I know this has been askes before but

can every recommend a digital camera? I can't afford an SLR but would still like good quality pics!
TIA

Re: I know this has been askes before but

we just upgraded from the Canon Powershot A80 (5mp) to the Powershhot A630. I LOVE it. It has so many cool features and is completely user friendly.

Re: I know this has been askes before but

bumping for more suggestions

Re: I know this has been askes before but

I bought my 2nd dig cam last year. I bought a FujiFilm E550 specifically for my DC. At the time, it had the fastest shutter response time. When you press the button, it actually takes the picture, instead of waiting fractions of a second. It also had the fastest shot-to-shot time. When you are trying to get that "perfect" shot of kids, you want to get the shot before they turn their heads, start crying, etc. That was my primary criteria for the camera. You should also make sure you get one that takes movie clips. It's nice to flip it to movie mode to capture something they are doing, and not have to find the big video camera.

It's possible there are faster cameras out there, but I would take the shutter speed into consideration when buying a camera to take pics of kids.

Re: I know this has been askes before but

Re: I know this has been askes before but

SLR, SLR, SLR...blah, blah, blah. Now that I've gotten that out of my system... I don't have any personal experience with them, but here are the Consumer Report recommendations:

Model / Approx. cost / Shutter Speed Lag Time

COMPACT MODELS:
*Canon PowerShot A620 /$220 / .7
HP Photosmart R817 / $220 / .3
*Olympus Stylus / $330 / .8

SUBCOMPACT MODELS:
Casio Exilim Zoom EX-Z750 / $300 / .5
Canon PowerShot SD430 / $450 / .8
Canon PowerShot SD500 ELPH / $280 / 1


ADVANCED COMPACT MODELS
*Fujifilm / $350 / .8
KODAK Easyshare P880/ $460 / 1.5
Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX1 / $430 / 1.3

SUPER ZOOM MODELS
Canon PowerShot S2 1S / $350 / 1.1
Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ20S / $410 / .7

Re: I know this has been askes before but

WHAT'S AVAILABLE

The leading brands are Canon, Fujifilm, HP, Kodak, Nikon, Olympus, and Sony. Other brands come from consumer-electronics, computer, and traditional camera and film companies.

It's easier than ever to go to extremes with a digital camera. Small is bountiful, and big is also booming. The smallest cameras we tested recently, subcompacts, weigh 5 to 8 ounces and can fit in a pocket. Price: $185 to $450.

Mainstream compacts are too big to pocket, but small enough for most handbags and glove boxe. The ones we tested recently weigh 7 to 14 ounces. Price: $140 to $480.

More serious cameras have the versatility and power to capture fast action or create photographic art under the most demanding light conditions. Advanced compact cameras are typically larger and heavier than compacts, with versatile controls and long zoom lenses. Price: $280 to $850.

Super-zoom cameras are characterized by a very long zoom range--10x or greater. While traditionally larger and heavier than compacts, a few new models are designed to be smaller and lighter than older models. Price: $250 to $700.

SLRs (single-lens reflex), the largest and heaviest type, offer the most versatility and power, including interchangeable lenses. Price: $600 to $1,700 for consumer models; professional models can cost thousands.

Re: I know this has been askes before but

CR Quick Recommendations Digital cameras


Based on our judgments of uncropped 8x10-inch prints, all the cameras produced images that were excellent. But if we had used only a small portion of the original image and enlarged it to 8x10, the higher-megapixel cameras would have produced better results than the others. The advanced compact and superzoom models have features demanding photographers will appreciate, such as manual controls, especially long battery life, and a next-shot delay no longer than two seconds.

The Ratings list models by overall performance. Quick Picks are the choices our experts recommend, after balancing more than a dozen factors, including features, price, and availability.


