Digital Camera

randy street

Member
Messages
442
Location
Elgin, IL
Looking for some advice on getting a new camera. We currently have an Kodak 5 megapixel. I would like to upgrade this to something more current in the 8 to 10 megapixel range. It would be used 95% of the time by my wife. who uses it to take pictures of the kids, ie.. soccer games and around the house.

Any recommendations? Would prefer something no more the $400 if possible.

Thanks

Randy
 
I am well pleased with my Sony DSC H-2 model. The models are way past 2 at this point.
Stu has an Olympus that is highly rated. I can't bring the model to mind but he will probably chime in. It has features I like and probably will get one for me next digi cam.
 
Just got the Canon 1100 for my parents (both in their 80's). I of course had to charge it and test it out before I wrapped it. The image stabilization is quite impressive and it is literally point and shoot for those (like me) who just want a decent snapshot most of the time! I have a Rebel that I use when I need close ups or different exposures for a shot but, for grab and go, the 1100 was pretty cool.
 
We just unwrapped a Canon SX110is yesterday (Christmas gift from my parents and ourselves) which I chose based on size and features. A 10X zoom was mandatory in my mind and a compact size was mandatory in my wife's. We looked at at Panasonic TZ5 or something like that too. The deciding factor was the AA batteries on the Canon vs. the Panasonic's proprietary battery. The Panasonic was more compact though. My brother got a Kodak yesterday--not sure of the mode--but he is seriously thinking about returning it and getting the same Canon after playing with ours. Its available at most big box retailers for similar prices to those found online after the gift card/instant rebate most are offering. We got ours from Costco--its an online only item, but the price after shipping and a free memory card was comparable to most other places. And they have a great return policy.

Our last (first digital) camera was a Fuji S5000 and I'm still extremely happy with it. Its an SLR-look-alike so it wasn't real compact which my wife wasn't crazy about. But it has always taken great pictures and will now be my shop camera. We got it in Chicago 5 years ago this week and I compared dozens of cameras in dozens of stores and liked it the best. One of my brothers had its successor. He accidentally left it on the roof of our minivan when we left his house in south Minneapolis two years ago. About St. Paul we hear a funny clunk and I thought we just hit a piece of debris or something. South of Milwaukee we stopped for lunch and found it hanging from the seat of his bike on the bike rack. It survived all that way banging around without a problem. His wife almost beat him dead right there in the parking lot but we all couldn't help but laugh. It did die a year later when he dropped it 6' on concrete.
 
For compact digi cams, the selection seems to be more difficult than with larger models. A couple years ago, I bought my wife a compact Pentax Optio. Basically, a nice camera. But she found it awkward to use and, worst of all, it is a serious battery hog. She gets only 3-4 shots from new batteries before the low battery warning comes on she can't use the flash. This is really intolerable.
So, for Christmas, she is getting a new Nikon Coolpix. Also a compact model but reviews do say it is user friendly and very easy on batteries. Up to 180 shots on two new AAs. I don't believe that but if she gets about 50, it will be good.
BTW, I'll be keeping the old Pentax in the truck ready for the 'just in case' event.
 
I've had several digital cameras and currently use a Nikon D40X for most photography. I've been very satisfied with all of its capabilities.
 
Hey Randy, >> THIS << is the thread I posted about my new camera search, I ended up with the Olympus SP-570UZ, and we really like it, it takes great pics. Take a look at some of the pic I took on that page (they are full sized, HUGE). The 20x zoom is amazing for taking pics of your kids at sports events, or on stage for school stuff.

There is a slightly newer, and slightly different model out as of October, the SP-565UZ you can read a preview of it >> HERE << it seems to be very similar to the SP-570UZ I have, but a tad smaller and lighter, and about $100 cheaper.

I hope this helps! :wave:
 
I just recently got a good deal on a Sony DSC-W150 at Target, of all places. It's just an 8.1 Mpixel, but there are a couple models above that that go all the way to 12 Mpixels.

It has a really nice 2.75" screen, along with a real viewfinder (main reason I bought it).

Battery life is phenomenal - something like 400 pictures. I took it to Williamsburg for a week, took probably a couple hundred pix, downloaded them to the laptop each night, and never did need a battery recharge.
 
Randy,

You have a Kodak now. Are you happy with the quality of the brand? Take a look at the Kodak Z1015 IS. It's got 10.1 mp, 15x zoom, image stabilization and a 3" lcd screen, among other nice features.

www.dpreview.com

I have a Z650, which I like pretty well, but if I were in the market for a new digital camera, I think I would try the Z1015 IS. Looks like s good deal @ around $225. - $230.

Of course, you may not like your Kodak now and that would change the whole picture (pun intended).

Aloha, Tony
 
I'm going to take a different approach to answering your question and say that "it all depends." First, the megapixel count really means little unless you plan to make large prints (8x10 or larger). The columnist David Pouge has written much about this. However there are a number of considerations that go beyond the number of megapixels that most folks don't think of. So, if snapshots of the kids and vacations are most important then look for a camera that will easily fit in your pocket. A new Nikon D90 has tons of megapixels but, it's bulky and the camera that's a chore to haul around is the one that doesn't get used. Also, look for a camera with good image stabilization, preferably lens based and has very high speed image capture. Nothing is worse than trying to take pictures of your kids at sporting events or a school play to find that your digital camera can't capture the image and you end up with blurry shots. Also look into the memory chips used since some use SD chips and others use more proprietary chips. What kind of battery does it use? If it's proprietary it's expensive and hard to replace. Last, realize your camera will be technically obsolete the day you buy it. Go to a store where you can play with the camera you are interested in. If you have to scroll through a hundred windows to do something with the settings for a desired effect, it's worthless. Good luck...
 
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