Recommendations for a camera?

[catnapper]

Santa was supposed to bring me a new camera but the kitchen redo took the money. My Canon is finally taking its last gasp and I need to find a new one. I am surprised at how different cameras are now than when I bought mine a couple years ago!

Here's what I want:
~ Quick focus and shoot - mine sometimes focuses AFTER the action, making me miss something Cameron or the pets have done.
~ Nice indoor/low light shots without a flash.
~ Decent battery life (at least 100 photos on a single charge. Mine currently can go average of 150 shots before recharge)
~ Under $200 price point.
~ Small profile. I love my Canon S2, but I use it for work and need to be able to pocket it instead of lugging it
~ Ease of use for people who have no idea how to work it (in other words hubby needs to be comfortable using it!)

Also, when I bought mine, Canon was the only way to go. Is that still the same? Back then, Sony and Kodak were unreliable or disappointing. Is it still that way? I was very happy with my Canon all the time I've had it. I was also happy with my Nikon.

I tell you, I will absolutely miss my swivel screen. How do you all feel about a stationary screen? Should I go larger again and get the swivel screen? I use it all the time.

[Marigold2]

I have the same question. I want to take pictures of pets, friends, and vacation shots.

[Pinot's Mom]

Sorry, can't get you at that price point. I LOVE my Canon EOS Rebel Digital SLR, but the cost is much higher. The "digital delay" was too much for me, and I knew I needed to go back to SLR technology. Good luck!

[Momto4FemaleFelines]

I won't recommend my camera simply because it's an older model (a left-over '06 Sony Cybershot that I got in early '07 on sale), but it is a GOOD camera.

I'm far from an expert but I can share a little:
Look for something you can change the ISO on, at least to 1000. If you have good light, you can take pictures indoors with no flash on that setting. I do quite a bit of that in my living room and on our "florida type" back porch room when the sun is providing good light, and of the cats on the window sills, but you have to shoot at an angle or you just get silhouttes.

Look for a high OPTICAL zoom number if you want good zoom capabilities. Digital zoom doesn't mean much...you can zoom, but the more you zoom the grainier the photos will become. If you get a high optical zoom number (I have an x12 and really could use a camera with better zoom for the wildlife photography I do on my property, but it'll have to wait awhile) Good zoom capabilities can come in handy when you want to potograph an adorably sleeping kitty without moving too much or too close to wake kitty!

My camera has a bazillion things I'll never learn to use, but the zoom is one thing I know about and is important to me. I do use the B&W and sepia settings sometimes.

The more manipulating you will be doing with editing programs, the higher mega pixel number you should look for.

That's about all I know about to share, hope it helps some.

[Roxyluvsme13]

I would recommend my camera, but it's an older model and not really tiny enough to fit what you're wanting in one anyways , so I'll just ramble a little bit.

I agree with what has already been said. High optical zoom is great. My camera has 10x zoom and it's really awesome for taking pics of the moon and pics of the pets when you don't want to disturb them. ISO is also great.

I recommend looking into some of the smaller Nikons and there are a couple of Canons out now that have some really nice optical zoom on them. There's one specific Canon, I can't exactly remember the model number, but it has like 10x zoom and it's fairly small and has some great features for around a $200 price tag, I *think*.

The cheaper, smaller Fujis probably aren't that great and a lot of people are saying Kodak has improved some, but I still say look into the Canons and Nikons that fit your style.

Good luck !

[Momto4FemaleFelines]

I just uploaded some non-kitty photos in an album in my profile as an example of what my camera can do.

[Roxyluvsme13]

I just uploaded some non-kitty photos in an album in my profile as an example of what my camera can do.

Really AWESOME pictures!!! I love the macro ones.

[Momto4FemaleFelines]

Really AWESOME pictures!!! I love the macro ones.

Thank you. I LOVE photography, but am just a novice who does it for fun, relaxation and as a sort of therapy and pass-time.
I don't use the macro setting on the camera for those close ups! I just move in and out and snap away til I get one in focus. That's the GREAT thing about digital photography, take hundreds of pics but only save and maybe print the cream of the crop.

I have a web site with some of the pictures I consider my best and I also have a bunch of photos on ViewBug, which I'm not sure I can share because it seems every time I send someone the link, they tell me they can't see the pics unless they register OR have my password and screen name...

