Anyone have any special comments about what type of digital camera they like and why?

Answer 1

I like pretty much anything from Canon. Their picture quality is almost always EXCELLENT compared to the competition.

I like cameras that take AA size batteries. High quality NiMH rechargeables and chargers are available, and you're not limited to buying what the camera company is selling for too much $. In an emergency, if you have no batteries charged, you can use some regular AA batteries.

I prefer a camera that could be put in a pocket if necessary. Although, some of the larger cameras with a larger zoom lens take fantastic pictures. (Canon S2 / S3...) My brother took some pictures of airplanes flying at an air show from a boat on a rough lake with a Canon S2. You can read the writing on the planes in the pics. S2 tends to eat batteries quickly and the lens cap doesn't stay on well. Will never fit in a pocket. Some great deals on it right now though. High quality rechargeable NiMH batteries will last much longer than regular alkaline AA. Can't get my brother to buy some. (Many people remember how crappy the old NiCad rechargeables were and remain frightened of rechargeables)

My next camera will be either the Canon A630 or A710. The A630 is 8MP and has a 4X zoom. Picture quality is reportedly VERY good. The A710 has 7.1MP and a more versatile 6X optical zoom. Also has image stabilization. It's smaller than the previous model and looks VERY tempting, but pricier than the A630.

Both of these cameras take good quality moving video clips with sound. Both are noted for good reaction time, fast auto-focus, and exceptional picture quality. Good optics and electronics for noise-free pictures under most conditions and less problems with blurring than many cameras. Both will fit in a pocket when necessary, not the absolute smallest cameras available however. The picture quality is well worth the size IMO.

If you're looking to spend a little less, some older models from Canon are still around with fewer MP. Most are very fine cameras at bargain prices. Think there is one model in particular where the LCD screen tends to break very easily. Read some consumer reviews about any model you are considering before purchase. Amazon.com, Circuit City.com, and Newegg.com all post consumer reviews for the items they sell. Common problems are usually pretty easy to spot this way.

Good luck with your shopping!!!

A free 1GB SD card makes the A630 a great deal here http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16830120069&ATT=30-120-069&CMP=OTC-P12ice5can

They also offer one of the better prices on the A710. Newegg.com is a very good web merchant and they deliver very quickly. http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16830120067&ATT=30-120-067&CMP=OTC-P12ice5can

Answer 2

Canon S2 IS
12x Optical zoom w/image stabilizer
5.0MP
SD media cards
Rechargeable batteries or 4 AA alkaline (buy the rechargeable ones)
Full manual and automatic controls
Diopter correction (allows shooting w/o glasses)
1/3200 sec - 15 seconds shutter speeds

Canon release the S3 IS recently, out but I have last year's model, the S2 IS. It is chunky, but takes sharp pictures and has a SUPER zoom. I will never go back to a 3x optical zoom again. I love that it has full manual controls, the shutter speed has such a large range and you can use AA alkaline batteries in a pinch! I also love the diopter correction. I can remove my glasses and shoot. You won't understand how great this is unless you've had to shoot in the rain and wear glasses. Unlike my previous cameras, there is almost no shutter lag and the camera starts almost instantly.

This is a lot of camera for a reasonable price. It was $500 when I bought it but you can get it for below $270 now because the S3 IS was released. The S3 IS is a 6.0MP version of the same camera. You might not need the full manual controls if you just take photos during birthday parties and holidays, but if you're creative, inquisitive and love to take photos, this is the camera for you.

Answer 3

I used Sony digital cameras exclusively since I switched to digital in 2000. I sold my last Sony last week since I just bought a Nikon D50.

My first Sony lasted over five years, and it was completely fine when I bought my second onee. It was a magnificent camera, it consistently made me look a hell of a lot more skilled than I really am. The second one was too tiny, and I drink a lot of coffee so shake was an issue. By the time I bought the third one I was already planning on the D50.

Sony cameras are great, they are very simple to use and extremely forgiving. They also screw with the colors a little bit, so the reds come out a bit brighter than what they really are. Photography snubs call this "Sony red" but regular users love it because it makes children clothing look very life like.

The one annoying thing with the Sony cameras is that most of them use the Sony memory stick, which for a while was only available under the Sony brand. You can now buy memory sticks from other brands, which keeps the prices down. The downside to this is that as long as you buy these sticks you can only use them with Sony cameras. Other brands use SD or CF, which means you can shop for newer cameras with less worry about reusing your cards.

I have friends that favor Sony, Nikon and Canon point and shoot cameras. All of them love their cameras.

As for the Nikon D50, it is too early to tell, I have only owned it for 3 months and only really started beating on it over the past two weeks. So far I love it. The battery lasts forever, I have been twice to an aviation museum and shot over 500 frames each visit, and the battery still had at least 75% of its charge. It uses SD cards, which are dirt cheap. My 2GB 150x SD card was $34 3 months ago, now it can be had for about $25 or so.

The most impressive thing about the D50 when compared to my previous Sonys is how fast the autofocus can track. Last tuesday I tracked a plane for about a mile as it was landing at Ronald Reagan/National Airport. While I was riding a shaky metro train. It did not lose focus once.

Answer 4

I have a Kodak 3.2 megapixle camera. I purchased it about 2 years ago and have had no problems. The picture quality is excellent I paid $90.00 for the camera. You can get a 4 or a 5 megapixel for around that price today. I am still using the same rechargeable batteries and in my opinion this camera is an excellent value.

Answer 5

It really depends on what you are trying to do, you can have anything from 99$ Sony, up to $15,000 canon SLR. If you are looking for an all good camera for a few hundred $ the canon is the better range, it provides true to life images. If you want cheaper than that try Fuji, or Sony. Although if you go too cheap, colors are generally of sync

Answer 6

A couple of important issues. Get one that has rechargeable batteries and pay attention to the type and size of removeable storage media. If you just want to take snapshots, 4 megapixels is just fine. I think Fuji offers some of the best cameras for the money. Buying last year's model can provide huge bargains.

Answer 7

i like canon for there basic point and shoot. the DIGIC chip seems to be quite good. but to get a good canon slr you need to spend WAY too much money. i like the pentax digi slrs because they arent overprice and they are nice to work with

Answer 8

Everyone i know likes the canon elf series.
Its easy to use, and takes nice pictures. Its easy to stick them on your computer, and is small.

http://www.usa.canon.com/consumer/controller?act=ProductCatIndexAct&fcategoryid=113