New Camera Suggestions

[gizmopt2002]

So I am in the market for a new camera. I'm am sort of new to cameras, but I know quite a bit about them. So far I've had the Nikon Coolpix 2100 (POS), Canon PowerShot A95 (friend dropped it, broke battery cover, but covered for free. yay!) Currently I have a Canon Powershot A610. I am very satisfied with it, but want something a little slimmer. Until recently, I didn't really use it as a point-and-shoot camera. I usually used it for planned shots, night scenes, mountain views, ect. What I love about this camera is that it has ALOT of manual settings, which is a must in my new one. I know there are some camera gurus here so I'm open to suggestions from anybody. So heres what I'm looking for. Slim, manual settings, above 5MP, QUALITY, and under $300, thats about it. So far I'm researching into the Samsung NV10, really improved from their former models, but still not sure. Love Canon, not sure about Kodak or HP, never really liked them at all, Olympus, Casio, Panasonic LUMIX, Fujifilm, seem decent too, Oh and I want to stay away from Sony only because of the memory card. TIA.

 

[RonMAIDEN]

I bought a Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ7 for under $250 on-line at beachcamera.com and I really love it and it takes great video along with good pics. Also picked up a 2 pack of 2gb SD cards for $35.
It aslo has an adapter for lens filters which I have a regualr filter for protection and a circular polarizer


http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/panasonicfz7/

This camera at Best Buy runs $350;I got the camera,case,1gb SD card,lens cleaning kit,a pack of LCD screen protectors and a Picturemate printer for $380 shipped to my house.

 

[CNI]

once you go canon you'll never go back. Honestly I've seen and used lots of digital cameras and I've seen the best results from Canon or Nikon. I particular am partial to Canon. All my professional gear is canon. I switched over to Canon from Nikon about 4 years ago due to Nikon support and technology kinda lacking, still is. Where am I going with this? I think since you've used Canon you wont be happy with the lenses and the way the other brands compress the data.

I would get the Canon SD900 ore even the SD800is with image stabilizer. Image stabilizing would be nice to have during those low light situations or sports. The SD's are their compact series. I have the G6 myself and love it but it's not so compact.

HERER is the home page to the Canon Point n Shoot cameras.

My 2

 

[Mark86]

You can't go wrong with any of the Canon SD's. The image quality of a Canon digital camera is excellent. If you want something that is a bit cheaper, I saw the new Samsung NV3 at Ritz for $250. The design was nice and it was loaded with features.

 

[CNI]

You can't go wrong with any of the Canon SD's. The image quality of a Canon digital camera is excellent. If you want something that is a bit cheaper, I saw the new Samsung NV3 at Ritz for $250. The design was nice and it was loaded with features.

The only problem I've seen getting away from top quality cameras (canon nikon) is that the image quality drops drasticly from what I've seen. I've seen a 3MP canon blow away a 6-7MP lower line cameras; casio, HP, and even some sony's and samsung's. I guess it all comes down to "you get what you pay for".

In the day, I've even tested the Kodak Professional 14N (14MP) against the Nikon D100 (6MP) and the Nikon beats it HANDS DOWN. It's not all about MP is about how those cameras handle that data! Currently to date I have the Canon 1Ds Mark II, 16.7 MP. I hear the new 22MP is due out soon. I absolutely love my 16.7. I'm capable of making prints to 20x30 that look just as good as any 8x10 it makes.

I guess you need to decide how big of prints you want to make and test out some cameras.


My 2

 

[gizmopt2002]

I was looking at some reviews for some of the cameras I was looking at and the Samsung NV10 was recommended, but I don't think it would be worth the money for the quality it produces. ISO 400 was pretty grainy and there were some purple fringing, and I hate that because in all of my shots with my Nikon 2100 its like a massacre of purple fringing. Also for a 10 MP camera it was okay picture quality. But I do love the design of it.

I print my own pictures. I used to have a Canon PiXMA iP 6000D, but I gave it to my aunt and bought a Canon MP600 which has 9600 x 2400 color dpi, with 3,584 nozzles, it prints ALOT better than my old one. And prints 4x6 in 30 seconds. As you can tell I love that printer. lol. Your right about the 3MP Canon blowing away others, my 5 MP Canon has had better shot than my friends 8 MP Casio.
Okay so I've been doing some reasearching and so far Canon has my choice.
Canon PowerShot SD630
Canon PowerShot SD1000
Canon PowerShot SD1000K
Canon PowerShot A630
Canon PowerShot A710 IS

 

[CNI]

Okay so I've been doing some reasearching and so far Canon has my choice.
Canon PowerShot SD630
Canon PowerShot SD1000
Canon PowerShot SD1000K
Canon PowerShot A630
Canon PowerShot A710 IS

I'll have to agree with you on the Samsung. It looks awesome!!! But I'd rather have something ugly and something perform flawlessly!

