Inexpensive (under $300) camera recommendation for Disney and beyond!

[Megsmachine]

Any recommendations for a camera that is not too much, can take good pics, close ups and at a distance, for Disney and then also for at home?? Thanks!

 

[jec6613]

I can think of dozens off of the top of my head that take excellent pictures, but they run all over the size gamut, and image quality in different situations is all over the board, but let's try and narrow it down a bit. So, questions for you:

How portable do you want it to be?

Do you have any experience with any other cameras?

Are you interested in interchangeable lenses, or would you prefer a fixed lens compact?

Which if the following shooting situations interesting you, and how much:

• Wide angle (zooming out farther than normal to put more in the scene and create a sense of depth).
• Long distance (zooming in quite a bit to take a picture of a distant subject)
• Indoors with artificial lighting
• At night with very low light
• Close-up/Macro (taking a picture of something exceptionally close to you, think insects or postage stamps)
• Family events/people/portraits

 

[Megsmachine]

I can think of dozens off of the top of my head that take excellent pictures, but they run all over the size gamut, and image quality in different situations is all over the board, but let's try and narrow it down a bit. So, questions for you:

How portable do you want it to be?

Do you have any experience with any other cameras?

Are you interested in interchangeable lenses, or would you prefer a fixed lens compact?

Which if the following shooting situations interesting you, and how much:

• Wide angle (zooming out farther than normal to put more in the scene and create a sense of depth).
• Long distance (zooming in quite a bit to take a picture of a distant subject)
• Indoors with artificial lighting
• At night with very low light
• Close-up/Macro (taking a picture of something exceptionally close to you, think insects or postage stamps)
• Family events/people/portraits

Portable, Not much experience, don't really want to have to deal with lenses...

Long distance, indoors, and family events/people/portraits.

Thanks so much!!

 

[Meeko5]

Previous to buying my DSLR I had a Canon PowerShot that I loved. I've never owned anything but Canon. However I haven't touched a point and shoot in 6 years so not sure what is popular now.

 

[jec6613]

The Canon ELPH 350 (or 340/330 if you're on a bit more of a budget), or the Canon SX280 (a bit more advanced) would be my recommendations. Quite capable and very easy.

 

[coastalhh]

These are really good cameras around that price range (a little more but worth it for what you get)

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/sony-ds...lack/6950003.p?id=1219667156945&skuId=6950003
$429

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/sony-ds...lack/6950003.p?id=1219667156945&skuId=6950003
$399

 

[Sixty-something]

You might want to take a look at the Kodak AZ521 or AZ651. I know it's not a Canon, but you might find it does what you need for your price range.

 

[jec6613]

You might want to take a look at the Kodak AZ521 or AZ651. I know it's not a Canon, but you might find it does what you need for your price range.

Personally, I'd steer clear of Kodak-Alaris products for at least another year until they become properly supported. About the only thing I'd buy with the Kodak name on it at the moment is film (Portra, Tri-X and Ektar, mostly).

These are really good cameras around that price range (a little more but worth it for what you get)

You only posted one link.

The HX90V is an okay camera, but there's a steeper learning curve with the Sony cameras, and you do need to pay more attention to the camera. Purely from a metering standpoint, the Canon powershots meter in situations where the Sony will fail to give you a proper exposure. The Sony is possibly capable of slightly better technical image quality, but you'll have to learn to get it, while a Canon just shoots in auto mode.

 

[Jon84]

I've got a Sony HX50 (New model is 60) Very happy with it. It's point and shoot with decent zoom. I only took that instead of my DSLR on the last trip and I was very happy.

 

[havoc315]

Portable, Not much experience, don't really want to have to deal with lenses...

Long distance, indoors, and family events/people/portraits.

Thanks so much!!

You're getting a lot of random advice. Unfortunately, threads like these invite the, "I shoot with a ______ and therefore recommend it."
And beware of suggestions like, "I shoot with a powershot and it's great" -- ALL Canon P&S cameras are called Powershot, some are pretty good, some are pretty awful.

