Topic: Digital Camera suggestions needed

[gewwang]

I have to get my wife a new digital camera tomorrow because I almost forgot our anniversary is Saturday. We've been using a Canon Powershot S50 for 2 years and she keeps complaining that it's too slow and alot of our shots turn out blurry. So I know a new camera will probably help soften the blow when I get some new toys in a couple months

Anyone have a model they can recommend?

[creekfreak]

You wanna stick with your typical digi camera? Or maybe go the Digital SLR route...which aren't slow and take killer pictures....I love my Canon Digital Rebel SLR

[gewwang]

Yeah, the typical compact digital camera that uses a compact flash card and USB output. My wife is the primary user so it has to be small enough for her purse.

[creekfreak]

For more portable digi cameras I have had excellent luck with my Olympus C-50 which is outdated now.

Canon is excellent, and kodak makes some real nice cameras also.

[gewwang]

george what's your budget?

Looking to spend about $500. I'm pretty much limited to Best Buy tomorrow since I only have one day to shop. Although, they've got a bunch of cameras 10% off online and I don't think they honor the online deals in the store so I might order one online and just email the link to my wife on Sat so she knows I didn't forget completely.

I like the Canon we have except for the slowness issue, never get any good in-action shots, just blurry pictures when I try. The Olympus looks interesting. We had nice results with our last non-digi camera which was an Olympus too.

[Josephine]

I have an Olympus and love it.

[Just Taper Mark from NC]

I like my nikon 4200 as far as small easy digi cams go,has lots of options
and does a nice job,maybe when I get out from under home repairs i'll
get an slr but I can dream until then.

[Andi]

I have to say that i love my Canon A80...Check out the pics here: http://taperssection.com/index.php?topic=44853.0

The Canon A95 is the new version of the camera that i have and it adds lots of nice features.  One cool thing that i like is the fact that it takes AA batts.  The last time I took it out, the batteries ran dead. No problem.  You can find AA anywhere as opposed to having to recharge a Lith Ion. What if you can't find and AC outet or electrical source, this is not a worry if your camera uses a universal battery source.  There are a few other A80, A75 and A95 users on the board that will tell you that they love there Canon as well.

so with that said.....CANON A95 or even better the brand new Canon S2 is incredible and would still fit within your budget.  This cameras have all types of pre shooting subject modes and Manual Options to give your creativity a work out.

[BCostigan]

Canon G6.  I'd love to pick one of these up for a point and shoot.....guess I'll have to use my 20D instead till then.

[rhett]

i just bought the new canon 5 MP power shot, 12x optical zoom, lots of nice features.  It is still a digital and the SLRs are nicer, but this is relatievly compact......

[George]

check out www.dpreview.com

They feature in-depth reviews and test shots with each camera they review so you can get an idea of how good the picture quality is.

[Kevin McF]

i have an pentax optio S40 and i love it

kev

[gewwang]

I have to say that i love my Canon A80...Check out the pics here: http://taperssection.com/index.php?topic=44853.0

Stunning pics. +T's around

[rocksuitcase]

Gewang,
Olympus makes some amazing cameras in your price range.  I own a C-740 camedia which was a gift but sold for about $499 two years ago.  the main thing I like  is that it has a 10X optical zoom.  It has a  lot of ramge but doesn't go higher than 400 ISO.  My buddy owns an Olympus as well and really likes it.  IMO, megapixels are not as important as high optical zoom.

