Best Digital Camera for $300 - $400

[Sydeshow MO]

Im sending back this Palm TX I got from Best Buy because I need a better camera. I got stuck on the Panasonics for some reason. Someone told me today to stick w/ Cannon.

Im far from a picture taking kinda guy so any advice is helpful.

Price range = $300 - $400
Has to be from Best Buy


Thanks

[burner799]

If you are looking for a simple point and shoot digital camera. Cannon is the best as far as digital image processing goes. I have the 7.1 megapizel SD500 and it is awesome, better than the 550 but, I think you cant get it anywhere but online. Check out the selection of cannons.

[Dmitry D.]

Originally posted by burner799
If you are looking for a simple point and shoot digital camera. Cannon is the best as far as digital image processing goes. I have the 7.1 megapizel SD500 and it is awesome, better than the 550 but, I think you cant get it anywhere but online. Check out the selection of cannons.

Big second...thats what I have and I love it.

[adam's rotors]

fuji is the only way to go...
id go cannon if i still focused in 35mm...

[Kievskiy]

cannon, olympus and kodak-all 3 are the best in this price range, get the last model and you'll be set :)

[burner799]

Originally posted by remembertofocus
fuji is the only way to go...
id go cannon if i still focused in 35mm...

too bad canon is the best in digital point and shoot cameras as rated by anyone and by image quality. [rolleyes]

[Kievskiy]

^^ fak those ratings, so much BS ..... i love my old canon:)

[piaadoll]

i'm a big cannon fan! but i couldn't resist using a $50 coupon at costco for a casio digicam. imagine $150 for a 6 megapixel digital camera and its cute. If i was going to spend a good amount of money though -it would be a cannon for sures.

[Sydeshow MO]

Originally posted by piaadoll
costco

Buying anything from here is an investment. Best return policy in the entire world.

Anyone know what im talkin' bout?

Buy a $3,200 plasma and next year a new model come out for $2,200. Guess what, go bring back that old one and get the new one. You also pocket $1,000[:p]

[Kievskiy]

^^^ i did not know that until last year, my GF told me that, i thought she's playing me man, but we a lot of good stuff there !

[burner799]

wait so can i take back my xbox? I have the receipt and shit. I kept it cause i thought that was a rumor but maybe it will work someday.

[Sydeshow MO]

Yes to the xbox. I did it with a ps2 that I bought from target. This was when I wanted to go from the big one to the small slim one.

[adam's rotors]

Originally posted by burner799
too bad canon is the best in digital point and shoot cameras as rated by anyone and by image quality. [rolleyes]
i said nothing about point-and-shoot...
and **** ratings...
im a photographer and taugh myself photo on a vintage cannon ftb 35mm...
when i converted to digital, fuji has the best set ups...
manual photography is the only way to go...and fuji is a great bang for the buck...

[piaadoll]

speaking of fuji ..audiboy/jenzTTerama have a fuji. WOW, their pics are amazing!!!

[burner799]

Originally posted by Sydeshow MO
Yes to the xbox. I did it with a ps2 that I bought from target. This was when I wanted to go from the big one to the small slim one.

i dont have the original box but this means i could prolly upgrade to the 360 with very little difference in price.

[Kievskiy]

^^^ do it! dont wait.

[Sydeshow MO]

Original box... you dont even need that man. I brought back a stereo after four years. No receipt, no box, didnt even wipe off the dust. Got back 100% of the original price.

A friend just took back a 42" and 34" Plasma at the same time. Said he saw the same ones now on sale. He took home two new tv's and $1000 in pocket.

They now offer store credit. Before it was only cash back.

[ambarsaria]

Some Canon SD series had screens breaking all the time. Search google for "Canon SD Screen broken"

Canon is pretty good, but look into Casio. My Casio broke after 4 hrs of usage, I loved that 4.1 MP and I am also looking into buying another Casio.

In terms of overall quality and size, Canon and Casio are the best.

[sjlversurfer]

i just bought a canon sd800is to replace a canon a95 that was stolen. i bought the a95 cause it had some manual control along with automatic. the sd also allows you to manually control some of the settings. i love this little sd. its much smaller than my a95, and takes better pictures and vids.

but i'd check out www.dpreview.com. everyone has their own needs and preferences. dpreview is a good source for researching what will work for you.

