choosing an inexpensive camera

[siestakeys04]

camera. I dont know what the differences are in them. I would like to take it to disney and put pictures on the computer or diff. boards. Can someone suggest a good camera to buy??

 

[Kelly Grannell]

let's start with your budget. There is "the best" camera for every budget. Then we'll go with what you really want to do with the camera. Just point and shoot and record daily activities, or for more serious picture taking, etc and so on and so forth.

Cheers,
Kelly

 

[siestakeys04]

I just want to point and shoot my budget is about 100-150 no more than that just something to take to disney?

 

[Kelly Grannell]

At that price range I can recommend Nikon L4 or Canon Powershot A430. I have no personal preference between the two

Don't touch Fuji (reasons: battery drain, the use of more-expensive XD-card) or Kodak (reason: no lens cap) or Olympus (reason: the use of more-expensive XD-card).

 

[siestakeys04]

Thank You!!!

 

[A Mickeyfan]

My DD cracked the LCD screen on our digital camera. It still works but I thought I would just give it to her and buy new for myself. Ours is an older model Fuji & has no Optical zoom. It takes really great clear pic's just cannot zoom. I am looking for something that will take clear pictures when zoomed in (thinking maybe 4x optical???). I have been online since 10am this morning looking at so many different ones that now I am totally confused on which to get.
This is what I am looking for:
1. Trying to stay under $200 (will go up to $225 with rebates or promo deals).
2. Need a decent size LCD screen so I don't have to put on my glass's on when I take pic's
3. Do not want a bundle deal with the printer.
4. Want one that works with AA batteries since I have about 12 rechargeable ones already

Anyone have any suggestions???

Oh forgot to mention.. I am leaving on Saturday for WDW so mail order will not work for me unless I just go without one this time around.. I still have a decent 35 mm camera I can use. TIA

 

[Kelly Grannell]

Fuji A345 would fit the bill rather nicely. It's not the best camera, but for the price (about US$150) that would fit the bill.

BTW, what kind of memory your previous camera uses and how much memory you already have? Because if you already have lots of memory, you should get a camera with the same type of memory so you can save moneyo on the memory card(s).

 

[LSDisney]

Canon PowerShot A610
5.0 MP

I have one, and I love it!
It uses four AA batteries and an SD Memory Card.

Its great, the LCD swivels a full 180 degrees and it also has a view finder.

It's about $208 at walmart.

It also has a slot for the tripod.

It has a 4x optical zoom & a 4x digital zoom.

I recommend it.




.

 

[A Mickeyfan]

I have an SD card, small one at that only 64mb! We usually do not take more than say 25 pic's before downloading, even when we go away. We usually take the 35mm, a disposible & the digital. Once I get new camera, I will not take the 35mm anymore so I will need more memory without a doubt.

The digitals I have been looking at and comparing are the:

Panasonic 6X LZ3 for $199 @ Best Buy
HP M425 for $149 @ Office Max & includes 512 MB SD card as free bonus
HP M525 for $179 @ Staples & includes bounus SD card (think 256 mb)
Nikon coolpix L3 $179 @ Best Buy
Nikon coolpix L4 $149 @ Best Buy

Olympus SP 310 $199 after rebates @ Office Max also includes the DC 352 Accessory Kit & 256 MB card

Cannon A430 $149 & A530 $199 @ Circuit City

I will check out the one you have mentioned since most of these do not have everything I want... Out of all of them, I am leaning towards the Panasonic since it has a 6x zoom.. or the Olympus SP 310 because it is such a good buy compared to normal price... this is worse than buying a car

 

[A Mickeyfan]

Canon PowerShot A610
5.0 MP

I have one, and I love it!
It uses four AA batteries and an SD Memory Card.

Its great, the LCD swivels a full 180 degrees and it also has a view finder.

It's about $208 at walmart.

It also has a slot for the tripod.

It has a 4x optical zoom & a 4x digital zoom.

I recommend it.




.

Didn't see that one for that cheap!!! Gotta check that out too... thanks

 

[A Mickeyfan]

Fuji A345 would fit the bill rather nicely. It's not the best camera, but for the price (about US$150) that would fit the bill.

BTW, what kind of memory your previous camera uses and how much memory you already have? Because if you already have lots of memory, you should get a camera with the same type of memory so you can save moneyo on the memory card(s).

