This is why I need a new camera. I’ve been reading about the life of digital cameras and I think my Kodak Easyshare c.2004, has finally been beaten. I can’t take an even remotely bad photo of anything indoors. The photo above was taken with a flash in a well lit room and if you can fix it you’ll see that American Idol contestant Phil Stacey is sitting at a table signing autographs. Or not. It might just be a photo of a black room.
I know I’m going to get a lot of opinions but I am so terrible at picking out electronic gadgetry and Clay doesn’t have the time to search for good deals or decent cameras, so I need help.
Here’s what I’m hoping for in a camera;
1. Fully automatic features that a person with no skills can use, but is able to learn slowly over the course of five years how to use the other features.
2. Has great to excellent video capabilities.
3. The battery lasts for DAYS!!! Not hours.
4. Durable so if say my kids swing it around and drop it…it won’t shatter.
5. It cost no more than $250…..is that possible?
6. What am I missing? I think I need a decent zoom lens too.
I want a really nice camera, but I don’t have much to spend. Help!!!
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Donna Boucher linked to Ken Rockwell one time for camera and lens recommendations. He is a no-bones-about-it-don’t-spend-too-much-$ kind of guy! LOVE IT! Here’s his site:
http://www.kenrockwell.com/tech/recommended-cameras.htm
Also! He used to recommend the Nikon D40 which they no longer make but I’m sure you could get a used one on Amazon for a great price! Good luck!
I’ll recommend mine – it’s a Cannon PowerShot SX100 IS. It’s small enough to drop in a coat pocket or purse (sorry, unless they’re baggy jeans it’s not that small). But it has a 10x zoom, takes great video, and is tough. Really tough. As in I hand it to my 3 year old and let him go to town and it’s still taking great photos. In fact just looking at it the casing around the lens is beat to heck, yet no problems.
I think I paid $300 for it two years ago so you should be able to find it cheap now.
The other thing I love about it – it’s got a ton of auto settings. (auto, profile, landscape, kids/pets, night, and scenes which includes stuff like foliage, fireworks, snow, beach, indoor party.) Even my 3 year old gets some great pictures! If he can do it, so can you!
I used to have this point and shoot (before I lost it/it got stolen/it was forever misplaced):
http://www.amazon.com/Canon-PowerShot-SD1100IS-Digital-Stabilized/dp/B0011ZK6PC/ref=sr_1_24?ie=UTF8&s=photo&qid=1269546384&sr=1-24
AND I LOVED IT.
Seriously: amazing photos, great quality, once you’re ready to go to the manual setting awesome options, the battery life was great (My friend just took hers on a two week trip and didn’t have to charge it at all.), automatic settings are easy, fun functions (color isolation/photo merge/sports settings/macro setting/black and white/etc), lightweight, small….
I’m using a DSLR now, but I would go back to this camera if I wanted a point-and-shoot.
Good luck!
(And I love reading about your fun adventures!)
I got a nice Fuji Finepix F72 which has the biggest zoom for any little digital. Has nice options and in your price range. The bashing by kids part… well none of my digitals would have survived that. I also have a Casio Exilm which is really thin and I love it too! My Nikon is a big one and that is not what you want. Nikon Cool-Pix are great also and make beautiful pictures. My husband has that one.
Happy Camera Hunting!
Oh – and it takes AA batteries. I replace mine about once a month and I take lots and lots of photos. (And use rechargeable batteries.)
You’re going to be so amazed at how much inexpensive digital cameras have improved since 2004. I have a Canon Powershot and I love how easy it is to use and it’s been dropped and left out in the rain (wish I could blame that on the kids…) The video is decent, I wouldn’t say great but it’s not fuzzy and the audio is good. Nice, clear pictures and super easy to use. I would buy an extra battery and charger for convenience (maybe around $50) but the batteries last for days to a week for me and I use it a lot.
I too have a Canon Powershot. It is awesome! It does have the manual settings that you can apply some of pioneer woman’s blog post to, but yet in the same time have a point and shoot. My 3 year old also takes it everywhere in the house and it isn’t messed up at all. I have started using the camera’s video more than my camcorder just because it is so easy to use.
My personal camera is a Canon digital rebel XT. No its not the newest and greatest rebel out there, but I absolutely LOVE my camera. The downside for your preferences is that it does not do video. However, if you are still interested I purchased mine for $500 used a couple years ago and its fabulous. I’ve dropped it down stairs, of tables, and it even tumbled a good fifteen feet off of some rocks while mountain climbing. All that and its still going! It uses a rechargeable battery that lasts for 200-300 photos depending on what type you are taking. Its more towards the professional end of cameras, though, so if that’s not what you are looking for check out this website. I am a fan of canon and find their camera’s 100% reliable and durable:
http://www.digitalphotographywebsite.com/canonpowershotreview.html
This one seems to fit your build (except it runs on AA batteries not LiIon rechargeables):
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0009GZSSO?tag=digitalphotographywebsite-20&camp=14573&creative=327641&linkCode=as1&creativeASIN=B0009GZSSO&adid=0B4C50YE4J4HWCE1FGP8&
Hope that helps!
