Digital Camera Suggestions

[BC_MoM]

Ok.. I'm having troubles finding a camera that suites my needs.

I need a camera under $300 Canadian, but I'm willing to go $325 Canadian if it's really great..

I want:
- good picture quality
- portrait mode (preferably ones that blur out background behind subjects)
- a fair amount of optical zoom (around 4x)
- great action shots
- sound w/ video

Those are the things on my wish list. Those are the top 5 things I want.. NEED! on a camera.. lol

Any suggestions?

[Roxyluvsme13]

Canon A650! Thats what I want...:p

[BC_MoM]

Hehe.. but does it take good action shots? I don't like blurry action shots.

[BC_MoM]

Are you sure there's even a Canon A650? I just googled it and got no results... :confused:

[Roxyluvsme13]

My moms friend has it, and it takes amazing pics, Action shots...Im not sure, but I think so!

[Uabassoon]

Canon A610 (http://www.circuitcity.com/ssm/Canon-PowerShot-A610-Digital-Camera/sem/rpsm/oid/135086/catOid/-13062/rpem/ccd/productDetail.do)

I think canon are the best digital cameras out there, canons also seem to be pretty popular around PT.

[Randi]

Canon's (http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/specs/Canon/) :)

[BC_MoM]

The only thing about lower end Canon's is their action shots. That is the only thing detering me. Until I see a non-blurred action shot from a Canon, they are out of the question. :(

[Uabassoon]

I'll see if I can find something better, but here a photo that Alexa took using my camera during one of my rugby games.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v610/lickitung/IMG_3211.jpg

[Uabassoon]

Here's a picture of Payson running. I will admit though that I am not a good photographer. A big part of taking good action shots is knowing how to take them! Something that I've never been good at. I think that as long as you know how to do it you shouldn't have any problems with a canon.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v610/lickitung/IMG_2966.jpg

[Tollers-n-Dobes]

The only thing about lower end Canon's is their action shots. That is the only thing detering me. Until I see a non-blurred action shot from a Canon, they are out of the question. :(


Have you happened to see any of Wolfsoul's pictures of Visa? I think she has an A95, and her action pics come out really clear...:)

[BC_MoM]

Thanks guys! A member here has been PMing me about Canon's and showed me some GREAT action shots of her doggies taken with the A510..

Are they still making/selling the A510? I tried looking for it online at local dealers and could only find it's younger brother, the A520. :( I have heard people prefer the A510 over the A520, and from reading reviews, I agree. To add, the A520 also has higher noise levels than the A510.

[RedHedd]

You can still buy that model online. I did a search at mysimon.com and came up with several vendors. I bought mine at Circuit City last year. I LOVE that camera!

[Tralee]

As I have already told you I reconmend the Kodak Z740, it has video, takes great action shots, takes great portraits, and it has 10x optical zoom, it also has 5 MP which can be adjusted. It is about 200-300 US dollars.
Portrait taken with my Kodak, notice the blurry background
http://i1.tinypic.com/mjmmhs.jpg
and some assorted videos
http://www.dropshots.com/videolink.php?userid=59420&cdate=20060117&ctime=152213&showVideo=1
http://www.dropshots.com/videolink.php?userid=59420&cdate=20060117&ctime=152226&showVideo=1
http://www.dropshots.com/videolink.php?userid=59420&cdate=20060117&ctime=152233&showVideo=1
http://www.dropshots.com/videolink.php?userid=59420&cdate=20060117&ctime=152234&showVideo=1

[Alysser]

I really enjoyed those videos! Lady is sooooo active and adorable. I LOVE her bark. :D

[Tralee]

Thank you!!
Unfortunatly last night she got a puncture on her paw and had to get stiches. But this weekend we are going to GHF to adopt a second dog

[BC_MoM]

Thanks Nicole... I would really like your camera but

1) My Dad, as I told you, HATES Kodak
2) Out of my price range :( I'm not as rich as you! :p

[Tralee]

I don't think you should be calling me rich when you have never met me.
I bought my camera when my dad wasn't home so he couldn't try and change my mind. he didn't really like my camera at first but now he likes it.

What is the current exchange rate?
There is also the Kodak EasyShare Z700 which is a step down and slighly cheaper.

[BC_MoM]

$1 Usd = $1.15 Cdn

[binka_nugget]

I say go for a Canon ;) I took these with my Canon Powershot A60. I'm not sure how much the newer canons are going for but I've seen a lot of the older Powershot models being sold in ads. I got my Canon Powershot A75 (used) for $200 CDN last year.

Here are a few action shots..