Just checked this out online.. is comp to a 35 mm 35-105mm I was looking for something with more zoom.. but thanks... it was worth looking at

 

[A Mickeyfan]

Canon PowerShot A610
5.0 MP

I have one, and I love it!
It uses four AA batteries and an SD Memory Card.

Its great, the LCD swivels a full 180 degrees and it also has a view finder.

It's about $208 at walmart.

It also has a slot for the tripod.

It has a 4x optical zoom & a 4x digital zoom.

I recommend it.




.

I am not sure if my local store has it, but online it says that Wal-mart is out of stock on this. I did find it at Circuit City for $239... I will have to actually look in my Wal-mart.. Is this heavy to carry with 4 batteries?

 

[LSDisney]

Is this heavy to carry with 4 batteries?

No, not at all. It's pretty light. I carry it around almost everywhere I go.
Its about 8 oz.

here's a link to a website with lots of info on it:
http://www.bobatkins.com/photography/digital/a610_review_1.html

 

[A Mickeyfan]

No, not at all. It's pretty light. I carry it around almost everywhere I go.
Its about 8 oz.

here's a link to a website with lots of info on it:
http://www.bobatkins.com/photography/digital/a610_review_1.html

good site for the reviews.. thanks.. would you happen to know the main difference between the A530 & the A610? I really do not see much of a difference when doing the comparison.. I can get that at Walmart for $188 & now circuity city is showing it for $179 (I may have read it wrong the first time).... I am thinking in the event I cannot find the A610 for under the $239.. I may just go with the A530 for $179... that is a $50 difference & I will pick up a higher memory card... Circuity City is showing them on sale...

 

[LSDisney]

good site for the reviews.. thanks.. would you happen to know the main difference between the A530 & the A610? I really do not see much of a difference when doing the comparison.. I can get that at Walmart for $188 & now circuity city is showing it for $179 (I may have read it wrong the first time).... I am thinking in the event I cannot find the A610 for under the $239.. I may just go with the A530 for $179... that is a $50 difference & I will pick up a higher memory card... Circuity City is showing them on sale...

i'm not sure about how different they are.

the biggest difference i see is that the A530 doesn't have the swivel screen

other than that, they *seem* the same.

The A610 is considered a camera to use for business or framing (high-quality photos)
The A530 is considered a camera to use for point and shoot (snapshots).

I dont have an experience with the A530, so I don't know how that works, also I'm not sure if it has all the features that the A610 has...

Heres a link to a comparison chart: (i dont know if u've already done this)
http://www.officedepot.com/shop/ite...redirecttocompare.x=114&redirecttocompare.y=7

You can also compare them here:
http://www.usa.canon.com/consumer/controller?act=ProductCatIndexAct&fcategoryid=113

 

[Kelly Grannell]

Canadians really got the short end of the stick. If A610 is US$208. I highly recommend it. I have the year-before older sister the A95. I love that camera.

 

[S. C.]

If i remember right from when i was researching cameras for my DD xmas gift the Fuji A345 does not have sound with the movies.

 

[Kelly Grannell]

That's correct. Don't forget, however, that although some digital videocam can produce very decent to very good still pics (Canon digital video cameras, for example) digital cameras are far from that purpose, especially the sub-$300 ones.

The $300-ish ones are rather decent, but obviously eats up so much memory it's not even funny. The amount of $$ to buy the memory you need for 1-hour true-DVD-quality movie is about 4 Gb on a high-speed card. That's a $200 card. Buying 2 of those cards you might as well buy the lowest end miniDV camera and you'll get several hours worth of tapes too (and the picture quality will be better than DVD).

Just FYI.

 

[A Mickeyfan]

I really do not care about video in the camera. I have it now & never used it. I am more concerned about clear pictures when zoomed in. The one I have now gets all grainy when I zoom, it has no Optical zoom. The more I am looking the more I think I may go with a Cannon. I did the comparison on the A610 & A530 & the only real difference that I really see is the amount of AA's to use & swivel.

 

[manning]

Maybe this one might work. It is Panasonic LZ3. Panasonic list it at 229.00. It has 37-222 mm zoom, 6x zoom. I don't know much about Panasonic other than I just got the new TZ1 and like it. It is a 10x zoom, 35-350mm, but sells for around 300.00 Panny list it for 350.00

One thing about the LZ3 is that is has Image Stabilization.

It uses 2 AA batteries but I would go with rechargeable AA.

http://www2.panasonic.com/webapp/wc...rogram=11002&cachePartner=7000000000000005702

I also have canon and sony and like both.