[dmonterisi]

Gewang,
Olympus makes some amazing cameras in your price range.  I own a C-740 camedia which was a gift but sold for about $499 two years ago.  the main thing I like  is that it has a 10X optical zoom.  It has a  lot of ramge but doesn't go higher than 400 ISO.  My buddy owns an Olympus as well and really likes it.  IMO, megapixels are not as important as high optical zoom.

i generally agree that optical zoom is a very important factor, but i personally would not buy a camera with less than 4 mpix these days and would shoot higher.  additional resolution gives you better detail and if you want to do some cropping in post, you get extra room to do so.  I personally like canon's digital cameras, I'm on my 4th (digital elph, digirebel, 10d and now 20d).  the canon Digic processing chip is excellent.  if you can get one with the Digic II chip you are doing well.

this looks like your best choice at $500, but may be a little big:

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp;jsessionid=DITM2K1K1VYIBKC4D3EFAFI?skuId=7175353&type=product&productCategoryId=cat15146&id=1110266874825

it has a 5.0 mpix digic II chip with a 12x optical zoom and image stabilization.  numerous advanced modes if you want to go beyond just point and shoot operation. 

there are some 7 mpix cameras on the market now.  the additional size of these photos may be too much to deal with and lead to more expensive media cards, etc.  However, you can always choose to set a lower resolution (try not to use the higher compression though, you will get artifacts).  that canon i linked to has a much better lens than your typical p&s.  it has a usb 2.0 interface which is nice for transferring pics if you don't have a dedicated reader.

if you have specific questions, feel free to PM me.

[Nick in Edinboro]

I've been looking myself and agree with Damon.  Canon makes excellent cameras.  Their digital processing chip is probably the best out there and their autofocus works better than many of their competitors.

I've been looking at the Canon Digital Elph S410 on Amazon.  They were down to about $225 and I should've f'in bought one as they're now up to $250, but still a GREAT deal on a very nice 4 megapixel camera with 3x optical zoom that is very small.  I really want something small enough that I don't mind carrying it with me all the time, the Optio mentioned also fits into this category...  The bonus with the S410 is that it utilizes Compact Flash still, which is extremely affordable and I already own a 512meg stick.

Canon S410 on Amazon $249

[CQBert]

I just purchased a Sony a couple of weeks ago..  7.2 Mega Pixel and a 256K mem stick for $425.00.

Still getting used to the camera but the pictures are fantastic, and it is very quick on the focus and reset.. even has a burst mode to blast 6-8 pictures in a second for sports applications if necessary.

Small, lightweight, fits anywhere.

Sorry - I forgot the model # but will research if you want.

CQbert

[thoman8r]

Looking to spend about $500. I'm pretty much limited to Best Buy tomorrow since I only have one day to shop. Although, they've got a bunch of cameras 10% off online and I don't think they honor the online deals in the store so I might order one online and just email the link to my wife on Sat so she knows I didn't forget completely.

Nothing says "I love you" like an email link!

I've been in your shoes before George, I'm terrible with dates.  I had to pull something out of my ass so I told her I was taking her to Jamaica (which I was already considering doing, it just forced me to commit to it, no matter the cost).  Luckily she didn't ask too many details about the trip because I sure as hell didn't have them!  Good luck finding a camera.

[nickgregory]

Nothing says "I love you" like an email link!

trust me when your married they appreciate you getting a good deal

[Andi]

this looks like your best choice at $500, but may be a little big:

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp;jsessionid=DITM2K1K1VYIBKC4D3EFAFI?skuId=7175353&type=product&productCategoryId=cat15146&id=1110266874825

Like I said in my earlier post, I would have to agree with dmonterisi that the new Canon S2 IS is awesome.  It has a super macro focus range of 0", so you can almost get as close to your subject as you want without taking an out of focus macro shot.  As soon as resources permit it might be the next Canon that I purchase.  Unless I step up like a big dawg and go for the 20D.

[thoman8r]

this looks like your best choice at $500, but may be a little big:

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp;jsessionid=DITM2K1K1VYIBKC4D3EFAFI?skuId=7175353&type=product&productCategoryId=cat15146&id=1110266874825

Like I said in my earlier post, I would have to agree with dmonterisi that the new Canon S2 IS is awesome.  It has a super macro focus range of 0", so you can almost get as close to your subject as you want without taking an out of focus macro shot.  As soon as resources permit it might be the next Canon that I purchase.  Unless I step up like a big dawg and go for the 20D.

