Looking for a great digital camera for my girlfriend but I don't know jack about cameras?

Question

She has a Minolta Dimage F100 right now, and all the specs are here:

http://www.dpreview.com/news/0203/02031304minoltaf100.asp

So, the basic stats of the camera are 4.0 megapixel and 2.5x zoom. Of course, I need to find something portable yet a lot better than what she has right now. Any suggestions? Any ideas would be gladly appreciated. I can always look them up online but nothing compares to personal experience.

Answer 1

I'll fall in line with the recommendations for Canon above. They have both given you a good list of the line. Petra has recommended the SD700-IS right and left as she has the camera and really likes it. Koko is the champion of the Rebel XTi. 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.

After about one month of using the SD900, I am so happy with it that I bought one to give to my niece as an engagement present. I am that confident in the camera.

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

Here is one photo I put on-line that I took with the SD900. 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.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/7189769@N04/409551806/

Answer 2

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
Highly Recommonded--> 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

Depends on what you need. I would recommond the SD800IS highly IF you have the money. Its a great litttle camera. But if you still want small and thin the SD600 is a great choice as well.

Answer 3

the two, for one you dont recognize what youre talkin approximately. If a digital camera isnt precise then how the hell do i glance the comparable once I take a %contained in the mirror as while somebody TOOK a photograph of me head on??? as in you may tell its the right comparable individual with the comparable face almost. The sht youre talkin approximately is in all likelihood if the digital camera is grainy or its dim lighting fixtures or some crap. Then its no longer precise. or if its a low high quality digital camera. or whether it reverses a picture, some try this. Its nonetheless the guy yet dim easy distortion or like makin a face will exchange it in case you desire/ yet once you declare a 'digital camera' or image is diverse than a mirror image then WTF do i glance the comparable in the two p.c.. people TAKE OF ME AND those I take contained in the mirror?? somebody is erroneous right here huh? i think of it boils right down to the many times used of the digital camera/ or dimness or easy contained in the section or any variety of distortion in touch

Answer 4

There are so many different camera models available, that it's difficult to choose.
But, if your girlfriend likes a small camera, then I would highly recommend one of Canon's SD models.
They are ultra compact, mostly made of metal & very solidly built, are very easy to use and take great quality photos and movies.
They use a rechargeable lithium battery, which is supplied. You would have to buy an SD card, though. A 1GB fast SD card is recommended (Sandisk Ultra II or Extreme III).

There are quite a number of models available, it all comes down to how many megapixels you want and what price you are prepared to pay.

Some very good models...
SD600, very popular model (6MP, 3X optical zoom).
SD630, same as the SD600, but with a larger LCD screen...but no viewfinder.
SD700 IS (6MP, 4x optical image stabilizer). I have this one.
SD900 Ti (10MP, 3X optical)

Answer 5

Well you've got a bunch of Canons thrown at you. Consider these 2 by Sony.
Sony Cyber-shot DSC-N2
Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W50

Both cheaper than the Canon SD900.