Wife wants a digital camera.

I know very little about them, except the following (which may also be untrue):

1. Digital zoom sucks. Look for optical zoom.

2. 4 megapix is fine for photos, get 5 to enlarge prints.

3. I don't know three things, I just thought it looked better...

Is there any Do's or Don'ts? Brand names?

Is there differences in memory cards?

Nothing fancy, my wife never even used the "flash fill in" button on our current camera. Which is one of the reasons to get the digital with that all-knowing instant preview.

Thanks.

TG,

http://www.steves-digicams.com/ 

Learn it, know it, live it.

I use this site religiously.

I have a Canon A 20. Not the greatest resolution, but for what I use it for, it's fine. Nowadays, higher resolution cameras are much cheaper. Some have larger capacity to take videos as well as pics. It all depends on how much you want to spend. For what I paid for my A20, you can now get the Canon PowerShot S2 IS. It's got what you're looking for and more. I recommend it. Here is a great review page.

http://www.imaging-resource.com/MFR1.HTM?view=Canon_reviews 

Memory cards,need upgrading if you want too take a lot of pics,and increase your storage! Most come w small cards so you have too spen more $,but usually worth it!!! Look for the largest screen poss,prob the nicest feature on the one I bought my wife last year! Educate yourself,then shop the **** out of a few w the features that are most important! Good Luck!!

This is just me,

1) Batteries..........get one that will accept standard batteries in case you get stuck somewhere and can't recharge your proprietary lithium pack.

2) Buy a camera from a camera maker. Stick with Olympus, Nikon, Fuji, etc...........not Casio, Hewlitt Packard, etc.

3) Lens quality and size CAN be more important than CCD size. My 2.1 MP Olympus C2100 outperforms most 4MP compacts.

4) Identify how you plan to use your camera.....casual snapshots, hostile environment, SERIOUS photography, etc. Like I said, I have an AWESOME digi cam, but I usually use my wife's cause it is compact and cheap. My next will be a water resistant compact.

5) I have not been following memory card technology, but as long as you can get aftermarket cards and can buy a reader for your PC, then I think all types are fine.

oh yeah......and underpowered cams piss me off. I will sacrifice size and weight to have four batteries, so you are not waiting for the flash capacitor to charge up for like 20 seconds.

email sent

Steve,

I always forget if it's hotmail or gmail, so I sent one to both.

Joe.

My Cannon Elph has been awesome. My wife and I wanted a small camera we could take on vacation without having to babysit a large piece of equipment. The Elph fits right in my pocket and half the time I forget it's there. The pictures have been top notch and the battery last all day. It really paid for itself when we went to NY on vacation and didn't have the camera sticking out like a total tourist.

SIZE MATTERS . . . I CANNOT STRESS THAT ENOUGH . . .

WHEN BUYING A DIGITAL CAMERA, GET THE BIGGEST LENS YOU CAN AFFORD. 4.0 Megapixel is fine, don't buy into any other hype. GET THE BIGGEST LENS YOU CAN AFFORD.

You can have 100 megapixel, but if you are capturing light thru a lens the size of your thumb nail, what kind of quality do you think you are going to have?

GET THE BIGGEST LENS YOU CAN AFFORD . . .

If your wife is not very tech savvy, you really need to look at the transfer process from camera to computer.

For that reason, I picked up a Kodak with the Schneider lens (some models come with the crappier lenses). You put the camera into the docking station and with a push of a button, my wife's transferring the photos and recharging the battery.

Some of the docks have built in printers, but I email Costco / Snapfish and in an hour, pick up a print for 19 cents each.

I would also recommend you look at the name on the lens. Cannon, Nikon, Schneider, Carl Zeiss, etc. Quality optics are important to me.

tailgater, I have a Minolta S414 I bought a couple of years ago. The reviews I read were as good or better at the time as any other but today it's only good or OK at best. That being said, buy the best Canon or Kodak you find with the features you like in your price range. I'd be leaning towards the Kodaks today. No ****. We were doing some training manuals at the time and the Pics the Kodaks the other guys were using kick my presentation to the curb.

JJ

Get the Casio 7.2 MegaPixel Exilim

it is a pocket camera that is great, I have one and I love it.

Kodak 6.1 Mp $199.00 is tough to beat-yes i have one. Also the little pocket sized Minoltas are great too. Yes i have one.

SIZE MATTERS . . . I CANNOT STRESS THAT ENOUGH . . .

WHEN BUYING A DIGITAL CAMERA, GET THE BIGGEST LENS YOU CAN AFFORD. 4.0 Megapixel is fine, don't buy into any other hype. GET THE BIGGEST LENS YOU CAN AFFORD.

You can have 100 megapixel, but if you are capturing light thru a lens the size of your thumb nail, what kind of quality do you think you are going to have?

GET THE BIGGEST LENS YOU CAN AFFORD . . .

I just picked up a Canon Powershot A520. The zoom looks great and the pictures are really nice. Takes a bit too long to focus sometimes if you ask me. It comes with a very skimpy 16mb memory card. It was around $190. 4M

"I have a Canon A 20"

Yo herfie - my boy has the powershot A40 and it works pretty good. Sucks up AA batteries like a hoover though.

anyone interested in picking up an Olympus C2100UZ (THATS a big lense!!!!) ??????

I'm looking at a Pentax Optio 43wr - crud resistance and submergeable.

Sorry to be dramatic about the Lens Issue, but, There's No Beating Optics for Quality . . .

That Olympus is a Good Looking Camera. Why don't you just pick up a water-resistant disposable for your water-sport needs ? I'm jealous of your up coming trip. Take Lots of Pictures !!!

Jet,

I find that I leave my camera at home quite often because it is a chore to lug along.........if I had a pocket cam, I would get more pics of my little girl (albeit not such good quality).

Thats really what I need......something compact. I'll probably wind up keeping my 2100....it is SUCH a great camera, and getting a small weatherproof for casual use.