Can you recommend a good digital camera?

Question

I want a digital camera for Christmas, but I can't decide on which one I should get.

I need a camera that's:
>under $200
>take pictures fast
>can make videos

thanks.

Answer 1

I would recommend going for these :

Canon PowerShot A560 ~ 150 dollars ( could get a free printer too with canon rebate going on now)
• 7.1 Effective Megapixels
• 2.5" LCD Screen
• 4x Optical Zoom
• 1/2.5" CCD Imager

Nikon Coolpix L14 (Blue/Silver) ~130 dollars

• 7.1 Effective Megapixels
• 2.4" LCD Screen
• 3x Optical Zoom
• 1/2.5" CCD Imager

Nikon Coolpix L15 (Black/Pink maybe more colors) ~150 dollars

• 8 Effective Megapixels
• 2.8" LCD Screen
• 3x Optical Zoom
• 1/2.5" CCD Imager

And if you are really upto spending 200 dollars then go for this one which is a great feature rich camera(highly recommended)-

Canon PowerShot A720IS 8MP Digital Camera with 6x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom ( $196.99 on Amazon)

8-megapixel CCD
6x image-stabilized optical zoom(4x digital zoom);
2.5-inch wide-viewing-angle LCD display
Face Detection technology and in-camera red-eye fix
19 shooting modes, including 7 special scene modes; Print/Share button
Movie Clips : 640 x 480 @ 30/15 fps, 320 x 240 @ 60/30/15 fps
Powered by 2 AA-size batteries


Couple of sites where you could read extensive reviews to educate yourself -
http://www.dpreview.com
http://www.dcresource.com

Answer 2

Ten years, that's a tough one, and it does depend on how much you shoot. A pro who might shoot 5000 images every month in some godforsaken place will wear out the mechanicals of a camera quite rapidly, in under 3 years. If it's hard use that you're subject your camera to, then you need to get a tank of a camera Nikon D3/3S/3X and Canon 1DmkIV and 1DsMkIII would be the type of camera you want. You'll need a weather sealed lens to go with it. Even then it's not going to be indestructible. If you're really willing to splash then a Leica M9 system may also be an option, the Leica is a more spartan camera which means less to go wrong. If you're going to use it in extreme conditions, then you have to look at pure mechanical cameras, and shooting film, maybe a Leica M3, which has no electronics to break. If you're going to baby your camera, and only take it out when the sun is shining, and the weather is warm then I'd imagine the current Canon 550D (or any other entry level SLR) and kit lens would probably do the job. Of course it goes without saying that between the 550D and the 1D there are a lot of cameras that can stand up to varying amount of abuse, so it really depends on how you want to use the camera.

Answer 3

Olympus or Canon - these are the best. Lately the prices have dramatically droped. You should get 7 megapixels. Pentax will be too expensive, perhaps. ok, ok, so far for brands. 200$ is probably on the verge of being not enough, but still give it a try, do not despair from the previous answers. Even the old models of Canon are good. I have 4 megapixel Canon and I am very happy with it. Makes video, too.

Answer 4

This is tricky cuz there are 100's of them out there--optical zoom is better then digital zoom--not grainy. Any with 5 megapixels should be good. Fortunately now days there are a lot of good ones in that price range.

Answer 5

Sony is the best camera around. They are easy to use and user friendly for you and yr pc

Answer 6

I like kodak easy share Z1275.............under 200....get a 2 gig card,,,,,,,,
it is 12 megapix and has great software.........

Answer 7

there are sony cybershots on sale now for $199... i think @ circuit city.com

Answer 8

sony cybershot

Answer 9

check the dollar store- you might find one.

Answer 10

impossible