digital camera suggestions

tuxedokitties

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Anyone out there knowledgeable about digital cameras?

I'm looking for an affordable digital camera that I can take with me on hikes & such - nothing fancy, just something small & lightweight that's easy to carry and that will take decent pictures, and that is cheap enough that it won't be a huge loss if I drop it or if it gets stolen.

Any advice is appreciated - thanks
 

babyharley

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Originally Posted by tuxedokitties

Anyone out there knowledgeable about digital cameras?

I'm looking for an affordable digital camera that I can take with me on hikes & such - nothing fancy, just something small & lightweight that's easy to carry and that will take decent pictures, and that is cheap enough that it won't be a huge loss if I drop it or if it gets stolen.

Any advice is appreciated - thanks
Mine is a Kodak Easy Share CX7300 with 3.2 mega pixels. I love it, its small, light weight, takes great pics! I got mine for around/under $100 (Great deal!) At Target!
It doesn't zoom too far, but I dont use that often so its no big deal for me, but I really like mine!
 

gailc

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You could check out the sales at Target and other discount stores-I got my Sony cybershot this summer at sears-it was a return (don't know why). Sears had some really good prices on their returns.
 

amitya

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i just got a new one to replace my other 2 HP digi cameras-- Got a Kodak Easy Share Z700 high zoom 4 MP. Its awesome-- You can buy just the camera at wally world (walmart) for 198.00 or you can buy the camera with the dock for 198.00 they also have a Fuji Fine Pix 4 MP camera with case, tripod, memory card and a couple of other things with it for 194.00 ( i think) When i went yesterday to wally world they had a SONY digital camera with a stainless steel thermos for 200.00 bucks.

I got the Easy Share becuase my mom has had her easy share for a couple of years and just raves about it. I love mine-- got some awesome premade settings for various picture types and everything as well as manual controls. It also does vidoe with sound too. Killer deal at wally world for 200.00 ( even though i cant get the dock to connect to my pc lol)

Hubby bought a 3 MP camera in a plastic package on a peghook at wally world that does video clips and has an SD memory card slot for 39.99. They have another one on the peg hooks for 59.99-- hubby uses the 40$ one he bought for work stuff and it works well. hes pleased with it.
 

rapunzel47

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I found my HP Photosmart 318 sufficiently to my liking (it was a gift) that when the battery door broke, I didn't wait to get it repaired (will one day!), just went out and bought another HP -- this time the 735. They're easy to use, do a decent job, don't cost a bundle. My sig pics of Cindy and Fawn were both taken on the 735 (3.2 megapixels), Suzy's was an early one on the 318 (2.3 megapixels). I've had the 735 a year now, so it'll be a different model at the bottom of the heap by now, but if I were in the market for a replacement, that's what I'd look at.
 

jcat

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I'm on my third, a Samsung Digimax A6, with 6 megapixels and an optical zoom, that I got for around $200. I love it! I still have my last one, a Fujipix, but I've never been satisfied with just the digital zoom.
 

kai bengals

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I've had a few digital cam's and I've found if you go too cheap you end up with lousy images and you'll kick yourself for it later.
I have a sony cyber-shot........I hate it. So about 6 months ago I bought a Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ20.
This camera has the feel and weight of a 35mm film cam. It takes the BEST pics..it's awesome. I can't say enough good things about it. It was about $500, but worth every penny and it's rugged. I wouldn't want to drop it, but it can take some punishment. It's not whimpy.
 

mikeanderson

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The Canon Powershot series are always a good bet. Get one of the more recent models.

For more info on all things relating to digicams, be sure to check out this website:

http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/

I just ordered a Powershot 620 for my wife for Christmas.
 

pushylady

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I'm in the market for a digital camera too. I also recommend the site that MikeAnderson suggested. It's informative, unbiased and has more information than you'll ever want!
Nikon Coolpix and Cannon Powershot are both on my list too.
I suggest writing a list of features that you want, then setting a price range and comparing what you come up with.
Bring on the Christmas sales!!
 

menagerie mama

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Mine is a HP Photosmart 318 and I hate it. (That's funny Fran, I broke my battery door too!) The one I really want is the new Cannon one, but it's like $500. It can take 3 pics per second, where as mine takes almost a minute to focus, take the picture and process that it took a picture
Great for still lifes such as sunsets but man, I can't catch my kitties with that one very well....I heard the Elf is pretty good, and tiny.
 

lightninrod

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I'm on my third one. The first two were Fuji Finepix's and they were OK but a little 'flimsy' but they still took fairly good pics.

My current one is a Canon Powershot G6 and it's lot more 'camera' than the Fuji, more than I need but it's a joy to use. I'm still learning how to use it as best I can. Here's a recent pic and another one.

Tell me if you can't get in to see them and I'll use the Image feature.

Dan
 

rapunzel47

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Originally Posted by menagerie mama

Mine is a HP Photosmart 318 and I hate it. (That's funny Fran, I broke my battery door too!)
Sounds to me like that was a real design flaw on that one. I was never happy with how it functioned and wasn't surprised when it broke. The camera served me well as a first digital, though.
 

moocow

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DH recommends the Kodak easyshare, too. For a lower-end camera you can't do much better and you know it's Kodak quality, not some off brand.

Make sure to budget some for a memory card. The one my friend bought had internal memory but does take a card, only it didn't come with one. Internal memory typically doesn't hold much.

The best piece of advice though; make sure to get one with a rechargeable lithium battery. Digital cameras EAT THROUGH AA Batteries like nobody's business, especially if you use the flash. We bought a cheapo $30 one off the hooks at Walmart to keep in the car because we're always coming across weird photo-ops (like a lady standing on the corner holding a sign that said "was jailed for holding sign, just released, please help", no kidding). I put brand new batteries in it and put it in the glovebox. Took it out two weeks later, took ONE photo with it and it was dead.

For regular use we have a high-end consumer grade digital from Sony, but it's not exactly cheap. We bought it 2 years ago for $800, and I think you can find the same model (online only) now for $500-$600, but that's probably out of the price range you're looking for. If it weren't, I'd recommend it highly; it takes better photos than my pro-grade 35mm.
 

catkiki

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I just got an Olympus FE-100. It was low in price (I paid $134.99 but it lists for $149.99) I really like it. It hasn't been reviewed yet by the site that MikeAndersen posted, but it is good. Much better than the cheapie $39.00 job I had. That one didn't work half the time and the you could hardly see the screen. This one has a bright screen and some of the "bells and whistles" that the higher priced ones have.
 

russian blue

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I'm a little late in my response but I would totally go with any camera in the Canon Powershot line. http://www.canon.ca/digitalphotograp...p?id=846&cid=6

Small and compact enough to carry around with you on hikes. Really affordable once the new camera's for the next generation come out. The pictures are always excellent from Canon ( in my humble opinion).

Up until 2 months ago, I used a Canon Powershot A80. Here are some of my picture examples:







* Make sure to budget for a memory card (approx $50 CDN), charger and rechargeable batteries (approx. $70 CDN) and a case to carry your camera (approx. $20 CDN).
 

pushylady

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Wow Russian Blue, those pictures are quite an endorsment for Cannon! Love how close-up you got.
 

lndscpsam

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I agree about the Cannon Powershot. In fact, if anyone's interested I've got a Cannon Powershot s200 I'd like to find a new home for. Hubby just bought me a brand new digital camera for Xmas. The one I have is 2 megapixels and works terrific! Email me directly for more info.
 
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