Sell me a camera!

[DumboPrincess]

I'm looking for a new digital camera. I'm looking for one primarily to shoot pics of the kids and on vacations, like Disney! And of course, to be able to upload gorgeous pics to Facebook,

Anyway, the camera I'm looking for should have the following features:

*able to shoot indoors/low light
*able to shoot fireworks
*action shots like rides or my kids running around
*able to shoot video
*compact/lightweight
*crisp/clear shots
*ability to zoom
*able to "recover" fast enough from taking a pic that I can keep shooting!
*easy to upload to computer

Hopefully, under $200. Please share your experiences with me!

HELP!
__________________

 

[ukcatfan]

I'm looking for a new digital camera. I'm looking for one primarily to shoot pics of the kids and on vacations, like Disney! And of course, to be able to upload gorgeous pics to Facebook,

Anyway, the camera I'm looking for should have the following features:

*able to shoot indoors/low light
*able to shoot fireworks
*action shots like rides or my kids running around
*able to shoot video
*compact/lightweight
*crisp/clear shots
*ability to zoom
*able to "recover" fast enough from taking a pic that I can keep shooting!
*easy to upload to computer

Hopefully, under $200. Please share your experiences with me!

HELP!
__________________

Probably not what you want to hear, but that camera does not exist. If it did, nobody would buy a DSLR and I am sure that you have seen that their popularity has skyrocketed.

If you up your budget to about $400 then you can get a p&s that can do "decent" at some of this, but you will lose the compactness. Maybe 5-10 years from now the camera you want will be available, but I doubt it. I doubt it because why would a camera company want to sell you a $200 camera that does as good of a job as the $1-2k DSLR they also sell? They have no incentive to improve the p&s cameras that much.

 

[ukcatfan]

*easy to upload to computer

On any camera, all you have to do is take the memory card out and stick it in a card reader (built in most computers made in the past 3-4 years). It just shows up as a removable drive where you can copy and paste the files to where you want them on your hard drive.

 

[DisneyDad64]

I would look at the Canon 780 IS - it is a great point and shoot with all of the features you are looking for including HD video and can be found for under $200. You will not find a DSLR for that.

 

[seashoreCM]

Add a tripod.

You will then be able to do almost all of the things you listed. (Indoor action shots such as school basketball games, sorry, are not included.)

 

[ukcatfan]

I would look at the Canon 780 IS - it is a great point and shoot with all of the features you are looking for including HD video and can be found for under $200. You will not find a DSLR for that.

Sorry, but you are just flat out wrong. No p&s can do low light rides at WDW. As mentioned by seashoreCM, indoor sports are extremely difficult as well. In good lighting, a p&s can do most of what a DSLR can. When the lighting is tough, that is where you have to throw skill and better gear at it.

 

[photo_chick]

I think the Fuji S1800 is still on the market.. it was selling for $150 last time I checked. It does some of what you lsited. Maybe it will fit what you need, maybe not.

With a budget of under $200 you are going to have to add learning about photography to the mix. You can buy a point and shoot that can pull off some low light stuff but in your price range you're are going to push a little point and shoot to it's limits and then some to get those shots. And for a low end model it probably won't do a very good job if you or the subject happens to be moving.

I'm not being a camera snob here.. you can get low light shots from a point and shoot. Especially with many with ISO settings and noise levels comparable to a DSLR. But you're not going to easily find one of those for under $200.

On any camera, all you have to do is take the memory card out and stick it in a card reader (built in most computers made in the past 3-4 years). It just shows up as a removable drive where you can copy and paste the files to where you want them on your hard drive.

Not necessarily if you use CF cards as some DSLR's still do. They seem to think we don't need to read our cards. I didnt even check on my laptop, I just assumed the "multi card reader" would read them.

 

[ukcatfan]

Not necessarily if you use CF cards as some DSLR's still do. They seem to think we don't need to read our cards. I didnt even check on my laptop, I just assumed the "multi card reader" would read them.

Some desktop models still come with CF, but I guess they think it is too much real estate on the body of a laptop. At least a decent card reader only runs about $10-15.

 

[DumboPrincess]

Thanks for the info!