I want to buy a digital camera. I need to buy it on-line, since the selection here is VERY limited.

I'd like to keep it around $200 since I am not a professional photographer. I just plan on using it to take pictures so I can post them.

I figure, while I am here, I may as well get as many good photos as I can to go along with my stories.

My son has a Canon that works well. Just about every picture i've posted was taken with his camera.

Anyway... given that criteria, what would you camera guys suggest?

TOJE??

You really can't go wrong with a Kodak or a Canon, both have cameras in your price range.

Yep any Canon and or Kodak thats in your current price range is the best way to go.

I just got a Canon A530 on Best Buy's website. It was $179 and has all the stuff I need (I guess). One of the officer's who is here awaiting a flight home is a camera buff and she checked out the specs with me.

Also got a 256mb memory stick and a carrying case. Grand total after tax and shipping (I paid for 2nd day delivery) was $250.

I paid the extra for quick shipping because it has to go home first and then my wife will have to mail it to me. Best Buy doesn't ship cameras to APO/FPO addresses. (The commie bastids)

Thanks for the input guys. I had the resources here and didn't know it... until she saw me surfing for cameras with a confused look on my face. :^)

I just bought a small compact after years of using a high end "large" digital SLR type camera.

My criteria was;

1) MUST be able to use standard AA batteries, and therefore high powered NiMH rechargeables.

2) Must have a standard type detachable memory card.

3) Must be durable, not sensitive to water spray, dropping in dirt, etc.

I bought a Pentax Optio 43WR. $200 at Kmart......compact, easy to use, and completely waterproof...........in fact, I wash it in the sink.

Given your enviroment, MACS, I'd go with what andy said . . .

hey MACs......check on da'bay for a card reader for your laptop.........it makes dumping pics a snap and cost less in batteries.

I would also STRONGLY suggest that you get some NiMH batteries and a charger (MAHA makes some real good ones for around $20).

Digis chug through battery juice, you'll want to always have an extra set or two ready to roll.

Lemme know if you need help with any of this.....I can put it together for you.

I just bought an Olympus SP-700 with a 3" LCD and has a 512 memory card, all for $300 at Costco......

6 megapixel, now to learn to use this thing, I am an old time 35 MM user....LOL

Charlie

Thanks Andy.

I know they eat batteries QUICK... my son has a Powershot A40 or A60, I forget which, but man do they eat batteries...

From what I understand, the 256mb memory stick will hold about 90 pictures? That's more than I'll take while I am here, i'm sure. I'm not a big camera buff, but there are some really cool things i'd like to take pictures of to show you guys, ya know? Kinda makes the stories go better when you have visual aids.

We'll have to talk about the download thingy and the good batteries... sounds like i'll need them.

Mac,

The A530 has a view finder as well as the LCD screen. Turn off the LCD and the batteries last forever, depending on how often you flash. It's the LCD that chews up the amps, or at least that's been my experience witht the same camera.

Dude hands down the new Sony cybershot dcs s600. Speak from experience of throwing 2 others out of my hotel window in frustration.

The Sony has a Carl Ziess Lens...that in itself is worth more that all others (excluding leica)It has beautiful edge to edge resolution.

But here are the real strong points. A sensor rated at the equivalent of using 1000 speed film...You can shoot pics in near darkness!! Without flash!!! This is amazing...because most shot are in adequate lighting and no flash can light up the entire room. And guess what? No camera shake as result…capture those sunsets! But this does have a stronger flash than most other compacts.

But wait there is much more!…It has the widest lens (30mm) of nearly any digital camera. This is mega important because the camera see the way human eyes do…in wide angle!! In fact this camera is wider seeing than even the other expensive Sony or other cameras.

Its nearly instant on and can take pics practically continuously thanks to the special sony card. Which also makes transferring large photos about 5x quicker. Best of all it uses regular AA batteries. Which means you can have tons on hand or have a few that you keep charged.

The extra cost of the card may be off-putting but you can pick one up on ebay for way under $10. The camera cost $200. (way less on ebay) I have retired my much more expensive Nikon as result. In fact the 2 others were a $100 more.

The con is that it is slightly wider in size than others…but still fits in pocket. And the upshots to the size FAR outweigh the inconvenience. Like always running of batteries and waiting hours for them to charge. Not being able to capture the whole scene cause the camera does not zoom wide enough.

Ummm.. yeah... I already bought the friggin' A530 powershot.

Thanks for the input... 3 years after the friggin' fact.

Patience is not a friggin' virtue of mine... okay?

Anywho...

Heineken rocks.

Beer and cigars can make ANY man feel like a million ****' dollars.

I like beer.

Hey Pablo? Who ****' loves you? BIIIITCH?

mac, Sumrao put it so well. hey sum, how about closeup ability. How else to shoot gars?

mac, you are sooooo..... an impulse buyer.

m, you don't know me, and i'm an army aviator, so we probably don't have anything in common. lol

keep on keepin on.

Excellent close up ability...thanks to lens and low light capability. It has a infrared focus assist.

The down side is, gadget geeks will not like the simple straightforward controls. I use to be one of thoose that wanted tons of buttons.

It must be a male oriented gadget, re: thread on differences.

http://www.cigarbid.com/auction/forum/forum.cfm?action=list&forumID=7&messageDisplay=0000000062395 

I have an Olympus D-560. The nice thing about a digital camera that holds 350 pictures is you can shoot 10 shots of the same thing. That way you can be sure of getting at least one really good shot. My son calls my camera a PHD.... "push here dummy".

John

Good Heavens... i'm a foul mouth, ain't I?

I need to work on that, I really do...

It's the Pablo ,Hienekin Effect. The excitment is overwhelming.