[melkimx]

i'm looking to replace the digital camera i've had for about five years now (canon powershot s200). i want a small, lightweight camera with a longer battery life. and i hate to say this for fear of getting banned from the tech forum for life, but i'd really prefer a pink camera, maybe white. but before i commit to anything, i want to know my way around all the features. is it really important to have a high megapixel resolution (like 6MP and up)? does the zoom function do anything? because with my current camera, all zoom does is make a really grainy, blurry picture -- i might as well just zoom in with photoshop. are there other features i should consider? and if you have any specific recommendations, please pass those on. thanks!

[DaRkViEt73]

I don't have any specific recommendations but I can tell you the number of megapixels don't mean much. At least 5 megapixels is fine. What matters a whole lot more is the QUALITY of those megapixels ie the optics and the CCD light sensor(s) they use to take your pictures with. Some are dimmer than others, or have over-saturated colors, poor contrasts... etc. Reading reviews and comparisons can help you there SOMEWHAT.

As far as the zoom, the important thing to look for is the optical zoom and ignore the digital zoom. Optical zoom for the cameras you're most likely interested in are probably gonna be around 3x. Digital SLRs will definitely give you better pictures but won't be an option for you if you're looking for a small, lightweight camera you can easily fit in your purse [unless you carry around those big suckers like them old bag ladies].

[Chioster]

Well knowing your price range is good too. The reason your old camera was grainy when zoomed was because it was Digital Zoom which just makes your current image zoomed in. What you want is optical zoom where it actually is the camera zooming in. If you are interested in digital photos, then a higher MP is needed. Most cameras today record video too. So looking at the video length is good. Also look into the max storing capicity availiable as most Cameras will only support up to a certain storage space.

[watcher]

i'm looking to replace the digital camera i've had for about five years now (canon powershot s200). i want a small, lightweight camera with a longer battery life. and i hate to say this for fear of getting banned from the tech forum for life, but i'd really prefer a pink camera, maybe white. but before i commit to anything, i want to know my way around all the features. is it really important to have a high megapixel resolution (like 6MP and up)? does the zoom function do anything? because with my current camera, all zoom does is make a really grainy, blurry picture -- i might as well just zoom in with photoshop. are there other features i should consider? and if you have any specific recommendations, please pass those on. thanks!

if you REALLY want pink, how about the canon sd40?
http://www.nextag.com/Canon-PowerShot-SD40...884/prices-html

otherwise, i'd say lose the pink and get something nicer
perhaps the fuji f30? or the canon sd800? both are compact in size and easy to carry around.

[Godotology]

like anything tech.. what's your budget.

I got my Casio exilim (6mp) at a rather good price (less thaan $160). When I bought it I chose it because it used a rechargeable lithium battery instead of those AA ones other cameras used. And that it used an SD card (Sony and I believe Olympus ones want specific memory card, usually limited to just their brand). Those were two key factors for me.

Then there's how they encode the videos (if you intend to use it as a semi-camcorder).. as some encode it in AVI format, others using other formats. Is this important to you? It was some what important to me since I don't have a dedicated camcorder or a camera phone.

I also considered a Samsung 7.2mp model which also doubled as a portable video player and an mp3 player.. but my DS could do that as well as having a USB mp3 player..so I opted against its extra features and got the cheaper Casio.. However you'd be surprised by how some people would buy a product for the amount of features it has, while never really using them.

I personally would recommend something with at least 5mp.. rechargeable lithium ion battery, and a micro sd. (its not too hard to find, quite easy actually, but theres still a bunch that use AA).


Outside of that most of these cameras will meet the needs of the average consumer..and many of their "special" features will probably never be noticed or appreciated by them.