[jenzTTerama]

Originally posted by piaadoll
speaking of fuji ..audiboy/jenzTTerama have a fuji. WOW, their pics are amazing!!!

fuji rocks! [drive]

for me, i wanted to get most of the optical and image stability. since i wasn't quite ready for a digital SLR and i didn't want audiboy to spend an arm and a leg, the fuji s5200 was the best fit for what i wanted. it's probably sold under $300 now. i've had it for almost a year now and it's sooo frickin easy to use (a BIG PLUS for me!) and picture quality is pretty good. and best of all...it looks kinda old skool. [:D]

if you want a digital pocket camera, the canon is probably the best; piaadahling's casio takes pretty good pics and has a nice BIG LCD which i wish my camera had; and the sony cybershot isn't bad either.

[dtmevolution]

The canon SD series are great. the screen breaking are rare. I've bought 2 for family members and they're pretty abusive and it still holds together very well. Also try www.fredmiranda.com forums for reviews.

[3ohAvant]

for something small that can fit in your pocket... canon sd___ any of them in your price range will be good.

[Sydeshow MO]

Wow, good info here. Thanks guys. After all the looking around and testing I did tonight, I am leaning towards the Panasonic FX01 or FX03. 6MP, big LCD, nice video, easy to use, uses SD.

I would have opted for the Fuji but the darn thing took a XD card. That was Fuji's only down fall. Most everything I have takes an SD right now so that was something I forgot to mention.

Im sure alot of you have all kinds of media that you switch from one to another right. SD to Smart Media, to Compact Flash, to Duo, to XD, etc... I wanted to consolidate.

I was at the register in Emeryville and at the last second cancelled the transaction thinking maybe I should see what this thread had become of on AZ. LOL, so I did...

I think the Canons take a SD card so I will look at those more tomorrow in SF. Too bad SF Best Buy is always sold out of anything good but there are two Best Buys on the way home from SF so I guess it doesn't matter.

Thanks all, I will let you know what I picked tomorrow.

[Sydeshow MO]

Heres the comparison (http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?id=cat13504&type=page&pageIdentity=customerDriven&h=488)

[Sydeshow MO]

Update...

Finally picked up a camera just now and went with the Canon Powershot SD800 IS.

Its charging now. Ill take some pics later while im in Benicia.

[cdub]

Good choice. Despite all the varying opinions here, you can see that there is a strong bias towards Canon. I've got an OG s200 that's still clickin' strong after nearly 25,000 shots. It fits in my pocket and the construction has withstood many a drunken night out, including being dropped and kicked around the floor of a couple of clubs. I also have a Panasonic Lumix FZ5 and you really can't beat the Leica lens (which includes 12x optical zoom) and the lightweight. The image stabilization works well and the pix are clean. Of course my big ole SLRs are Canon and Nikon cuz I always believe in going with strong SLR bodies and good lens.

Now get out there and start snappin'.

[Sydeshow MO]

Well, we all know that MO is far from being able to setup a pic but here is a couple off the First street Pier in Benicia taken w/ the new SD800is.

http://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k3/SydeshowMO/First%20st%20pier/IMG_0029.jpg
http://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k3/SydeshowMO/First%20st%20pier/IMG_0027.jpg
http://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k3/SydeshowMO/First%20st%20pier/IMG_0024.jpg
http://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k3/SydeshowMO/First%20st%20pier/IMG_0020.jpg
http://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k3/SydeshowMO/First%20st%20pier/IMG_0013.jpg

I wasnt too impressed, I did everything set on auto. I know this camera can take goods pics but it must be just me.

What I do like is the endless video I can take and its at 30 frames per second. Drove from Vallejo to Hercules and it all fit on 1GB.

BTW... I picked up this Gorilla pod and so far its working oout great. Just wish the arms were a couple inches longer. I think it will hold up during an autocross the way I have it wrapped around my headrest posts.

http://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k3/SydeshowMO/First%20st%20pier/IMG_0008.jpg

Maybe at the GTG remembertofocus can give me some tips on taking pics.

[cdub]

very nice, like I said, there's just no substitute for quality optics. Too bad the crappy old bridge blocks the view of the sleek new bridge in the background [down] Hope that gorilla pod holds on, someone made an excellent homemade version of the speed mount with like five bucks worth of parts from home depot and that's even better. Luckily, your camera is lighter than most camcorders, but it'll still take a thrashing during autox.

[ambarsaria]

I just picked up a new Canon S2, will post some pics as soon as I get it. I was tired of Point and Shoot Camera's... just had to share. My previous one was Casio 4MP from 3-4 years ago.

[RAVI]

yo mo, does your camera mount shake or anything?

[Sydeshow MO]

RAVI... it does a little bit after awhile. If you saw my footage all of the incar stuff I used the GorillaPod. I wrapped it around my rear view mirror. My camera only weighs as much as a freaking cell phone so anything heavier wouldnt work.