what's the most user friendly digital camera for beginners?

Question

someone suggested kodaks....is that true?

Answer 1

From a pocketbook point of view you might not like this answer, but a DSLR (a digicam with interchangeable lenses) will be much more user-friendly than a compact (built-in lens).

The reason is that the controls you want will be on large separate buttons and displays on the outside of the camera rather than hidden in menus you have to scroll through.

It's also much easier to frame your shot with an optical viewfinder than with an LCD screen, especially in bright sunlight.

DSLRs also have hand grips which are much more comfortable to hold than square-bodied compacts.

Bottom line is...though they may look intimidating at first, DSLRs are actually much simpler and more pleasant to operate than compacts. Their overall image quality is also much better.

Which DSLR? I would suggest Nikon's D80 with the 18-70 lens for starters. If the price is an issue, go for a used D50 with the same lens. (I'm not going to recommend the D40 or D40X because they will not work with many of Nikon's older lenses.)

Canon's latest digital Rebel is also a great camera, but you may want to upgrade from their kit lens.

Kodak used to make DSLRs, but they don't any more.

I hope this is of benefit to you. A good source of information on this topic is www.dpreview.com. Also check out www.kenrockwell.com. Happy camera hunting!

Answer 2

A simple low-cost camera with killer pictures screams the Fuji F20.

You can also check out www.dpreview.com for a "Features Search" for the camera options you might find important. Great site. I wouldn't worry about the extra features as you can simply choose not to use them, but they will be there when you need something extra.

Honestly, I'm not a Kodak fan, but users tend to like them well enough. I think you can do much better. Any of the Canons are good, so are Olympus, Fuji, Nikon.

If it were me, I would go with the Nikon L5 or the new Fuji f31fd (fd is facial detection which helps focus and exposure) http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/fujifilmf31fd/ The F31fd is the successor to the F30 which has been a standard for comparison of other compact cameras. Very good specs on this camera, and great pictures too.

Answer 3

Virtually any $200 name brand digital pocket camera can create very good images these days.

I favor Nikon and Olympus for pocket cameras. I've had good luck with both brands.

Take a half hour to read the manual of any modern camera and you will be able to use it in short order.

Answer 4

I have a Kodak Easy share camera
it was very easy to figure out
I suggest it for your 1st camera