[melkimx]

ok so i should look for:

- rechargeable li-ion battery
- at least 5mp BUT look for reviews on optics and the CCD light sensor(s)
- at least 3x optical zoom
- microSD memory card

right? i don't record videos so i don't think i'd be that interested in video recording capabilities.

this is the camera i was kinda interested in... it doesn't meet all the criteria above, and it doesn't come out until april... well...

http://www.amazon.com/Sony-Cybershot-DSCW5...p;s=electronics

i guess my price range is maybe up to $200; i'd spend a little more if i thought it'd be worth it, just because i tend to keep my electronic equipment for a really long time, but i still wouldn't spend much more.

thanks

[Godotology]

ok so i should look for:

- rechargeable li-ion battery
- at least 5mp BUT look for reviews on optics and the CCD light sensor(s)
- at least 3x optical zoom
- microSD memory card

right? i don't record videos so i don't think i'd be that interested in video recording capabilities.

this is the camera i was kinda interested in... it doesn't meet all the criteria above, and it doesn't come out until april... well...

http://www.amazon.com/Sony-Cybershot-DSCW5...p;s=electronics

i guess my price range is maybe up to $200; i'd spend a little more if i thought it'd be worth it, just because i tend to keep my electronic equipment for a really long time, but i still wouldn't spend much more.

thanks

like I said, Sony likes to use only their own memory cards
"Memory Stick DUO or MS Pro DUO memory cards"

which isn't bad if you own other Sony products.. but only their products tend to use those cards wihle SD cards (sorry not necessarily micro SD) are generally used by everyone else.

[awdark]

That uses Pro Duo cards $40 for 2gb... not too bad imo. If you can use up 2gigs with pictures (since those are jpgs not raw) then you are one crazy shutterbug!

One feature I wish was invented when I got my camera was image stabilization. I can't hold my camera still so a good half of them turn out blurry.

[melkimx]

^ haha that'd be nice... i tend not to hold the camera steady either. whenever i press the button, the camera moves with it.

i didn't know that about sony. maybe i'll stick with a canon powershot camera, since i liked my last one just fine. but what's better about microSD than whatever it is that sony uses? convenience?

if you REALLY want pink, how about the canon sd40?
http://www.nextag.com/Canon-PowerShot-SD40...884/prices-html

otherwise, i'd say lose the pink and get something nicer
perhaps the fuji f30? or the canon sd800? both are compact in size and easy to carry around.

i like... the pink is a bit bright, but the main issue is the price. $300! maybe i WILL ditch the pink... since selection seems to be so limited... but the camera still has to be cute. i'm sorry if that sounds like a dumb thing to consider, but if i'm going to be looking AT the camera for the next few years, i don't want to not like how it looks.

oh maybe this one... i don't know what kind of memory card it uses though:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0009Y4WM...TF8&s=photo

[Godotology]

^ haha that'd be nice... i tend not to hold the camera steady either. whenever i press the button, the camera moves with it.

i didn't know that about sony. maybe i'll stick with a canon powershot camera, since i liked my last one just fine. but what's better about microSD than whatever it is that sony uses? convenience?

pretty much.

Sony tends to want to push their own products as standard.
For example, Bluray discs vs HD-DVD discs. Sony is pushing Bluray to be the next standard disc, which if successful, means alot of profits for Sony as companies will have to buy their tools to make them.

Likewise, Memory Pro Duo vs SD cards (includes regular SD, Mini SD and Micro SD.. which doesn't matter because Mini and Micro SD cards have SD adapters that allow them to be used with anything that has a regular SD slot) is the same thing. Pretty much only Sony products use Memory Pro Duo, while everyone uses SD cards (except Olympus, they use their own stuff too).

Say your camera, camcorder, voice recorder, etc all use SD cards to store memory. having an SD card can be convinient as you can simply just swap out your SD card and use it on another electronic toy and save money. However say you have a Sony Camera and the rest of your toys are non Sony. you'll have to buy a dedicated Sony card.

btw on those links you gave.. if you click "details" it'll tell you all the information you need to know "i.e what kind of card it uses, battery type, etc".

That Kodak, for a 5mp, is pretty expensive. you can get a 6mp one for significantly less.

