

[china_rider]

That sucks... But lol... when reading the page I actually laughed out loud.

"We would like to convey the details of this phenomenon"

Phenomenon seems like a very odd word to use for an issue like this.

[jasonw]

Thanks for the reply...I am going to look into that cannon

[greatape]

My sister just bought a Panasonic that quickly won me over.  10X optical zoom and it takes great pictures.

http://www.amazon.com/Panasonic-DMC-TZ1S-Compact-Digital-Stabilized/dp/B000EIVKPW/sr=8-8/qid=1168448877/ref=pd_bbs_sr_8/105-1901692-8399631?ie=UTF8&s=electronics