Looking for a good camera?

Hey everyone, I'm looking for a good camera, this is what i basically want:

Very Sharp Images, Good Quailty...

Rechargeable Battery

Slick(looks cool)

budget 500$

I'm not to certain, but that new CyberShot from Sony is looking pretty good.

 

That's cool, but I think if it was between that or cybershot i would get the cybershot..considering there thes same price anymore?

 

I would suggest a Canon Digital Ixus 65, or Canon PowerShot S70.

Sony also make some good models, like the Cyber-Shot DSC-W7, but what I don't like about Sony is that they use proprietary Memory Sticks, rather than Secure Digital/MMC etc.


Most important things to check are,

Do you get rechargeable batteries, or do you have to buy them?

StartUp time. Some digital cameras are painfully slow to start.

How much optical zoom does it have? Ignore digital zoom, it's a gimmick. Optical zoom is what you should look for, and the more, the better.

Does it have a decent view finder? Some cheaper models don't, and rely on the LCD screen only.

Is the LCD screen viewable in bright sunlight?

 

I have last years model, a Fujifilm FinePix S7000 12.2 Megapixel with 19x 6x optical 3.2 digital zoom….Fujifilm stop making it thought, I found the S9000, 9.0 Megapixel, with 10.7 optical 2x Digital zoom at cameras . com for $399….they both use the AA battery’s, and I think AA are the way to go…….wobbles

 

I totally agree and have researched this quite a bit as I'm looking to replace my Olympus digital and upgrade. The DSC-H5 is an awesome camera for it's money with great 12x optical zoom and 7 pixels. I can't wait to get mine once I've cleared a few medical bills.

 

Halo...why are the memory sticks considered unreliable?

I'm an Olympus and therefore a card user to date. Certainly had no problems with that, but have found that over a few years the quality of my Olympus has deteriorated, which is really disappointing as it is my hobby and I'm a bit of a perfectionist in it (undestatement of the year!). At least I believe it to be the camera and not the card ?? Maybe I shouldn't have dropped it on the rocks at the coast HAHA. (Actually it deteriorated gradually and starting before that little mishap!)

 

I would reccomend the Canon you can afford. You can buy less expensive cameras with the same megapixel sizes and such but you're not getting the glass you get with Canon and the image is in the glass. If you want sharp photos(especially in lower light conditions) you want bright glass.

 

Thanks for the replies, I think i'm going to get the Canon, just because I want my images very sharp. Good for photo manipulation.

 

The Canon S80 is only a 3.6 x optical zoom.

The Canon digital Ixus 65 is only a 3 x optical zoom

The Canon S70 is only a 3.6 optical zoom.

The Sony DSC-H5 is a 12x optical zoom.

If you want to take zoomed in shots, these other cameras just ain;t gonna rock it. If you have a digital zoom on them and are relying on that, you are going to lose clarity a lot.

Good review of the DCS-H5 here.

http://www.dcresource.com/reviews/sony/dsc_h5-review/index.shtml

 

Optical zoom is not the only factor to consider in a camera, just one of many.

For most people, 3x + is sufficient, and cameras with a lot of zoom can be difficult to use fluently.


The Sony uses proprietry memory stick, which is expensive, and only works in Sony products.

The Sony doesn't have the same colour balance. The Canon Digital Ixus and PowerShot take better photos and look more natural.


It's a good camera, but to dismiss the others because they don't have the same optical zoom isn't an accurate comparison.

 

I want to offer up the Canon Powershot S3 IS for debate.

http://www.dcresource.com/reviews/canon/powershot_s3-review/

Again still a 12x optical zoom (becuas that is a feature i specifcally require amongst others, which this also covers), but it takes memory card,not memory stick, unlike the Sony.

Comments?

 

This is subjective, and my opinion only, but if I had other Sony products, and/or wasn't concerned about the Memory Stick media, I would go for the Sony out of the two.

Otherwise, I would go for the Canon, although they are a bit miserly.

They only supply alkaline batteries, so you will need to factor in the cost of NiMH rechargeables and charger.

Sooner or later, and this applies to all cameras, you will need a bigger memory card too.

The Sony has a bigger LCD screen, which is great, but it will probably use up battery power quicker, and you may get prints all over it from holding the camera. (it makes holding the camera much harder)

The Canons swivel and tilt lens is very neat though, and comes in handy.


If I was buying a digital camera again, I would at least physically go to a store and check the starting times, how intuitive the menu is, and how easy the LCD is to see in bright sunlight, before deciding. (that was something I didn't do with my first camera, and ended up being a BIG mistake)

It's hard to say, and the more I look at the Sony, the more I like it, but you would really need to hold and fiddle with both before making a decision.


For me, I don't have any Sony products that take Memory Sticks, and hate proprietary media, so personally I would go for the Canon.

 

Wow! You know what I love/hate about this place? There's always somebody who knows a ton of stuff about what you thought you knew a ton of stuff about lol. I say love/hate because I love that I can come here and get sound advice on pretty much everything. (Did I really see a thread about tumble dryers recently??). I hate it (hate is too strong a word,because it's a big positive really) because just when I think I know what I want to get, I realize there's a whole 'nother world out there I yet need to research before making a fully informed purchase Head spin

So, I've looked more into this, and thanks for the advice guys. Olympus' equivalent (the SP500) falls short in a lot of areas...plastic body, no image stablization (and at my age you start to need that!) and the Fuji S5200 also lacks image stabilization, amongst other features for a much higher price. So I'm kinda sitting with the Canon right now after reading your experiences with the storage media.

I already have rechargeable NiMH batteries and charger, so that's not a cost factor. The display is larger than the Olympus I currently have, so even though smaller than the Sony, it is bigger than what I'm used to. Good point about viewing the display screen in bright daylight first...I have such issues with that on my Olympus (and my cell phone come to think of it).

Question @ Halo: through all your trials, is there a specific make of storage media you would recommend? So many choices and so many reviews. Be nice to have a viewpoint from someone I know has the knowledge and experience with them

 

They are both nice cameras but I really want a better optical zoom as the 4x I have just isn't sufficient for the type of photography I do. It took me a while to adjust from a standard SLR to a digital LCD viewfinder display, but I love it now. WYSIWYG

I'm with you on the preference of SD and xD, but I was actually wondering if you had a preferred choice of SanDisk, Transcend, Adata etc make. I understand it is best to get a 60x + speed on these?

 

Thanks Halo

PS: I had to look "titbit" up to check...I always thought it was "tidbit" but it can be either

 

Irealize it is a personal preference when buying a camera. I've done a lot of research (with my limited knowledge) and hove come to the decision that the Sony DSC-H2 is my next camera. I believe the 12X opt zoom and 6Meg Pix for $300.00 is the best for me.

Jack