[watcher]

^ haha that'd be nice... i tend not to hold the camera steady either. whenever i press the button, the camera moves with it.

i didn't know that about sony. maybe i'll stick with a canon powershot camera, since i liked my last one just fine. but what's better about microSD than whatever it is that sony uses? convenience?
i like... the pink is a bit bright, but the main issue is the price. $300! maybe i WILL ditch the pink... since selection seems to be so limited... but the camera still has to be cute. i'm sorry if that sounds like a dumb thing to consider, but if i'm going to be looking AT the camera for the next few years, i don't want to not like how it looks.

oh maybe this one... i don't know what kind of memory card it uses though:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0009Y4WM...TF8&s=photo

i think when it comes down to cameras, there will always be some kind of compromise. the factors of image quality, style, price, ease of use, etc will all come into play when purchasing a camera, and i found that most, if not all cases, require some kind of compromise.

that said, condsidering your budget, (IMO) i think the fuji finepix f20 should be a consideration in your list of cameras to buy. here is the amazon link: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00...26link_code=xm2

take a look for aesthetics/price, but i'll list down the pros of this camera...

1. large super ccd sensor - the sensor is larger than that of most other compacts. allows for less noise when shooting at high sensitivity. super ccd sensor (at least on paper) offers noticably better image quality than that of standard ccd sensors.

2. has image stabilization - fuji's version of stabilization works differently from those of canon. where canon compensates for movement, fuji compensates by increasing sensor sensitivity and allow faster shutter speeds. (the faster the shutter speed, the less time you are given to move the camera)

3. meets your lithium ion battery (and can take 250~300 shots per charge), 3x optical zoom, $200 budget and compact size requirements. plus, the camera came out summer of last year. i understand that camera upgrades come very often (twice a year for most manufacturers), but being only 5 months old in the market is not so bad at all.

the only con i find in this camera is that it uses it's own memory format (uses xD cards; similar to olympus i believe??). on the bright side, xd cards are not expensive, as you can buy a 1Gb xd card for $20~25.

of course, this camera has its own limitations, but i think that all the other real cons of this camera are shared across most, if not all other compacts (such as red-eye when using flash). and while some compacts have features to overcome such limitations (like the nikon s10), i believe those cameras are the ones fairly new to the market and are easily above the price range you are looking for.

of course, im also sure there are a handful out there that perfectly meet your requirements, and it's only a matter of finding them. so keep shopping, but do keep the f20 in mind if you cant find anything else you like

[awdark]

Everyone pushes for Lithium Ion...

I guess im the only one who finds the logic of 4 AA will last a long time, if you're going on a trip 8 AA (assuming camera uses 2 at a time). And if I happen to NEED a charge... I can buy alkaline batteries.

[erure]

I think the Nikon S6 is almost perfect for you. It comes in silver, white, or pink, it has a 3.0" screen, and it's not super expensive ^___^

[Godotology]

lol, I guess if you require super mobility, then yes AAs will be some what more convenient.
But most of the time when I've used it (i've owned both AA Cameras and Lith Ion cameras).. the Ion ones last long enough for me to use through out the day, and I'll recharge it back in the hotel where my recharger is. Most rechargers aren't very big either.

[melkimx]

I think the Nikon S6 is almost perfect for you. It comes in silver, white, or pink, it has a 3.0" screen, and it's not super expensive ^___^

ooh! thanks

i'm looking at some cameras side-by-side. most cameras seem to have lithium-ion batteries, like my current camera. i have a few questions. what is ISO? like ISO 100-2000. what should i be looking for? and for memory, does kodak normally have SD cards? i'm seeing a lot of "internal memory with secure digital memory." what does that mean? and what should i be looking for with CCD sensors... just good reviews? and is it important to have manual exposure?

i've been looking at some of the other camera threads in this forum. i'd also like to take photography up one level from point-and-shoot cameras, but i can only afford one camera and a point-and-shoot would be most convenient for me. are there any advanced features i can tinker with on standard cameras?