I really know nothing about digital cameras, and will probably be buying one before the end of the year.  So is the S2 better than the G6?

[dmonterisi]

well, they are a little different.  the g6 has higher megapixels but shorter zoom.  looks like the s2 has more advanced shooting features.  but if you are going to be buying 6 months from now, there will be all sorts of new flavors to choose from...the digital camera market is in incredible flux with new features getting pushed down to consumer level cameras all the time.

[Andi]

this looks like your best choice at $500, but may be a little big:

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp;jsessionid=DITM2K1K1VYIBKC4D3EFAFI?skuId=7175353&type=product&productCategoryId=cat15146&id=1110266874825

Like I said in my earlier post, I would have to agree with dmonterisi that the new Canon S2 IS is awesome.  It has a super macro focus range of 0", so you can almost get as close to your subject as you want without taking an out of focus macro shot.  As soon as resources permit it might be the next Canon that I purchase.  Unless I step up like a big dawg and go for the 20D.

I really know nothing about digital cameras, and will probably be buying one before the end of the year.  So is the S2 better than the G6?

I would say that the G6 has a few more capabilities in the manual realm than the S2.  For what I want to do, which is P&S and a few concert pics, I think that the S2 IS is good since its not to little and not to much. The G6 is going to give you better resolution in the event that you want to print bigger pics or manipulate your shots using any type of photo editiing software.  You have to also look at the fact that the focal length of the G6 (35mm to 140mm) is  not better than the S2 (36mm to 432mm), but the  G6 is a 7.1 MP Camera as opposed to 5.0 on the S2.  If you are ready to spend that kinda money on the G6, I would go SLR and start the lifelong journey of collecting nice lenses. .02

[thoman8r]

this looks like your best choice at $500, but may be a little big:

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp;jsessionid=DITM2K1K1VYIBKC4D3EFAFI?skuId=7175353&type=product&productCategoryId=cat15146&id=1110266874825

Like I said in my earlier post, I would have to agree with dmonterisi that the new Canon S2 IS is awesome.  It has a super macro focus range of 0", so you can almost get as close to your subject as you want without taking an out of focus macro shot.  As soon as resources permit it might be the next Canon that I purchase.  Unless I step up like a big dawg and go for the 20D.

I really know nothing about digital cameras, and will probably be buying one before the end of the year.  So is the S2 better than the G6?

I would say that the G6 has a few more capabilities in the manual realm than the S2.  For what I want to do, which is P&S and a few concert pics, I think that the S2 IS is good since its not to little and not to much. The G6 is going to give you better resolution in the event that you want to print bigger pics or manipulate your shots using any type of photo editiing software.  You have to also look at the fact that the focal length of the G6 (35mm to 140mm) is better than the S2 (35mm to 105mm), not to mention that the G6 is a 7.1 MP Camera.  If you are ready to spend that kinda money on the G6, I would go SLR and start the lifelong journey of collecting nice lenses. .02

Dell had the G6 for $565 the other day, so it's really not that much more than the S2.  Thanks for the info, +Ts to both of you.

[dmonterisi]

the S2 focal length is actually equivalent to 36mm to 432mm on film, a clear advantage for the S2...

[thoman8r]

the S2 focal length is actually equivalent to 36mm to 432mm on film, a clear advantage for the S2...

I'd be impressed if I had any idea what that meant, but I'm a complete newbie when it comes to photography.

[Andi]

the S2 focal length is actually equivalent to 36mm to 432mm on film, a clear advantage for the S2...

Yep..just noticed that and corrected the original post.  
I have heard that Best Buy has had some problems getting and keeping them in stock. I am sometimes skeptic about buying a product when it is first introduced.  Has Canon ever had a problem with it's initial firmware.....

[Andi]

the S2 focal length is actually equivalent to 36mm to 432mm on film, a clear advantage for the S2...

I'd be impressed if I had any idea what that meant, but I'm a complete newbie when it comes to photography.