Quick Picks

Best value for most people; a CR Best Buy:

• Canon PowerShot A620 , $220
• Kodak EasyShare Z700 , $250


Though relatively heavy, these compacts have excellent print quality and manual controls. The 7-megapixel Canon PowerShot A620 has 4x optical zoom, excellent battery life, a flip-out movable 2-inch LCD, and manual focus. (Also available: the newer, 10-megapixel A640, $399.) The 4-megapixel Kodak EasyShare Z700 has 5x optical zoom, very good battery life, is very easy to use, and comes with a charger, but it has a small, 1.5-inch LCD. The Hewlett-Packard Photosmart R817 and Canon PowerShot A520 are also good values but have been discontinued and may have limited availability.
For greater resolution and control:

• Nikon Coolpix P4 , $360
• Olympus Stylus 800 , $330
• Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX1 , $430
• Fujifilm FinePix E900 , $350, CR Best Buy


All have 8- or 9-megapixel resolution, manual controls, very good or excellent print quality, and are fairly lightweight. The Olympus Stylus 800 has excellent battery life, a 2.3-inch LCD, and a long flash range. The Nikon Coolpix P4 has very good battery life, a 3.5x optical zoom, and a 2.4-inch LCD, but long shutter lag and next-shot delay. The Fujifilm FinePix E900 has excellent battery life, a 4x optical zoom, 2-inch LCD, a very sharp lens, less-graininess at high ISO settings, and can save images as a RAW file. The Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX1 has very good battery life, a 4x optical zoom, a 2.5-inch LCD, an optical image stabilizer, can save images as a RAW file, and has manual focus. But it has a long shutter lag. It can display photos on wide-screen TVs using 16:9 aspect mode. Resolution drops with other aspect modes. (Also available: the newer, 10-megapixel DMC-LX2, $499.)

Re: I know this has been askes before but

For a camera that fits in a purse:

• Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX8 , $240
• Sony Cyber-shot DSC-N1 , $400
• Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W50 , $250
• Canon PowerShot SD500 Digital ELPH , $280
• Casio Exilim EX-Z850 , $340


All are small and light, with excellent or very good print quality, and 3x optical zoom. The 7-megapixel Canon PowerShot SD500 Digital ELPH has good battery life, but a long shutter lag and lacks manual controls. (Also available: the newer, 10-megapixel SD900, $499.) The 8-megapixel Sony Cyber-shot DSC-N1 has excellent battery life, short shutter lag, a 2.9-inch LCD, and manual controls. (Also available: the newer, 10-megapixel DSC-N2, $450.)The 8-megapixel Casio Exilim EX-Z850 has excellent battery life, manual controls, manual focus, a 2.4-inch LCD, and a simulated image stabilizer. The 5-megapixel Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX8 has excellent battery life, a 2.4-inch LCD, an optical image stabilizer, a "baby" mode for softer images, but a short flash range and lacks manual controls. The 6-megapixel Sony (31) has excellent battery life, short shutter lag and next-shot delay, a 2.4-inch LCD, but no manual controls.
For SLR-like capability at a modest price:

• Kodak EasyShare P880 , $460


Lighter than an SLR, this has excellent print quality, 8-megapixel resolution, manual controls, a 5.8x optical zoom, 2.4-inch LCD, in-camera red-eye removal, and manual focus. It can also make adjustments to a RAW file and save it as a separate JPEG. But it has long shutter lag. At ISO settings above 400, resolution drops to 0.8 megapixels.

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If a long zoom range is a priority:

• Sony Cyber-shot DSC-H2 , $350
• Canon PowerShot S2 IS , $350
• Fujifilm FinePix S5200 , $260, CR Best Buy
• Kodak EasyShare Z612 , $360


All have 5- or 6-megapixel resolution, very good or excellent print quality, a 10x or 12x optical zoom, an image stabilizer, and excellent battery life. The Canon PowerShot S2 IS has manual focus and can zoom optically during video recording. But it has a long shutter lag and small, 1.8-inch LCD. The Sony has a short shutter lag and next-shot delay, manual focus, and can zoom optically during video recording. But it has a small, 1.9-inch LCD. The Fujifilm FinePix S5200 has a very sharp lens, 1600 ISO setting, manual focus, and short next-shot delay. But it has a small, 1.8-inch LCD. The Kodak EasyShare Z612 is very easy to use, has a 2.4-inch LCD, and can zoom during video recording.
If you often record video:

• Olympus Stylus 720SW , $360
• Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ1 , $320


These very good cameras record video as well as a high-rated camcorder.

Re: I know this has been askes before but

How is this Sony??
DSCW70

Re: I know this has been askes before but

Here is the link for the above Sony
click

Re: I know this has been askes before but

Thanks everyone! I was looking at the Cannon Powershot A710IS but noone recommended it and it wasn't mentioned in the Consumer Reports so now I'm not sure!

Re: I know this has been askes before but

I ended up buying a 7.2mp Casio Exilim EX-Z70 and I love it

Scott