Help Choosing a Camera

[Donaldsfan176]

Can somebody please guide me to a good camera I can use for our Juky trip to WDW?

First off I do not know a whole lot about cameras. We currently have a Nikon Cool Pix 7900. It takes good pictures, but there seems to be a hesitation from the time the button is pressed to the time the shutter actually moves. To many pictures are bluured because of the slow shutter reaction.

I need a camera that is fairly easy to use but can't spend the savings account to buy one either. I'd like to spend about $400.00.

Any suggestions?

 

[Jeanne B]

I would suspect you'll get a lot of recommendations for the Canon S3 (which I own also). Lot's of S2 & S3 owners here who are very happy with these cameras and the S3 is definitely in your budget.

 

[YEKCIM]

You might also take a look at the Fuji S5200 ($250 online) and S6000fd ($320 online):

http://www.steves-digicams.com/2006_reviews/fuji_s5200.html

http://www.steves-digicams.com/2007_reviews/fuji_s6000fd.html

~YEKCIM

 

[ukcatfan]

I would suspect you'll get a lot of recommendations for the Canon S3 (which I own also). Lot's of S2 & S3 owners here who are very happy with these cameras and the S3 is definitely in your budget.

To go a little more into this one, many people expect an update to the S3 in the next couple of months, so you might have time to wait for it. IT will likely be called the S4 IS. If history keeps up, it will start out at $399, but there will be discounts online after a month or so. On the other hand, if the S4 is released, the S3 price will lower until the supply gets really small. Be sure to have your camera in hand about a month before your trip to get familiar with it.

If you go with something that has a long zoom, be sure to consider one that has IS (image stabilization). Without IS, you will need a tripod for any long telephoto shots that are not in bright sunlight. Also, beware that some companies are using a marketing trick to make you think that they have IS when all it is really doing is upping the ISO and the image noise along with it. Look for IS that is either lens shift or CCD shift. Those two are known as optical image stabilization.

Kevin

 

[wdwfamilyinIL]

I have a question now, is it better to get the s3 or wait on the s4? I had pretty much made up my mind that I wanted the s3, but I don't want to by something that in a month the price will drop.