Digital Camera Purchase Help, Please

[tarcone]

Going to buy my wife a digital camera fro Christmas.
Im looking for something that is easy to use, but has good features. Specifically, one that can capture action without blurring.
I want to spend around $150.
If you need more details of what Im looking for I can post more if you ask questions. I know nothing about cameras.

Thanks in advance.

[sovereignstar v2]

I don't know much about cameras at all, but I can send you the write-up Consumer Reports did on them last month. Just PM me an email address.

[Izulde]

At around $150, you're going to get easy to use, but capturing action without blurring on a consistent basis isn't going to happen. You're basically looking at the budget point and shoots there.

[DaddyTorgo]

I picked up a Sony Cybershot for somewhere around that price before my vacation and I've been happy with it from an "ease of use" standpoint and from a picture-quality standpoint (although I'm no photography snob).

[sterlingice]

Originally Posted by Izulde

At around $150, you're going to get easy to use, but capturing action without blurring on a consistent basis isn't going to happen. You're basically looking at the budget point and shoots there.

What Izulde said.

Point and shoots are going to be really hard to catch action without blurring (same with good low light shots). For that you're going to need a dSLR and you're talking about a totally different price range.

Working within those constraints, here's the best I can offer:
Amazon.com: Canon PowerShot SX170 IS 16.0 MP Digital Camera with 16x Optical Zoom and 720p HD Video (Black): CANON: Camera & Photo

I've had an earlier camera from this series and they had an "action" mode where it will crank the ISO way up (so pictures can get a bit grainy) but it will eliminate a lot of the blur in action shots, at least if you're not really zoomed in.

I don't know if this one does so do your homework. But Canon's got pretty good optics for their point and shoots and you get a pretty decent all around package with 16x zoom and 16 MP for under $150.

SI

[tarcone]

Thanks for the input guys.
I went shopping and realized point and shoots werent going to do what I think she would want.
So I broke the bank and got a dSLR. Got a Canon Rebel. It looks to be very user friendly. And able to do what I think she will use it for.
The good news is that all mt shopping is done. I got bundle with a bag, a lens cleaner and a memory card.