BEST Camera Ever, PLEASE Help ME?

Question

What is an all around good digital camera?

One that is reasonably priced, user friendly and will help a photography illitterate user take near-professional pictures?

It is to be used for anything and anywhere, like a spirit of the moment kinda thing.

Additionally it will be used with an Apple computer

Answer 1

No restictions? SLRs will give you the best imagine quality and they make really good comsumer and prosumer SLRs now for around $1000. Canon makes the best comsumer camera in my opinion. They have really great imagine quality for their size. I would recommond them. Here are a few choices:

Slim and Small- No limit- Canon SD900
Slim and Small- $300-400 limit Canon SD800 IS (Has Imagine Stablization)
Slim and Small- $200-$300 limit- SD600 6MP

Ultrazoom- Canon S3IS (Has Imagine Stablization) 12X optical 6MP

Budget Camera- No limit- Canon A640 10MP 4X Optical Zoom
Budget Camera- Less than $300- Canon A630 8MP 4X Optical Zoom

Enutheist Camera- No Limit- ($500+) Canon G7 10MP 6X Optical Zoom

SLR- No Limit- Canon Mk-II $5000 w/o lens
SLR- $3000 - Canon 5D Full Sensor
SLR- Budget - Canon 30D
SLR- Below $1000 w/ lens kit - Canon Rebel XTi

If you want near professional SLRs are best for you, interchangable lenses, RAW format, easy to use. Once you learn how to use an SLR its not that hard to use. Took me a month to learn how to use one and its quite fun.

Answer 2

Koko has a good list divided up by price range and I agree with his choices, just to amplify his answer.

Personally, I have a few P&S and a few dSLR's and I recently bought a Canon Powershot SD900 (on Koko's list) and I am quite satisfied with it. It is my "pocket camera," but I am quite demanding in quality results. Here's one picture that I have placed on-line as a sample:

Click on "All Sizes" and view this as large as possible and check out the birds. This was taken right after sunset and there were no enhancements in afterprocessing. It was beautiful.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/7189769@N04/409551806/

My stock answer on the SD900:
~~~~~~~~~~

Canon Powershot SD900

After answering questions here for about 8 months, I finally decided to get a Canon Powershot SD900. I was going to go for the SD700-IS, but they were out of stock everywhere and it gave me time to re-think my purchase. This is going to be a pocket camera to use when I don't want to carry one of my SLR's with me, but I still want really great image quality from the camera. Anyhow, after months and months of reading reviews, the SD900 was my top choice. I found a review in Popular Photography the day after I ordered my Canon that suggests that maybe the Pentax Optio A20 would have been a better choice, but, I don't believe it. The Pentax does have shake reduction, but I doubt this will be necessary in a camera that only zooms to an equivalent of 114 mm and I just can not believe that 10 MP on a smaller 1/2.5" sensor (Pentax) will be better than 10 MP on a 1/1.8" sensor (Canon) that is nearly twice as large.

Anyhow, go here to see the comparison article on 5 compact camera and see what you think. If you really don't want to read reviews, I am still happy that I am got the Canon SD900 and this would be my recommendation for anyone at this point, since it is what I chose for myself. I ordered from B&H Photo where the price is $343 (today) for the SD900. They have been playing with the price point for this camera since Christmas and that's why I say "today." Every time I check back, it's got a different price.

I also bought a 5-year Mack warranty for $50. If you are even a little paranoid or clutzy, I feel that it is money well-spent. These are somewhat delicate compared to SLR's.

http://www.popphoto.com/cameras/3471/high-5-10mp-compacts.html Click on the name of each camera to read a detailed review.

Here is a comparison page with all five cameras. Click on "In-depth review" and "Read Owner Opinions" for each camera. Be sure to note that the reviews are many pages long so you don't stop after page one. Check the sample images, also. You can enlarge these to full size images if you click on the link below the picture. You will have to then put your cursor in the white space to the right of the picture and click once. After that, you can pass your cursor over the image and it will turn into a magnifier. Click it as a magnifier once and the image will go to full size and you can really examine the detail or look for artifacts like fringing or noise.

http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/compare_post.asp?method=sidebyside&cameras=canon_sd900%2Ccasio_exz1000%2Coly_stylus1000%2Cpentax_optioa20%2Csamsung_nv10&show=all

http://www.steves-digicams.com/2006_reviews/sd900.html

Answer 3

For user friendly try the HP 927 or 967. They both have big 3" screens are are really easy to use while taking really good pictures. They were designed to be a camera for people who want to take pictures and do not want to go through the learning curve of some of the other cameras. I have several digital cameras including an SLR Canon, a really small Nikkon and the HP 927.

The Canon of course takes the best pictures, but with all the lenses and attachments needed for versatility (you need a telephoto lens to get any distant shots) it costs a lot (well over $1200.00). The Nikkon is really great for my purse, but its menus are not all that easy to use & its picture quality is fine for quick shots that aren't too far away. The HP is dummy proof and takes good quality pictures and videos with sound. It also has a really sturdy case. I dropped mine a few times and it's still fine.

I grew up with a photography. My dad was a photographer. I have times when I want the sophistication of my SLR, but to just get that "memory" shot, I carry one of my smaller cameras. I got the HP this winter and really love it for its overall design and quality.

Go to Wolf Camera, Best Buy, Circuit City or some other retailer with a large camera selection. Pick a camera that works for you, not the guy who wants to impress people with a gadget. If you can't use the menu on the camera, you will have a hard time doing so when you are trying to get a good shot later.

A big display really helps too. Look for the manual to be in camera so you won't have to carry the book with you when you want to look up a feature.

The HP 927 is retailing for about $250.00 most places. You might find it for less because prices on digital cameras are really coming down. Other brands have cameras in that price range.

Keep in mind that most of the cameras now take good pictures. Digital photography has come a long way in the past couple of years. It's the ease of use features that you need to consider the most. And more megapixels does not mean a better picture. Don't get caught in that trap. Anything over 6.3 mega pixels will take the quality of the best SLR film camera. More mega pixels just mean bigger pictures--as in billboard sized.

The memory cards and USB cords will work with Mac or PC.

Answer 4

The best camera ever? Why go for a Point-and-Shoot?

Heck, why a digital SLR?

Go buy a Gigapixel camera!

http://www.gigapxl.org/

Answer 5

What a fresh tackle getting older. I have under no circumstances involved approximately mine. Yet, the digicam tolls extra reality of my face than I observe! Like you I real feel that is now not my illustration. Camera is aware of larger. Nice write, Elaine.

Answer 6

there is no best digital camera ever, each camera is design for individual need like size, design, maga pix, zoom and so on....
if you really want to have good camera choose these brands:- Nikon, Canon, Sony.
If you have a budget get a DSLR camera with brand mention.

Answer 7

The Nikon Coolpix S7c is a nice very compact camera for your price, If you want it I saw it at Ritz Camera, they also got some promos at http://www.prioritycodes.com/Electronics/RitzCamera.com-Priority-Codes/index.html for a discount

Answer 8

go to yahoo shopping
digital cameras
digital camera guide
it will help you decide

Answer 9

Thanks Kevin, I've been looking for that site for couple of days.
If you want to see some awesome photos take a look at that site.

Answer 10

http://www.creative.com/products/welcome.asp?category=218
http://www.nextag.com/creative-camera/search-html
http://www.wiredzone.com/xq/asp/ic.30453589/qx/itemdesc.htm