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I would love it if someone could give me an idea of a good beginners
digital camera? I have two kids and would like to get a camera that is
simple but good.
any ideas? Thanks!

"mj" <> wrote in message
news: om...
>I would love it if someone could give me an idea of a good beginners
> digital camera? I have two kids and would like to get a camera that is
> simple but good.
> any ideas? Thanks!

Who is going to be using the camera, you are the kids?

Assuming it is you, check out the Canon line up of consumer level cameras.
You generally will get very good quality from most of them, get lots of
features so you can grow into the camera, but also get good Auto performance
for those times when you don't need or want to do anything but click a
button.

If you want a camera that is a total blast, has a long zoom range and is
still compact in size, and very affordable considering what you get, check
out the newer Canon PowerShot S1 IS. For the price and feature comparision
I'd say it is the best family/travel type camera currently available for the
low cost today. (I've seen it advertised as low as $350 usd already, but it
is much more in Canada at $699 Canadian.)

Linda

mj wrote:
> I would love it if someone could give me an idea of a good beginners
> digital camera? I have two kids and would like to get a camera that is
> simple but good.
> any ideas? Thanks!

It sounds like you are at the right time and place. Consumer (non-pro)
cameras are very good now. The technology is really good. There are lots
of good cameras and the prices are reasonable.

I suggest looking at Sony Canon and Olympus in that order. I only say
that because I know of some great cameras in those lines that
non-photographers own and have told me they really like and the pictures
they get are very good.

I do suggest that you pick up the camera and have the dealer show you
what you need to do to take a picture. Go through the motions and see if it
is comfortable for you. Some peoples hands are larger or smaller and a good
camera for me may not fit you.

Good Luck

--
Joseph E. Meehan

26 + 6 = 1 It's Irish Math

The Nikon Coolpix line is very small, easy to use and fairly hardy as these
things go.

Things to consider:

Optical zoom: you don't want much more than about 4:1; anything longer than
that and your pictures start to get fuzzy because no one can hold the camera
steady enough.

Digital zoom: turn the feature off, or at least don't use it. It is better
to blow up pictures on your computer. Digital zoom is worthless; actually it
is less than worthless.

Movie mode: movie cameras do a better job, but it can come in handy now and
then. Sound is nice, but small cameras don't really do a very good job of
recording sound.

Megapixels: even a 3MP camera can take images that can be blown up to 11x20.
4 or 5 megapixels is ideal for most people.

You want to be able to turn off automatic flash and be able to manually
adjust your exposures to some degree.

Read reviews of the camera you are considering at www.dpreview.com before
you buy. That site also has a nice glossary of all the technical terms that
get thrown around and what they really mean (as opposed to what a sales
clerk might think they mean).

You're liable to get responses from owners of most brands out there...

I'd suggest looking into the current crop of Kodak offerings. Good
performers in the $250 range. I have one, and I'm very happy with it.

mj wrote:

> I would love it if someone could give me an idea of a good beginners
> digital camera? I have two kids and would like to get a camera that is
> simple but good.
> any ideas? Thanks!

mj wrote:
> I would love it if someone could give me an idea of a good beginners
> digital camera? I have two kids and would like to get a camera that is
> simple but good.
> any ideas? Thanks!

mj:

I would also recommend the Nikon Coolpix line.

I got a Coolpix 3100 to replace a defective A series Canon that Canon failed
to repair 3 times. The Coolpix line is very "beginner friendly" with many
preset "scene modes" (portrait, landscape, sports, museum and such) so that
the most shooting situations are well covered and the beginner does not have
to worry about setting f/stops and shutter speeds. I shot 35mm Pentax SLRs
for over 30 years, and I feel that these days, with good "scene modes" and
"presets" most new photographers do not have to get confused with
traditional photography's f/stops and shutter speeds and they can still take
excellent pictures. The Coolpix 3100 has been replaced by the 3200.

You may also want to look into the Kodak Easyshare line, which is know for
making some very "consumer friendly" digicams, although they lack the degree
of "scene modes" as in the Nikon Coolpix line.

Good luck,

Steve

(mj) wrote in news:a86c9003.0410240612.5529b5e6
@posting.google.com:

> I would love it if someone could give me an idea of a good beginners
> digital camera? I have two kids and would like to get a camera that is
> simple but good.
> any ideas? Thanks!

If its for the kids, I'd look for cheap, because when they break it you
won't have lost much.

Otherwise, go for something that looks nice and feels good in your hands.
They all take pretty good pictures.

Bob

--
Delete the inverse SPAM to reply

I second Kodak for making great reliable beginner level cameras. I've got
several dating way back to the DC-20, DC-50, and DC-210 and they all still
work flawlessly.

"Robert Barr" <sallydog716-> wrote in message
news:_gQed.23233$. com...

> You're liable to get responses from owners of most brands out there...
>
> I'd suggest looking into the current crop of Kodak offerings. Good
> performers in the $250 range. I have one, and I'm very happy with it.

"C J Campbell" <> wrote in message
news:soWdndKaMsqqTebcRVn-...
> The Nikon Coolpix line is very small, easy to use and fairly hardy as
> these
> things go.
>
> Things to consider:
>
> Optical zoom: you don't want much more than about 4:1; anything longer
> than
> that and your pictures start to get fuzzy because no one can hold the
> camera
> steady enough.
>

Nonsense. Buy a camera with IS. The more optical zoom the better in terms of
being able to do more with the same camera. Canon S1 IS (Image Stabilized)
has a MSRP of $399usd but can be had in retail for as low as $350 usd. It
has 10x opical zoom and because it is IS it is fine for most handheld shots.
Very long exposures will require a tripod but to my knowledge that is common
even with sDLR with an IS lens.

Panasonic Z3, DMC FZ10, FZ20 all have image stabilizers plus 12X optical
zoom. The FZ10 cames in under $550 usd, and probably less now that the FZ20
is released.

Minolta also has a few ultra zooms, some stabilized, some not.

Ultra zooms with IS are a blast, I'd not discourage any beginner for
starting with the Canon S1 IS, or if they can afford the higher price point
the FZ20.


> Digital zoom: turn the feature off, or at least don't use it. It is better
> to blow up pictures on your computer. Digital zoom is worthless; actually
> it
> is less than worthless.
>

In general digital zoom is a waste of time, however, if you have good
editing software like Corel Paint Shop Pro 9 with its Digital Camera Noise
Removal filter you can actually get away with using some digital zoom in
situations where you just have to get that much closer to the subject,
especially if you have a camera that only does 3x or 4x Optical zoom.
>
>
> Movie mode: movie cameras do a better job, but it can come in handy now
> and
> then. Sound is nice, but small cameras don't really do a very good job of
> recording sound.
>

I think this depends on model of digital camera. Canon has been invested a
lot of effort into better frame and audio capture for movie mode. Sony is
another that has made advancements in the digital cam movie mode area.

Linda

>. (I've seen it advertised as low as $350 usd already, but it
>is much more in Canada at $699 Canadian.)

for these prices you could get Pentax or Minolta SLRs(without the shutter lag
of Digital P&S)