Here is the line up:

SD630- 6MP, NICE screen (need to protect that one!!!), DIGIC II processor is good. 3x optical
SD1000-7.1MP (better), Digic III processor (better), pretty good size screen, higher ISO (wont be using that too much unless for effect), 3x optical
A630-MUCH bigger camera you know! Not so compact. I bought one of these for my parents an it is the same size as my G6. I don't like my G6 due to its size but I love everything else it does! 8MP, smaller screen but flips (I flip mine around on occasion but mostly stays put), 4.0 Optical (better), Digic II processor ( not as good as the III).
A710is- same size as the 630. 7.1MP, digic II processor, no flip screen, 6.0 optical (real good), Image stabilizer.


Here are my thoughts, if you looking for a real good vacation camera get the SD1000! If you plan on shooting sports of some kind then get the A710. If compactness is the main issue, which it sounds like it is, get the SD1000. If you need to get close on subject then get the A710is. There's always a trade off.

Another thing, TOTALLY forget about the DIGITAL ZOOM capabilities with a camera. It only enhances the optical. Photoshop will do a better job of enlarging than the Digital Zoom will. Always look at the optical numbers only and turn off the digital zoom in the preferences!

 

[jrs2]

Friend of mine recently got a Canon SD900. Very nice, I'm thinking of giving my Powershot A85 (which I've been very pleased with) away as a gift and getting one.

Also, the Canon printers are very good, kick HP's ass.

 

[Mark86]

My brother has the SD630 and he loves it. I am impressed by the quality of the pictures that it produces. Just be aware that it does not have a viewfinder.

 

[gizmopt2002]

Thanks for your input guys. I really appreciate it. So i've decided to stay away from the bigger ones because it is the exact same as the one i have only higher MP and it wouldn't be worth it if im just getting the same thing. lol. I am debating if i should get an IS one or a normal one.Im going to take a look at my photos and see how many of them are blurred due to not bieng stable.

 

[Solice]

Great thread! I currently have the Cannon A80 and have been more then pleased with the quality of the pictures but I would like to get one that's thinner and not as bulky. This thread has been a lot of help!

 

[CNI]

anytime you guys need camera advise, call on me anytime! I a professional photographer by trade. Been shooting pics since I was 5!

 

[gizmopt2002]

Hope you don't mind, but I wanted to show some examples of why I LOVE Canon.
Snowy Night shot

On plane, sort of pre-sunset

Moon

On plane home from Vegas, Sun set

Nice sunset pic
<a href="http://photobucket.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i96.photobucket.com/albums/l190/felipe-toscano/IMG_0187.jpg" border="0" alt="Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket"></a>

I've got a ton more, but I don't want to bore y'all. :biggrin2:
NOTE: These were all taken with a Canon PowerShot A610. I have the Exif data if anybody wanted it. lol.

 

[CNI]

looking pretty good. wanna see some of my imagery?

 

[gizmopt2002]

Yea man! A professionals is always better! :bigok:

 

[CNI]

Here are a few. These were all shot with my Canon 1Ds Mark II

There are more HERE

 

[gizmopt2002]

There is so much detail! How MP was that again?

 

[CNI]

16.7MP. I've printed MANY 20"x30" prints with it and I swear the print up close has the same quality as an 8"x10" from the same camera.

It's a great camera. Hard price to swallow though at $10k for the body and one lens! :awais: But in my line of work it is worth it!

 

[gizmopt2002]

Oh damn! 10k!! thats like 1/5 of our income! lol. You could by like 3 2nd gens with that much. Oh that reminds me. Ritz/Wolf camera is where I might by it from. They offer a 3 yr plan for 145, for cameras 250 - 300, that covers EVERYTHING. Drop it down a cliff, get the serial number and boom you got a new one.

 

[tkr128]

I've got a Canon SD700IS. I wanted something small but still had decent features (4x optical zoom, optical Image Stabilizer). It's missing full manual controls, but for a point-and-shoot, it's an excellent camera.