All cameras are about compromises. Regardless of budget, even if you are spending $10,000 cameras, you have to make compromises. (the 2 biggest compromises are price and size... To get "everything" you need to spend a lot, and it won't fit in your pocket).

So you need to break down your "needs" (not that a camera is ever an actual need) versus your wants.

Price... You said $300... Do you "need" to keep it under $300, or is that your preference, with an ability to go higher if necessary?

Long distance -- How long do you *need* to go, versus *want* to go? This is important, because long zoom point & shoot cameras often contain a lot of other compromises, so you are giving up a lot, to get that "long distance" shooting. So do you need to be able to shoot across a room? Do you need to shoot kids 10 feet away on a playground? Do you need to shoot all the way across a baseball field? Do you need to shoot birds in flight? How far do you *need* to shoot, and then how far would you *like* to shoot? (Perhaps you would like the ability to shoot kids playing soccer from 100 feet away, but you rarely take such pics and don't really need it).

Indoors -- As I mentioned above about compromises, for the most part, most P&S cameras that can shoot a long distance, are truly stinky indoors. So do you need to shoot indoor, or is that a want? Do you need to shoot indoors without a flash, or are you okay always using a flash? Really, 95% of P&S cameras stink indoors without a flash, but there are a handful of good ones (that cost a bit more and/or are a bit bigger and/or sacrifice the long distance).

Portability -- How small do you need it to go? (Again, versus want). Need it to fit in a pants pocket? A large jacket pocket? Need it to fit in a small handbag? Need it to fit in a medium sized purse or backpack?

With answers to these questions, intelligent recommendations can be made. Based on the limited information I have so far, I would recommend

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0..._m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=0NKR6VQW3F86S2ZMTT2F

It has a fairly long zoom range. It's not too huge though it isn't tiny. It has a "fast" lens, so it's not totally useless indoors. If you are willing to buy grey market, it is right around $300.

 

[Megsmachine]

You're getting a lot of random advice. Unfortunately, threads like these invite the, "I shoot with a ______ and therefore recommend it."
And beware of suggestions like, "I shoot with a powershot and it's great" -- ALL Canon P&S cameras are called Powershot, some are pretty good, some are pretty awful.

All cameras are about compromises. Regardless of budget, even if you are spending $10,000 cameras, you have to make compromises. (the 2 biggest compromises are price and size... To get "everything" you need to spend a lot, and it won't fit in your pocket).

So you need to break down your "needs" (not that a camera is ever an actual need) versus your wants.

Price... You said $300... Do you "need" to keep it under $300, or is that your preference, with an ability to go higher if necessary?

Long distance -- How long do you *need* to go, versus *want* to go? This is important, because long zoom point & shoot cameras often contain a lot of other compromises, so you are giving up a lot, to get that "long distance" shooting. So do you need to be able to shoot across a room? Do you need to shoot kids 10 feet away on a playground? Do you need to shoot all the way across a baseball field? Do you need to shoot birds in flight? How far do you *need* to shoot, and then how far would you *like* to shoot? (Perhaps you would like the ability to shoot kids playing soccer from 100 feet away, but you rarely take such pics and don't really need it).

Indoors -- As I mentioned above about compromises, for the most part, most P&S cameras that can shoot a long distance, are truly stinky indoors. So do you need to shoot indoor, or is that a want? Do you need to shoot indoors without a flash, or are you okay always using a flash? Really, 95% of P&S cameras stink indoors without a flash, but there are a handful of good ones (that cost a bit more and/or are a bit bigger and/or sacrifice the long distance).

Portability -- How small do you need it to go? (Again, versus want). Need it to fit in a pants pocket? A large jacket pocket? Need it to fit in a small handbag? Need it to fit in a medium sized purse or backpack?

With answers to these questions, intelligent recommendations can be made. Based on the limited information I have so far, I would recommend

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0..._m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=0NKR6VQW3F86S2ZMTT2F

It has a fairly long zoom range. It's not too huge though it isn't tiny. It has a "fast" lens, so it's not totally useless indoors. If you are willing to buy grey market, it is right around $300.

Thank you!!!