Last minute advice for digital camera please!

[aristocatz]

Ok, I've been going back and forth for months about finding a perfect digital camera to surprise my DF with next week when we head to WDW!!

Please help!!

What would you suggest for a great digital camera to take on Disney trips (fireworks pictures, parade photos, night time castle shots, still shots, etc..) & for nature shots for when we do short day trips at home.

I would like to spend less than $300 if possible.

Thank you in advance!

 

[ukcatfan]

(fireworks pictures, parade photos, night time castle shots, still shots, etc..) & for nature shots for when we do short day trips at home.

I would like to spend less than $300 if possible.

You are looking for the elusive camera that just does not exist. There is a reason people spend thousands of dollars on DSLR systems and that is because there is no one camera wit a fixed lens that can do it all.

Now, with that said, let me give you the good news. You can find a camera in your range that can do "most" of what you want. The low light stuff is where things get tricky. For low light when the subject is stationary, you can use a tripod with pretty good results. For low light shots of moving things, you can kick up the ISO as high as possible and hope for the best, but the images are going to be very grainy. The problem is that you need to get a fast enough shutter speed to freeze the action, but that means that less light exposes the shot.

I suggest looking at the so called "bridge" cameras. These are the ones with the zoom factors of around 10x to 20x or so. I have had two different Canon versions in the past and were very happy with them.

 

[zackiedawg]

What UKcatfan said...you're not going to get 'great' in all those categories in a P&S or for under $300. But you can get 'very very good' in some categories and passable in others, which should be enough.

Indeed, bridge cameras offer the widest flexibility since they have lots of optical zoom range for maximum shooting variety.

Check out the Sony HX series or H series, Canon SX series, Panazonic FZ series, Olympus Sp-UZ series, Nikon L100, or Fuji F---S series, just for a few ideas.

If willing to forego some of the optical zoom range for slightly better sensor, you might consider the Fuji F200EXR...or you'd have to spend a little more for the higher end Canon S90, Canon G11, and Panasonic LX1.