(Without flash) -- They were going REALLY fast
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v221/ashgraphics/227d0fc6.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v221/ashgraphics/86a459fe.jpg


(With flash)

Both dogs in the air.. :p

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v221/ashgraphics/89395cfb.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v221/ashgraphics/ee60db63.jpg

[Jessika]

The only thing about lower end Canon's is their action shots. That is the only thing detering me. Until I see a non-blurred action shot from a Canon, they are out of the question. :(

I'm tellin ya Jess you can find an EOS Rebet XT for under $500 USD if you search froogle.com (part of google). I just searched froogle for "canon eos digital" and a BUNCH came up, most in the $400 range! And most 8.0MP

And if you use flash with the action shots 9/10 times they come out MUCH clearer than if you don't use flash

EDIT: http://store.yahoo.com/ccicameracity/canondrxt.html

[BC_MoM]

WAY out of my price range, Jess. :( And remember, that's USD. I was looking at cameras before and they were like 150-250 USD, and when I looked for them at Canadian dealers, they were like 350-450... so.. the exchange rate doesn't sound like a lot, but it adds up quickly.

Also, we can't buy online. So.. yeah :(

[Jessika]

Ah well I had no idea of the currency exchange just that CAD was less than USD. Or maybe it was the other way around. O_o In any case, certain PowerShots are better at action shots than others. I haven't had too many problems with mine. Some come out blurry, some come out perfect lol its luck of the draw, really.

[wolf_Q]

I think you asked in my last picture thread (this one (http://petoftheday.com/talk/showthread.php?p=1393834#post1393834) ) what kind of camera I use. It's a Canon Powershot A95. As you can see from those pictures I have been able to get good action shots. Not every picture taken in action turns out great of course, it's much easier in good lighting and outside.

[slick]

BC Mom:
I live just outside of Vancouver, BC and I've been looking (well, dreaming of is more lilke it) for a digicam. Now, I really don't know anything about them as I've never owned one but you can order online from the Futureshop.

http://www.futureshop.ca/catalog/proddetail.asp?sku_id=0665000FS10051438&catid=10131&logon=&langid=EN

...and yes, for you folks from the States, the exchange rate for us is a killer and it's always something we have to keep in mind.

[BC_MoM]

Ugh.. yeah.. don't exchange rates suck? I think it's really stupid and pointless. :P

I can't order online, but I know there's two PowerShot A510's in the city in stock, the rest are completely sold out because they are discontinued.. let's hope I get one for my Bday!

[Giselle]

I will only buy Canon. I guess it's a personal bias, but after trying the rest, I truly will not use any other. I know shutter speed can usually be adjusted, but some cameras I've used are SO. SLOW. With flash/the right lighting, Canon takes quick and clear pictures. Kodak is alright, but I find that they're rather bulky. I have a rather out-of-date camera, a PowerShot A75, and I never seem to have my camera out when Giselle decides to start actually *moving*, so my action shots are more of her just trotting :p I guess you could call that "action":

http://www.mypetpages.net/artists/1984/0/71bc07679d8a3511ba9cf7e47a9e6a3d.JPG
(MyPetPages did a really weird job of re-sizing this photo which is why it looks so grainy :/)



http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v474/LSophie/The%20Dogs/IMG_1925.jpg

I also find that longer-coated dogs are just harder to photograph while in motion because their fur blends together, like this:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v474/LSophie/The%20Dogs/Luckydogwalk2.jpg

Just don't expect to shell out a butt-load of money for a top-notch camera and expect your photos coming out beautifully. It does take a lot of practice and expertise to get some *nice* action shots and I have a lot of admiration for those can take halfway decent pictures. For now, though, I'll stick to my old PowerShot ;)

[MariaM]

!!!!!!!!!!!!! Lol this is a topic that has been frustrating me to no end lately.
I want the Canon a610, SO BAD!

I found it on this site...

www.onsale.com

for $260 USD, with a $30 rebate (not sure if thats reliable or not).

Anyway, Let's say it came to $230 USD.
I went on a currency converter and that is supposed to be $267 Canadian. $267!!! But on that Canadian sites I've looked on, the cheapest I found it was $380. THAT IS INSANE. Ok, so maybe $380 isn't an INSANE amount for a digital camera, but it IS considering how much cheaper it is in the US, EVEN WITH THE EXCHANGE RATE. :mad: :mad: :mad: I wouldn't feel right buying it for that much knowing how cheap it was in the US. It makes me SO MAD, and I don't know what to do. I don't want to buy a camera off ebay. I really really want the a610 but do NOT have $380, plus taxes and shipping, to spend. :(

Edit: onsale.com changed their deal. The $30 mail-in-rebate is no longer there but it is $15 dollars cheaper.

[anna_66]

Do either one of you have someone who could buy it in the US and then ship it to you?
Seems like that might be your best bet.

[MariaM]

That's what I was thinking, but my dad said they charged an insane amount of duty at the border. I had my hopes up, thinking that would be a great idea, but then I just got frustrated again.

[BC_MoM]

Hmm.. oh JESSIKA....... ;)

[Cataholic]

I have a Nikon Coolpix 4600 (I know, it is probably some low end model....) but, I wanted to point out one thing that I really dislike about it. I can't seem to figure out how to take instant pictures, without the flash taking twenty minutes to spludder around before finally going off. My last camera- a Canon, I think, was so fast!

Try getting shots of a toddler! I get lots of the side of his head....so, my point, make sure there is a way to take instant pics....maybe only outside?

[Jessika]

Hmm.. oh JESSIKA....... ;)

LOL you know I'm here if you need to use me ;)