Digital camera recommendations?

[Sara]

I need recommendations for a digital camera. We went on vacation last week and someone accidentally threw my camera away. :hissyfit

Our budget for this is around $300. I'm drooling over the digital Canon Rebel, but that isn't going to happen, so I'll take more realistic recommendations. :-)

[SunnyMeee]

If it would help you, I can tell you what Consumer Reports recommends. I'd need to know how many megapixels you want, though. :popcorn

I'm sorry your camera got thrown away...yikes!

[Sara]

Probably 4-5 megapixels. Our old one was 3...

Thanks!

[SunnyMeee]

Hope this helps! :grin

Need to add that these are the Consumer Reports (CR) Best Buys for each category...

4 Megapixels
Kodak EasyShare
CX7430
$185
RECOMMENDATIONS & NOTES
Very good overall. Has 16 megabytes of internal memory, excellent battery life. Lacks manual controls.

Olympus
D-580 Zoom
$190
RECOMMENDATIONS & NOTES
Very good overall. Has print image matching and supports PictBridge direct print system. Lacks manual controls.

5 Megapixels

Kodak EasyShare
CX7530
$240
RECOMMENDATIONS & NOTES
Very good overall, has 32 MB internal memory

Canon PowerShot
A95
$290
RECOMMENDATIONS & NOTES
Very good overall, has LCD that flips and swivels, has automatic noise reduction at slow shutter speeds, has excellent battery life

[SunnyMeee]

In these two categories these are the cameras that were rated right above the CR Best Buys I listed in my previous message. There are a couple of cameras that are more expensive in each category, but I tried to stay close to your $300 limit.

4 Megapixels

Canon PowerShot
SD300
$320

Olympus
Stylus 410
$265

Sony CyberShot
DSC-L1
$245

5 Megapixels

Olympus
C-5500
$315

Olympus
Stylus 500
$280

[cannuke]

We have a Canon Powershot S410 Digital Elph and I love it! DH hasn't quite figured it out yet, but I've been using the same one at work for the past year or so. Haven't had any problems with it. We paid about $300 for it.

I like that it has a rechargeable Lithium ion battery rather than a bunch of AA's - I haven't had any battery problems like memory or running out too soon, either. It's very compact and has lots of features for the average home photographer. The screen on the back is also large enough to see very easily what you're taking pictures of. It's 4 megapixels and comes with a 32 MB flash card (I think that's the right size) that you can easily upgrade if needed.

I would highly recommend it. :tu

[Sara]

Thanks to both of you! :tu

Batteries are definitely a consideration. Our last camera, though I liked it, sucked up AA batteries like crazy!

[zak]

Sony Mavica... burns straight to a CD (read: NO software to mess with) and has a rechargable battery :)

It's awesome!!

[Sara]

Okay, we went ahead and bought a Sony Cybershot DSC-T33. It is a tiny little camera - very thin and easiy fits in my pocket. By the time we bought memory, we ended up spending closer to $400 on the camera and I really would have liked to look more, but we found out just a few hours ago that dd will be swimming in her first swim meet this evening and I couldn't go without a camera for that special event. :-) I'm going to get the pictures printed from tonight's meet tomorrow and if I'm not happy with the quality, we will take the camera back and exchange. We made sure that the store would do a refund or exchange if we weren't happy with the camera!

[tiglet]

If ya don't like it - I haveta tell you that the Digital Rebel (your out-of-price-range wish camera) is a great, great camera.

(Just in case you find a sock full of $100 bills under your daughter's swim suit or something...)

;)