Digital cameras, which ones do you like?

[Martin]

I am looking to buy a new digital camera soon.
The old one is 2mp and only 3x optical zoom but it was free!

For most of my pics, I find that a longer zoom would be nice, so am leaning towards 10x to 12x optical zoom.

The digital slrs are nice but a little pricey and I don't really want to get into changing lens etc. Besides, I am not that good at photography.

Any thoughts on ones you like? I see lots of terrific shots posted on bwd, so would appreciate your help.

[JL]

http://www.bigwavedave.ca/phpBB2/viewto ... ght=camera This site is helpfull Martin: http://reviews.cnet.com/Digital_cameras ... cnetfd.dir I'm holding out for a hard drive video cam http://www.cnet.com/4831-11405_1-6413008.html Future shop has the SC-X210L but the wireless water resistant remote lens should be worth waiting for. Costco has a 12x optical zoom cam.: http://www.costco.ca/en-CA/Browse/Produ ... =&cat=2930 Here is a review: http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/kodakp850/ scroll down & click 'next' to view all 16 pages !!! (Nice site Paul) http://reviews.cnet.com/Canon_PowerShot ... l?tag=rate

[colin]

all my photos are taken with the cannon power shot S2 IS

12x optical with imagae stabalizer

fantastic camera, i've always found the cannons to be the nicest to use (menues, functions, capability)

it was $700 a year ago

[JL]

Nice quality pictures too Colin !!! Check his 'gallery'. http://www.bigwavedave.ca/gallery/index.php?cat=10127

[Kite Kook]

I would check out www.dpreview.com. I used that extensively before purchasing our last camera.

It only has a 3 times zoom, but it's waterproof! (Pentax W10). I tried to take some kiting pix, but the zoom is nowhere near enough to get a good shot. I guess I will have to get out on the water at some point...

Good luck!

Paul

[Gareth]

I have the previous version of Colin's camera. We still have a Cannon SLR with a 300mm lens, but never use it any more. The Video function on the Cannon is superb, allowing unlimited video, zoom while videoing as well as sound. 4 reasons that we bought this one: Zoom, picture quality, video and the ese of use expressed by Colin. Even though it is 1 year older, we are highly satisfied.

Highly worth looking into.

[JL]

's photos are awesome as well...I guess i don't need a 'video' cam. after all !!! http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/canons2is/

[Gareth]

Jl, the video function is good. I have some excellent video and have never felt the need to replace our video camera.

[Mattdog]

Check into the Panasonic FZ30. You can get 18x optical zoom at 5 MP. Or the FZ7 is a newer smaller version with up to 14x optimcal zoom I think. The only complaint from the pros is that you get "noise" above 200 ISO. But the price seems great.

[downwind dave]

If you think you might drop it in the sand, the pentax optio WP is a nice rig, we have one at work and its tough as a tiga.

[Martin]

Thanks to all for the info.
I will do some more searching, especially the Canon S2 IS and perhaps the Pentax as well.
First hand user reports are so much better than listening to the store salesman!

[TURTLE]

The Japanese market has had 7 mpx small portable cameras in the $3-400 range for about 2 years now and we are just starting to get them now near these prices.

A camera lens is important for quality as previously stated. This lens cost is somewhat fixed because the ability to make them more cheaply has not changed much in the recent past.

The computer chips are changing very rapidly as well as the cost of producing them. I expect the whole computer industry to have another huge roll over very soon, which means better quality digital cameras.

Digital cameras and portable devices that are going through huge change right now (take the ipod for example). I have a friend in Japan who has a cell phone that has a 5 mega pixel camera, a address book, calendar and wordprocessor (that puts my Palm Pilot to shame), an Mp3 player and is also a credit card that he charges up to scan it and pay for products at businesses. These combination devices do not necessarily take better pictures because the lenses are not necessarily great but they sell.

Combining portable devices may slow the quality of the development of the digital camera, I am thinking that single purpose digital cameras are going to gain a whole lot more mega pixels / cost to match the cost of those available elsewhere in the world--especially with a strong Canadian dollar.

Turtle

[JL]

http://www.futureshop.ca/marketing/east ... &langid=EN http://www.costco.com/Browse/Product.as ... v=&browse= The costco link is in u.s. dollars.

[~~~~~4j~~]

That looks like a great camera:
http://www.steves-digicams.com/2005_reviews/s2is.html

[JL]

Here you go 'Windwoman'.