Looking to buy a digital camera. (Answer ONLY if you are knowledgeable about the market for current models.)?

Looking to buy a digital camera. (Answer ONLY if you are knowledgeable about the market for current models. ) I own a 3.2MP Olympus and would like to switch maker and increase camera power.

I have been comparing cameras on Amazon and have seen good cameras. I'm looking for a knowledgeable second opinion. Musts:- Excellent detail and picture quality in all light conditions.

- Very fast photo capture and focusing. - 7+MP considered 9+MP preferred, any zoom, up to $400, new, recent model. - Good battery life.

- Has a viewfinder. Complimentary software, size, battery type unimportant. I've been told Canon and Nikon have the top cameras.

The main drawbacks of my current camera which I don't want to encounter again:- Poor battery life. - Very slow photo capture (pressing for 5 seconds before focus+capture. )- Bad movie quality and no sound recordable and playable.

- No viewfinder. - xD picture card expensive and limited to Olympus. Offers on cameras sold on Amazon only.Thanks.

Asked by newbie222853 58 months ago Similar questions: buy digital camera Answer knowledgeable market current models Arts > Photography.

Similar questions: buy digital camera Answer knowledgeable market current models.

You want the world for under $400, and you're not going to get it. I’m sorry, but you’re not going to be happy with any camera you can buy for under $400, given the requirements. What I’m going to recommend you may not like, but at least read.

You’ve listed what you don’t like about your current camera: Poor battery life. Very slow photo capture (pressing for 5 seconds before focus+capture. ) Bad movie quality and no sound recordable and playable.No viewfinder.

XD picture card expensive and limited to Olympus. Most new cameras have much better battery life, with rechargeable Li-Ion batteries available or can run off of NiMH AA cells. Also, focus and capture speed has increased on most new point-and-shoot cameras (but not to the speed of digital SLRs), with the good majority having viewfinders and running on SD cards.

You mention movie quality in your list of drawbacks of your current camera, but don’t list movie capability in the "must have" list. I am a proponent of the "right tool for the job": if you want photos, buy a camera; if you want movies, buy a camcorder. Sure, it’s convenient to have movie capability in your digicam in case you left your camcorder at home, but the quality lacks so much I find people are more frustrated at the quality of the movie than they would be if they didn’t get a movie in the first place.

Other than those that you list, what can’t you do with your current camera? For example, why the need for 7 to 9+ megapixels? Are you printing 20"x30" prints?

Are you cropping heavily? If you’re only printing 4"x6" photos with no cropping, you really only need 2 megapixel!(300 pixels per inch at 4"x6" is 1200 pixels by 1800 pixels, or 2.16 Mpixel!). A 5 Mpixel Canon PowerShot S2 IS has a viewfinder, better battery life than your Olympus (running on NiMH AA cells), has image stabilization, uses SD memory, has a large zoom, and is available on Amazon for under $300.

Or the newer 6 Mpixel S3 IS for under $400. But neither of them meet your (arbitrary, in my opinion) required 7+ Mpixel resolution, but both would allow for substantial cropping for a 4"x6" or moderate (8"x10") enlargement without image quality issues. You also require "Excellent detail and picture quality in all light conditions" which is very subjective and is photographer (that is, YOU!

) dependent. Here, it may be your technique (gasp! ) and not the camera that is giving you problems.

You need to understand exposure, and how the three parts to exposure (film/sensor speed, shutter speed, and aperture) affect the image. Bryan Peterson’s Understanding Exposure book is an excellent resource. One last thing is that you must be able to buy it on Amazon.

Amazon has a great selection, but not the best prices on digital cameras. I’d recommend B&H Photo/Video (www.bhphotovideo.com) or Adorama (www.adorama.com) for better prices on higher-end cameras. Sometimes, Buy.com (www.buy.com) or BuyDig (www.buydig.com) has fantastic prices on consumer digicams.

All of these are reputable, and I’ve bought from all. Some of the "price soooo low it must be a scam" places are, in fact, a scam, so stay away! Check out the camera specification/review that are on DPReview (located at http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/specs.asp).

You can search by parameter if you wish. If the 7+ Mpixel isn't a hard-and-fast requirement, I'll recommend the Canon PowerShot S3 IS and Peterson's book. Sources: Experience as a photographer NetJohn's Recommendations Understanding Exposure: How to Shoot Great Photographs with a Film or Digital Camera (Updated Edition) Amazon List Price: $24.95 Used from: $11.99 Average Customer Rating: 4.5 out of 5 (based on 215 reviews) Canon PowerShot Pro Series S3 IS 6MP with 12x Image Stabilized Zoom Amazon List Price: $399.99 Used from: $318.00 Average Customer Rating: 4.5 out of 5 (based on 210 reviews) .

The Canon Powershot A640 This 10 MP model with 4X zoom and an ISO range up to 800 has a large 2.5 in. Swing into any position LCD viewer and a separate optical viewfinder. It uses is AA batteries available anywhere in the world, so no worries on that European trip.It uses SD cards and weighs only 8.6 oz.

I can testify that metering, autofocus and colors are great and shutter delay imperceptible. Makes nice little sound movies, too. I have had one for 3 months and think it is an incredible value at this price.

It is a go-everywhere, do-everything digital camera. It will meet every criterion you mentioned and then some. You would have to move up to a DSLR to beat it.

Sources: personal experience edfoug's Recommendations Canon PowerShot A640 10MP Digital Camera with 4x Optical Zoom Amazon List Price: $399.99 Average Customer Rating: 4.5 out of 5 (based on 60 reviews) Can be had for about $300 - $350 many places.

Canon S3 IS Considering your technical requirement, you should go for a digital SLR but since your budget is withing $400 you will not get any decentr DSLR. I would suggest go for Canon S3. It has 12x zoom and 6 MP.

The resolution is less than your required specification but I guess that would still be fine I myself use a Canon S2 and with 5MP I get great shots. Canon S3 on Amazon http://www.amazon.com/Canon-PowerShot-Image-Stabilized-Zoom/dp/B000EMWBV0/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/104-3283456-7471950?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1173244226&sr=1-1 Sources: Personal Experience Tirthankar's Recommendations Canon PowerShot Pro Series S3 IS 6MP with 12x Image Stabilized Zoom Amazon List Price: $399.99 Used from: $318.00 Average Customer Rating: 4.5 out of 5 (based on 210 reviews) .

Sony Cybershot DSC-P200 I have suffered from the same issues you mention: Slow photo capture, sluggish camera reaction etc. I now have the Sony Cybershot DSC-P200, and am very happy with it. It is a 7.2 MP camera, with a 3x optical zoom.It is small, you can take pictures with it all day with a single battery, it has a view-finder, and uses MemoryStick Pro memory cards, with tend to get cheaper per month, and are available up to 8 GB. I am very happy with it, and at $469, it is not too expensive.

If that is still above your budget, there are bound to be second-hand versions of this one available, as it is already over a year old now. Sources: http://www.amazon.com/Sony-CyberShot-DSC-P200-MegaPixel-Digital/dp/B000CSRGP2/ref=pd_bbs_sr_2/103-4979957-9131859?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1173041814&sr=8-2 .

1 BTW, I use lithium AA batteries, since they last so much longer and are much less affected by cold temps. But you might also opt for rechargeable AAs. Any type will work.

BTW, I use lithium AA batteries, since they last so much longer and are much less affected by cold temps. But you might also opt for rechargeable AAs. Any type will work.

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