But here is my personal page:
Pat's Photography Pages

[Catlady711]

~ Quick focus and shoot - mine sometimes focuses AFTER the action, making me miss something Cameron or the pets have done.

~ Under $200 price point.

Sorry but those two are basically incompatible. The 'lag' in focus to taking picture time is inherent in ALL point and shoot cameras. Some may be a bit faster than others but only an SLR or Digital SLR are going to be 'lag' free and unless it's old and very, very used, you're simply not going to find one under $200. The choice is to either practice to anticipate the action ahead of time knowing your 'lag' or pony up to an entry level DSLR.

~ Nice indoor/low light shots without a flash.

There are alot of digital noise reduction software out there (noise ninja, neat image) that will help you take advantage of the higher ISO settings for low light photography. However the smaller sensor cameras (point and shoots) naturally have more noise in them than a larger sensor DSLR. It depends on how much noise you can live with to achieve your idea of 'nice', everyone has a different preference.

~ Decent battery life (at least 100 photos on a single charge. Mine currently can go average of 150 shots before recharge)

Ok, I'll admit on this one I've never actually paid attention to this on any of my 4 cameras. I know with the DSLR I can shoot about 1/2 the day on one battery, and nearly so on my best Point and Shoot camera (Canon S3) and I shoot alot of pictures! I think that depends more on the quality of the battery you use than the camera itself.


~ Small profile. I love my Canon S2, but I use it for work and need to be able to pocket it instead of lugging it

See my reply at the very bottom on checking out cameras.


~ Ease of use for people who have no idea how to work it (in other words hubby needs to be comfortable using it!)

Most of the entry level or consumer cameras have settings for non camera tech people, either in the form of programmed settings (snow, portrait, action etc) or in an auto setting, or sometimes both.


Also, when I bought mine, Canon was the only way to go. Is that still the same? Back then, Sony and Kodak were unreliable or disappointing. Is it still that way? I was very happy with my Canon all the time I've had it. I was also happy with my Nikon.

Personally, even though I'm a Canon shooter, I think that a person can't go wrong with either Canon or Nikon. Both companies are the top in the business and have been making cameras their niche for more years than the other companies. It usually comes down to what feels most comfortable for you to use and what your budget is and then THAT is the right camera for YOU. Seriously what good is the latest, greatest, expensive piece of equipment that makes your friends all jealous; if it's a pain to use, and gets in the way of your photography? The photographer makes the pictures, the camera is just a tool.


I tell you, I will absolutely miss my swivel screen. How do you all feel about a stationary screen? Should I go larger again and get the swivel screen? I use it all the time.

The larger screens make it easier to you to see what you've shot and tell whether you're focus or framing is right, plus it's easier for others to see when you show it to them. However the swivel screen is a handy gadget. If you use a swivel screen that much then for you a swivel screen may be the deciding factor in your purchase decision, for someone else it might not be.


Do some research on what cameras have features you like in a price range you're willing to pay. http://www.steves-digicams.com/camera-reviews/ is a GREAT site for all the specs and pictures of the menus, buttons, the works, and very accurate too.

Once you've narrowed your choices down to say 3-4 cameras, go find a store near you that has them. Pick them up, practice what it feels like to take a picture with one, navigate the menus, pay attention to what it feels like in your hands. Do your fingers get in the way of the lens? Does it feel unsteady when you hold it with one hand? Do the menus seem confusing?

Make note of all those things (on a list at the store) but don't buy! Come home and analyse the pros and cons for how you intend to use the camera and sleep on it at least one night. Then make up your mind which one you're going to get and where you want to buy it from.


Hope all that helps some. Any questions?

[catnapper]

Wow, I had no idea what I wanted doesn't exist. I feel like one of my customers who come in looking for something that nobody makes, yet they insist it exists!

I looked at a Canon in the store that I loved how fast it focused and caught action shots. Its three times as fast as my current Canon, so maybe thats what I was considering fast picture shoot time? My current camera makes you press the shutter button halfway to focus. When the green square on the screen shows up, you need to press the shutter completely. That's frustrating for people who aren't familiar with my camera. The new Canon I looked at was litterally point and shoot, and the photos looked sharp (well the interior of Best Buy looked sharp - we all know they have bright lighting conditions)

I really just figured there would be a camera out by now that does everything my old cameras does, but better and in a smaller package.