SiR-Racer

hey guys, i need some feedback. i'm looking to get a digital camera. never bought one before so i'm pretty clueless about what to get. the only thing is that i want something that's at least 3.0 megapixels. budget is $700. thanks!

imported_SiR_YO

SLR? or point and shoot? ... SLR are bigger.. point and shoot's are smaller.. more compact, but lack feaures such as optical zoom etc...

imported_Slvr-Bullet

IMO Canon is the way to go. Better optics. Next I'd go for a Sony.

Do you want manual controls or mostly auto shoot? You have to think about these things and what you intend to use the camera for.

So far the best point and shoot camera out there is the new Canon S400. My gf's sis has it and is pretty good. Not too familiar, spec wise, with the camera yet.

I myself have the Canon S30 and I really like it. If you want some sample pics of what kind of quality pics it produces, look @ Leitner's website Most were taken with my camera. You have a lot of control over shutter speed, aperture size, etc.

One nifty thing also is that I got a lens adaptor for my digi cam. I've gotten polarizers and close-up lens to use with it.

Here's a night pic of a firework I took this past Victoria Day. It's not too clear cuz I'm still learning

S2K KID

Im partial to the sony line i have the dsc-p71 I believe. Its an alright camera, when i first got it it was top of the line (other than the fact is brother high model up comes with a full aluminum case i think) otherwise i like it.

i still can get over how nice slvr bullet's signature is....ahhhhhhhhhh reef girls "i see you baby shakin' dat ***, shakin' dat ***"

diesel

do you want to go for compact or quality? I'm using Canon S230 that's like around 560 i think 3.2mp, but the zoom is not as good.

If you go for Canon, S45 is good, but it's close to the 800

Nova_Dust

700 bucks eh? Know which one you want to get then shop on Ebay.

EKdude

for a couple hundred more you could get a digital camcorder... you might wanna like into that as well...

diesel

ya but you may have to pay shipping and duties.

it's not often you can get a good deal.. sometimes it's more troublesome... (believe me, I was hunting on ebay for a while...)

sh@dy

Just like Slvr-Bullet, I have the Canon S30 and I have to say that this camera is amazing! You'll probably be best off staying with Canon line of cameras, they're a safe bet.

If you're looking for something a little more compact and point and shoot, then you'll probably want to look at the Canon PowerShot S230 or S400. If you want to have more control over your shots, then look at the PowerShot S30 or S40 or even the new S45.

I checked out some prices for you. The S230 is $549 at Henry's. The S400 is $699 at Future Shop.

The S45 is $799 at both Henry's and Future Shop. I'm not sure if the S30 and S40 are still being sold as they were released over a year ago, but you can still look around and see if you find one.

You might also want to consider the Canon PowerShot G2 Refurbished at Future Shop for $699.99.

You don't have to believe me, just go to:

http://www.steves-digicams.com/hardware_reviews.html

http://www.dpreview.com/

These websites will have EVERYTHING you need to know in order to make an informed decision.

Good luck!

SiR-Racer

thanks for all the replies guys!!

i think i'm going to get a point and shoot rather than a SLR. i want something that's more portable.

i've been leaning towards canon because i keep hearing good things about them. i checked out the S45 today and the features it has are impressive. the only thing is that it's a little on the expensive side (and not as small as i'd like).

perhaps the S30 would be better for me since it's not as expensive. Slvr-Bullet, that fireworks pic looks pretty good. does the camera generally work well with night shots? i want a camera that does good pics in low light situations.

i also looked at the A70 (more cost friendly). does anyone have this camera?

thanks for doing the research and giving me the links sh@dy. i'll check them out right now

diesel

that's why I got the s230. I was thinking, if I was that much into digital photography, I might as well as get a G3 or something... but if you want portable and compact, S230 series are great - small!

silent1

Canon PowerShot S400 4.0 mega pixel more info $679
Canon PowerShot S30 3.2 mega pixel more info $659

both at canadacomputers.com

sh@dy

Remember that'll you'll need to also buy a camera case and CompactFlash memory card along with your camera. Also, if you'll be taking a lot of night shots then you'll also need to get a tripod so that you don't get blurry pictures when you slow down the shutter speed. You might also consider getting an extra battery as they really come in handy. But you could always wait on the extra battery.

So you'll definitely need a case and CF card. I personally have a LowePro case and a Viking 256MB CF card. That's mean I can store approximately 154 pictures at the highest quality setting on my S30 which is 2048x1536 with superfine detail.

Another thing that complicates matters is that I noticed certain CF cards perform faster than others. For example, I used to own a 128MB Sandisk CF card, but I noticed that Viking's perform faster than Sandisk (regular Sandisk cards that is). For example, if I'm looking through pictures I've taken on the LCD screen on my camera they load quicker on the Viking card. Kingston also makes fast CF cards.

Lastly, here are few of my best pictures taken on my S30. A couple night shots and a day shot from my trip to Europe.

imported_Slvr-Bullet

Damn Sh@dy. That bridge pic is a real keeper. Can use that as a post card

Yes the camera works well with night shots as you can also see from Sh@dy's pics. You just have to fiddle around with the settings to compensate for the low lighting. And a tripod is a must when doing this otherwise you'll have a blury pic.

A co-worker is getting the A70 soon. But I have no "experience" with that camera yet.

SpikeyLee

If you're looking for more reviews, Consumer Reports magazine did a pretty big test on digital cameras a month or two ago; you might wanna check that out. They're pretty comprehensive.

I'm a Sony bitch myself so when I purchase my digital camera I'll be going for something from the Sony line, and people have many good things to say about Sony digital cams. But I have heard many good things about Canon and Fuji so check out their lines as well.

diesel

ya, check this site for reviews.
http://www.dpreview.com/

cikvic

i just bough a Cannon Powershot A300 for $289 has 3.2 MP AND 5x ZOOM...NOT BAD FOR THE PRICE...THE SONY WAS $80 MORE AND HAD LESS FEATURES!

SiR-Racer

yeah i was wondering why some flash cards are more expensive than others. I guess it's because they are faster.

hmm...i never realized all the additional "accessories" i will need to buy, the price tag is gonna add up!

right now i'm interested in the Canon S400. i read a bunch of reviews on it and they are all very positive.

btw, that night shot of the bridge is SWEET!

sh@dy

Yo, SiR-Racer, the cheapest I've seen the S400 for is $679 at canadacomputers.com as mentioned by silent1. What I would do if I were you is to try talking down the price at Henry's. If you buy a tripod and case, they'll lower the price if you haggle.

Also, they have a Kingston 256MB CF card at pccanada.com for $84.99, much cheaper than you could get a CF card for at Henry's or Future Shop. Trust me, if you check out dpreview.com, they have a review on many different brands of CF cards and the Kingston does well. Don't get Sandisk or Lexar... they're not bad, just a little slower.

Anyways, I think you know everything you need to know now. Let us know how things go.

imported_Slvr-Bullet

Interesting. I thought the Lexar would preform good since it is 12x