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Here are the usual recommended Internet resources on digital cameras:
Digital Camera Resource Page
Digital Photography Review
Steve's Digicams

Any of these sites probably will give you more information that you need on just about every digital camera currently on sale (except possibly the ones just released), though as all of the above sites suggest: before making any final decisions, go out to a camera store and try out the models in which you are interested. There might be factors about a given model that no amount of information supplied by someone else can give you like the "feel" of the camera: it might seem too fragile, too angular, too "plastic," etc. for your personal taste.

Take a look at the buyer's guides that these sites have: you can put in your criteria (and perhaps learn about some that you weren't aware of) to help determine which camera best fits your needs.

I have a Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX01 in my pocket right now (sitting on top of my iPod).

as D' said your best bet is to go to a store and have a look at some of them.  I just bought the Canon SD450 for my sister in law.  I almost kept it for myself and gave her my old one.

Last edited by Donkey Butter (2006-08-10 5:35 pm)

I also like canons. : ) Only the SD400 is mine, but 2 others in my family purchased canons on my recommendation and they love 'em.

Buy a Canon.

,xtG
.tsooJ

MacMonkey wrote:

What do you all think of the canon A530? I'm looking for a good entry level camera, but not something thats dumbed down by user-friendlyness so that I am hampered by it.

Here is Steve's Digicam's review.
Here is DCRP's review of the A540. The reviewer uses this as a review for the A530 as well since in his opinion there "are a few differences between the A530 and A540 (besides the resolution) that are worth pointing out."

The makers of those sites will not pull any punches when they find any deficiencies or give praise when a particular camera's design/feature deserves it.

D'Eyncourt wrote:

I have a Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX01 in my pocket right now.

I so want that camera! In fact I've drooled over the FX7, FX9 and now the FX01 over the past few years, but I just haven't  been able to justify buying one. I keep being hit with higher priority financial outlays. Plus my crummy old HP Photosmart just won't die!!


tF

I'll never understand why people buy cameras from non-camera companies.

Well, I like the Canon Powershot SD600, and the reviews seem to back up the fact that it is a good camera. I went to Best Buy, and it's a great size and feels great, so I'm pretty sure I'm decided on this one. At Best Buy it was $340, but I found it online at Butterfly Photo via Cnet for $270. Any last recomendations?

tomfoolery wrote:

D'Eyncourt wrote:

I have a Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX01 in my pocket right now.

I so want that camera! In fact I've drooled over the FX7, FX9 and now the FX01 over the past few years, but I just haven't  been able to justify buying one. I keep being hit with higher priority financial outlays. Plus my crummy old HP Photosmart just won't die!!

It's a decent camera--so far it has more than matched my mothballed Sony DSC-F717 with the additional big benefit of being small enough to fit in my pocket. I have no complaints performance-wise, though it does have a custom built-in USB socket so you cannot use a standard mini-USB-B plug, and its USB is 1.1 (AKA USB 2.0 Fast [tm], as opposed to USB 2.0 Full [tm]--yeah, I got bit by this one). I transferred a movie (in QuickTime format, BTW) from the camera and iPhoto was projecting a 30-35 minute download; moving the SD stick to a USB 2.0 Full multiple-format reader reduced the transfer time to under 6 minutes.

D'Eyncourt wrote:

tomfoolery wrote:

D'Eyncourt wrote:

I have a Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX01 in my pocket right now.

I so want that camera! In fact I've drooled over the FX7, FX9 and now the FX01 over the past few years, but I just haven't  been able to justify buying one. I keep being hit with higher priority financial outlays. Plus my crummy old HP Photosmart just won't die!!

it does have a custom built-in USB socket so you cannot use a standard mini-USB-B plug, and its USB is 1.1 (AKA USB 2.0 Fast [tm], as opposed to USB 2.0 Full [tm].

Good God! There's no real excuse for either of those points in my book. I knew that earlier incarnations weren't USB 2 (full), but I had pretty much assumed they'd have addressed this gaff by now. Sure its not the end of the world (I have a card reader), but its still pretty lame. Maybe that'll be fixed in the next revision... I may have the money together by then. I still reckon it's the camera I'll end-up with.

tF

tomfoolery wrote:

D'Eyncourt wrote:

I have a Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX01 in my pocket right now.

I so want that camera! In fact I've drooled over the FX7, FX9 and now the FX01 over the past few years, but I just haven't  been able to justify buying one. I keep being hit with higher priority financial outlays. Plus my crummy old HP Photosmart just won't die!!


tF

Ok, well I'm full of smurf. We all got a mystery £150 bonus this month in our salary (sssh, not a word to the payroll dept!) and so when I saw this camera on sale for £149.99, I considered it an omen.

Only downside that I can see is that it uses xD cards instead of SD, meaning my current cards are pretty much useless to me now. Not a biggie however, as I can pick-up a 1gb xD for under £30.

Hopefully it should arrive in time for my holiday.

tF

Try looking at the Fuji Camera's, I have 2 of them and no problems, Good resolutions
2600 and the E550