asking for advice on camera

[LaurieA]

Help please- I do not post on this board -usually the budget board but all boards are part of the disboards!! so pleasse offer advice. The first and last big camera purchase was the s2is. I want to get my son a new camera for Christmas. He likes zoon, and taking pics close up of flowers and such. I do not know photography terms so please deal with me. We are going on a cruise in january so will be taking our new camera. He also likes to mess with the specail effects on the camea so as color swap. He doesnt touch up photos afterwards just takes pictures. So should i get the new canon with the 20 zoom. What is the G10 like. I just started researching and do not understand too much. Just point me in the right direction please. You guys help 3 years ago. He still likes the camera but he does wish it had a sports mode. Any suggestions? He does have an "eye" and would like to get him something decent to aid in his hobby.

 

[YEKCIM]

Budget?

 

[LaurieA]

Around 300-400. I started researching slr and realize it is out of my budget with the lenses that are needed. Thanks for the help

 

[Pea-n-Me]

How old is he?

 

[LaurieA]

He is 19-freshman in college still living at home. He wants to be a paleontologist. likes taking photos of wildlife, nature-closeup shots. He likes to take macro shots. (He is using his canon s2 right now to take pics of his new sideshow collectable of Jurassic Park dino-that just arrived)-extra usless info.

 

[Frantasmic]

What is wrong with his S2? I mean has he stated what he doesn't like about the camera, or do you just think he would enjoy a new camera?

If he wants zoom, the G10 isn't really an option as you would go from 12x zoom to 5x zoom. It does have other options, but since he doesn't seem to do much post-processing with his pictures, the G10 isn't really an option.

I don't want to say nothing has changed since the S2 in the bridge camera field, the S3 and S5 are good cameras, but you are buying upgrades that may not really matter to him. It sounds like a better zoom is what you are after.

The camera you mentioned with the 20x zoom or the Nikon Coolpix P20 (I think it's 20) offer better zoom.

 

[bob100]

What is wrong with his S2? I mean has he stated what he doesn't like about the camera, or do you just think he would enjoy a new camera?

If he wants zoom, the G10 isn't really an option as you would go from 12x zoom to 5x zoom. It does have other options, but since he doesn't seem to do much post-processing with his pictures, the G10 isn't really an option.

I don't want to say nothing has changed since the S2 in the bridge camera field, the S3 and S5 are good cameras, but you are buying upgrades that may not really matter to him. It sounds like a better zoom is what you are after.

The camera you mentioned with the 20x zoom or the Nikon Coolpix P20 (I think it's 20) offer better zoom.

I agree, it might be useful to find out a little more about what he wants in a camera. The latest Canon superzoom SX10 does offer more than the older S2, more zoom, wide angle, better macro, video, etc. so you probably couldn't go wrong getting that, or a gift card with a picture of a camera so he could choose!