Cameras

[Galaxy]

I got a nice $75 card for Staples and have been eyeing to buy a new digital camera. I like to keep it under $200. Any tips on what kind, brand, and type of specs to look for?

[gstelmack]

My wife and I bought this one around Christmas after some research and have been VERY happy with it:

Canon PowerShot SD1100 IS digital camera (http://www.usa.canon.com/consumer/controller?act=ModelInfoAct&fcategoryid=145&modelid=16347)

Small, light, takes great pictures, and has a decent movie capture mode that's great for capturing a few seconds (I've done 15 or more) of the kids being particularly cute...

It was $150 when we bought it.

[Lorena]

This is basically a repost from another thread:

- Digital vs. optical zoom: optical zoom is much more important than digital zoom; digital multiplies the pixels and results in loss of image quality.

- Megapixels: it depends what kind of print you want. The more megapixels a camera has, the bigger print you can get. If you'll be printing 4x6 for example, I wouldn't put too much emphasis on megapixels. Sometimes this is overrated. Besides, the more megapixels a camera has, the more expensive it is.

- Ebay: I highly recommend buying a camera on Ebay, not everything on there is used. We bought our digital SLR (DLSR) on there at a ridiculous price and got all kinds of extras. Just make sure to read the description carefully (make sure it's not refurbished or used) and check the user rating.

[stevew]

The one greg recommended is good. I believe that model is replaced by the SD1200, which is along the same lines.

I prefer ones with rechargeable batteries, but that's just me.

Sony W230 would be on the edge of your price range, but that's from a long series of excellent cameras. I believe I have the w130, which you still might be able to find as clearance.

[DanGarion]

Highly recommend checking out the most recent Consumer's Reports, since they just covered this in there.

[sterlingice]

What is important to you in a camera and think about it before you answer?

Image quality?
Zoom?
Portability?
Heft/feel?
Battery life?
Durability/Ruggedness?

Ignore megapixels. Pretty much anything these days is 5+ and unless you're looking to blow up something beyond 8x10, megapixels are useless.

For image quality, check reviews at good camera sites- this is probably your best bet for good information. Also, check about shutter speed- it's an underrated attribute. If you can't shoot again for another second or two after you press the button, that makes setting up shots impossible.

Then again, some people just want a point and shoot that can fit in their pocket and makes good 4x6's. In that case, image quality isn't nearly as big as portability and battery life.

SI