Lookin for a new digital camera...nikon, cannon??

Question

I have the nikon coolpix 3100 now..its 3 yrs old and its time for a new one. I want a small but GOOD camera for good quality pics that doesnt cost a fortune...ideas??

Answer 1

Better Brand

Which car is better? Chevy or Ford? Porsche or BMW? Mercedes or Lexus?

If you are "not a pro," perhaps you would do best by going with the recommendation of your local camera shop pro or a friend who has something that he/she likes. If you have someone who is willing to help you learn how to use a particular camera, add ten points to that brand in your decision making process.

You might find it easier to get a new Nikon, since the menu structure would be familiar to you already, such as a Nikon Coolpix P4. Here's a link to the P3, which is identical to the P4, except the P4 does not have WiFi capability.

http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/nikonp3/

If you would move outside of the Nikon line, look at a Canon Powershot A620 (perhaps A630 by now) and the S2 IS or S3 IS. They are all really good cameras and the price is not too bad.

Answer 2

Lots of things to consider here including:

1. Just how pocketable do you want your camera. Example: Canon makes some great well-reviewed really small cameras like the Powershot SD700.

2. How much manual control do you need? Some smaller point-n-shoot cameras don't have a lot of manual control. Doesn't sound like you'll miss this though.

3. Megapixels: do NOT fall into the trap of believing more is simply better. A cheap 10mp camera will take far worse pictures than a decent 5mp camera with a better lens and sensor.

I suggest looking here: http://www.digitalcameratracker.com/top-rated-digital-cameras/

That's my favorite website for camera reviews. It collates reviews from the other sites and summarizes them for you.

By the way, if I had to pick a camera for you, I'd go with the Canon I mentioned, or the Fuji F20.

Answer 3

There are a lot of great cameras that have come out recently, nikon has released quite a bit, and canon has their powershot lineup. If you use fuji, you have to use thier type of memory card, which is usually XD, not supported by other cameras, if you use nikon or canon, they usually will use Compact flash (CF) or Secure Digital (SD), which can be interchangeable.
If you want to get into it at an amatuer level, nikon has the D50 DSLR at a very reasonable price.
Hope this helps/

Answer 4

Although Nikon is an excellent brand - its fame coming from analog SLR cameras, for digital cameras CANNON has clearly established lead in quality and features. Since you already own a Nikon, try a Cannon just for variety. You can not go wrong with Cannon.

Answer 5

You don't need to worry about megapixels unless you are planning on printing large pictures that you take. I would look for one with optical zoom and different mode settings. The brand name doesn't mean much anymore the technology is pretty much the same across the board. That being said i love my Cannon SD400

Answer 6

Pick a make that has a good reputation for making lenses - the optical system is more important than the electronics for good pictures. I have a Canon which is superb.

Answer 7

Dont concentrate into brands too much. What matters is the megapixel. It would aso depend on how much you want to spend. I personally own a HP Photosmart 707. its 5 megapixels and it takes very nice pictures. Hope the info helps u.

Answer 8

i have a sony cybershot..and it captures the pictures quite fast....i have one that is 5.1 megapixels....and the picture quality came out good....and wat i liked most about it is that the sony cybershot can capture pics faster than other cameras..:D....so choose ur camera wisely and don't rush for the camera...:D

Answer 9

love my fuji fine pix f10