Focal length is the distance in which you can gain clear focus....Basically the S2 has a longer focus, zoom if you will (12x)

[dmonterisi]

the S2 focal length is actually equivalent to 36mm to 432mm on film, a clear advantage for the S2...

Yep..just noticed that and corrected the original post. 
I have heard that Best Buy has had some problems getting and keeping them in stock. I am sometimes skeptic about buying a product when it is first introduced.  Has Canon ever had a problem with it's initial firmware.....

there were a couple of extremely minor problems with the very early versions of the 20d firmware (some barely noticeable horizontal banding when shooting at ISO3200 for example and a few people reported lockup problems when changing a lens with the camera on).  i never experienced these issues however.

[Ray76]

I have owned an Olympus C-760 and c-770. THose are both great cameras. I will definitely keep buying olympus products. Ed has an olypmus c-765/

10x zoom, 4.0 mp, many other features.  currenly own a c-770, which is now about 400 i think.

Awesome camera.

[thoman8r]

Had to dig up this old thread because I think this is an incredible deal, but need some opinions from the camera experts on here.  Taken from bensbargains.net:

--
Dell Home has the Canon PowerShot G6 7 Megapixel Digital Camera for $599 - 25% off 3$JFJ?K8LHNH44 [Exp 7/26] - $60 off $500 code C07TR1WFGJ18SF [Exp 7/28, 10k uses] = $389 with free shipping. [Review : BizRate]


7.1 Megapixel, fast f/2.0-3.0, 35-140mm lens in a compact body

New ergonomic design includes an enhanced SLR type grip, 2.0" LCD

9-point AiAF for precise and accurate focusing, 12 EOS-based Shooting Modes

[Sanjay]

Had to dig up this old thread because I think this is an incredible deal, but need some opinions from the camera experts on here.  Taken from bensbargains.net:

--
Dell Home has the Canon PowerShot G6 7 Megapixel Digital Camera for $599 - 25% off 3$JFJ?K8LHNH44 [Exp 7/26] - $60 off $500 code C07TR1WFGJ18SF [Exp 7/28, 10k uses] = $389 with free shipping. [Review : BizRate]


7.1 Megapixel, fast f/2.0-3.0, 35-140mm lens in a compact body

New ergonomic design includes an enhanced SLR type grip, 2.0" LCD

9-point AiAF for precise and accurate focusing, 12 EOS-based Shooting Modes

THanks so much for this, just grabbed one.  Now buy my camera in the YS!

[audBall]

My stepdad has the Konica-Minolta DiMage Z3(there's also the Z1 and Z2...I think there's a Z5 now) and I think it's pretty damn slick, esp. for under $500.

It's an SLR-Type camera that you can purchase different lenses for (wide, tele).  It's not too bulky but it's not rectangular shaped either.  Good to go if you want nice quality but not something in the true SLR price range.

You can get `em in packages on ebay that include extra lenses, cases, stands, etc...all for around or under $400-500...maybe even less for just the camera.  I might even pick one up before I make the trip back east this fall. 

[ashevillain]

I can't decide on a camera. There are a bunch that I'm interested in (Canon S60, S500, A95 to name a few), but I can't narrow it down. I've read all kinds of reviews so I know what each one has going for it...however the more I read the more indecisive I become. I think I'm just gonna pull the trigger on the A95. This will be my 1st digital camera...I'm expecting that when I do get one and start using it I will then realize what features are more important to me and then I'll have a better idea of what I need.

edit: Canon A95 is en route! I hope to try it out this weekend...

[Ed.]

I have owned an Olympus C-760 and c-770. THose are both great cameras. I will definitely keep buying olympus products. Ed has an olypmus c-765/

10x zoom, 4.0 mp, many other features. currenly own a c-770, which is now about 400 i think.

Awesome camera.

the 765 is awesome.  the only thing i don't like about it is its bigger than just a normal point and shoot.  still smaller than film point and shoots, but bigger than those little ones that are coming out.  however, it'll do 10x optical zoom too.  honestly, the 765 is better than my old canon (non digi) slr.