thanks

[Godotology]

ooh! thanks

i'm looking at some cameras side-by-side. most cameras seem to have lithium-ion batteries, like my current camera. i have a few questions. what is ISO? like ISO 100-2000. what should i be looking for? and for memory, does kodak normally have SD cards? i'm seeing a lot of "internal memory with secure digital memory." what does that mean? and what should i be looking for with CCD sensors... just good reviews? and is it important to have manual exposure?

lol, Secure Digital card = SD cards, and most current digital cameras have internal memory too

This is the one I have
http://www.amazon.com/Casio-Exilim-EX-Z60B...p;s=electronics
although it seems to have gone up in price oddly. its 6mp $169

it does have a newer 7.2 version at here, for $13 more
http://www.amazon.com/Casio-Exilim-EX-Z70-...p;s=electronics

I almost considered this one, a Samsung, but opted against it because I didn't need its extra function and wanted to save some money for use elsewhere
http://www.amazon.com/Samsung-NV3-Digital-...p;s=electronics

[melkimx]

lol, Secure Digital card = SD cards, and most current digital cameras have internal memory too

haha i r smrt

[watcher]

ooh! thanks

i'm looking at some cameras side-by-side. most cameras seem to have lithium-ion batteries, like my current camera. i have a few questions. what is ISO? like ISO 100-2000. what should i be looking for? and for memory, does kodak normally have SD cards? i'm seeing a lot of "internal memory with secure digital memory." what does that mean? and what should i be looking for with CCD sensors... just good reviews? and is it important to have manual exposure?

i've been looking at some of the other camera threads in this forum. i'd also like to take photography up one level from point-and-shoot cameras, but i can only afford one camera and a point-and-shoot would be most convenient for me. are there any advanced features i can tinker with on standard cameras?

thanks

ISO is the sensitivity of the CCD sensor to light. the more sensitive you set it, the less light it needs to get the right exposure. however, it is not advised to use high ISO settings because they cause noise (makes your image look grainy). there's software out there to reduce noise to acceptable levels, but most people would rather not deal with the hassle (unless you're really into photography or it's your job).

you dont have to worry about ccd sensors so much, but if you want to nitpick, you want a larger sensor. for example, the f20 i mentioned has a sensor type of 1/1.8, compared to a camera like the canon sd630, who's size is a smaller 1/2.5. larger sensors generally give you sharper pictures and less noise at high ISO settings.

on that note, there are cameras out there that allow you to change ISO, shutter speed and/or aperture (in addition to focal length, white balance, etc). some compacts go as far as allowing manual controls over everything, but you'll have to read carefully to see which cameras offer what manual functions. the more manual functions you get, the more creative exposures you can take.

[melkimx]

^ thanks. i wasn't sure to what extent i'm supposed to know what these features do.

http://www.amazon.com/Kodak-EasyShare-Digi...TF8&s=photo

i was considering this camera, but it comes out later this month, which means i can't read any reviews unless i wait awhile. um i think all the information below is correct... i compiled it myself so it could be wrong. what do you think?

- $200
- 8 megapixels
- 3x optical zoom / 4x digital zoom
- ISO 1600
- 2.5-inch LCD
- SD storage (32MB internal)
- Lithium-ion battery
- 1/1.8-inch CCD

it has that image stabilization thing. other than that, i'm considering the fuji finepix f20 and the casio exilim ex-z75 (although that's more expensive and available in march), along with some other cameras.

[Godotology]

^ thanks. i wasn't sure to what extent i'm supposed to know what these features do.

http://www.amazon.com/Kodak-EasyShare-Digi...TF8&s=photo

i was considering this camera, but it comes out later this month, which means i can't read any reviews unless i wait awhile. um i think all the information below is correct... i compiled it myself so it could be wrong. what do you think?

- $200
- 8 megapixels
- 3x optical zoom / 4x digital zoom
- ISO 1600
- 2.5-inch LCD
- SD storage (32MB internal)
- Lithium-ion battery
- 1/1.8-inch CCD

it has that image stabilization thing. other than that, i'm considering the fuji finepix f20 and the casio exilim ex-z75 (although that's more expensive and available in march), along with some other cameras.

the Kodak one looks good..but can you wait until april? I'd go crazy