April, I have a Nikon coolpix x570 which fits nicely in my small purse. It has a good lens on it, according to my physicist husband – it’s a 5x optical zoom – whatever that means and 10 megapixels. It was between $150 and $200 at Costco. I don’t know what you’re going to do if you want a big DSLR with interchangeable lenses and only want to spend $250… You could drive over to Wolfes in Topeka and get their advice. They have a lot of knowledgeable people working for them.
I have the same one bdaiss has – Cannon PowerShot SX100 IS. I love it and am always told it takes great pictures. I bought rechargeable batteries and recharger, and camera case at the same time and I always have two batteries in the camera and two already charged in the camera case. It’s a really easy camera to operate, too.
I LOVE my CannonG9…they’re up to G11 now. It’s more like $450 than $250…but it’s GREAT. It’s sort of a link between some pocket cameras and the fancy pants DSLR.
Bumping km’s reply. I have a Canon G3 that I’ve had since 2003. It’s been through the wars, has HUGE battery life, and takes a fine-quality pic. I highly recommend the Canon G-series!!
My kodak easyshare circa 2004 did the same thing, I also had a problem with the plastic battery flap. I send it back to kodak 2 times I finally got a new Kodak!
Canon Powershot SD. I’m on my third one because I sat on the first one and had some horrible accident with the second one. I mostly just point and shoot. It isn’t shatterproof, though. Good luck with that.
My powershot SD is about the size of a pack of cigarettes, so I can stick it in my purse or pocket and I hardly know it’s there. Oh, and it takes pretty good videos, too.
My wife told me to swing by…so here I am! I typically shoot with a DSLR, but still keep up with point and shoot options, so when friends and family ask, I know what to recommend (and honestly, I’m just a photography nut).
As for myself, if I were to get a P&S camera with a good zoom, I would go for a Canon SX200IS. It’s compact, durable, has image stabilization, takes fantastic photos, and I love my Canon cameras. Our 4-year old son is now learning on my trusty S110 that I purchased in 2001. Truth be told, that camera still takes great pictures, even if it is only 2.1mp. One thing that has remained true with all my Canons is that they take abuse and keep on working!
Some other really good options are the Nikon Coolpix S6000, Sony DSC-H55, Sony DSC-W370, and Canon SD940IS. There are a lot of great cameras out there, now. I’d strongly recommend heading out to an electronics store and handling the camera for yourself, even if you decide to buy online. That will let you know what you like as far as size, feel, and functions before you spend the money on one.
Panasonic Lumix hands down! I have the DMC-TZ5 which I bought about almost 2 years ago and I know that they’ve upgraded. Nice auto features, I think mine is a 9 megapixel, has good video that you can zoom with, 10X optical zoom with some sort of other zoom that goes to like 67.5X, and it also has some really neat voice options while taking pics. Had bought the latest Canon Rebel as well for those “really neat” shots and returned it within a weeks time as my Lumix can take the exact same picture with a few simple setting changes. Paid just around $300 two years ago and I think they are around the $250+/- now.
You can see pictures taken with this camera at http://www.photoblog.com/sgabbert/ The post about Flowers and Bees has some good bokeh shots too.
I assume you are looking for a good Point and Shoot and not an SLR which requires more knowledge to use? For my birthday last year, the men in my family got me a Sony Cybershot and I can’t say one bad thing about it. It takes really great photos and video and is easy to use. Regarding requirement #6, for me a P&S has to have a short reflex time (no delay between telling it to take a photo and the camera going off). This one meets that requirement.
This camera takes great low light photos. I never use a flash because I hate the washed out look it creates. I love the indoor low light/evening photos this one takes without flash.
With your big birthday coming up, you should put this item at the top of your wish list in BIG red unmistakable letters! Or make posters for the slow of understanding.
My mom has a Sony Cybershot and loves it. It takes amazing pictures for a point and shoot. I think they are in the $200 range. They also come in a lot of cool colors.
Mine is Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W55. I think it is really good for a small point and shoot. It has various automatic settings and is very easy to use. And I don’t think it’s that expensive. Wow, I feel like I’m writing an ad for Sony. I hope they’ll pay me…
I lived this one out just before Christmas, which was actually good timing on the part of my camera as far as taking a dump. Because then YOU guessed it I recieved a new camera for Christmas, made life really easy for my husband, who would rather give someone a tracheotomy than go shopping. I got the NIkon coolpix P90. It is very easy to use. I love it! Good luck!
Laurie over on Crazy Aunt Purl went new camera shopping back in February and she got lots of good advice and then explains why she chose the camera she did. I thought those posts might be helpful to you.
http://www.crazyauntpurl.com/archives/2010/01/i_am_the_iceber.php#comments
http://www.crazyauntpurl.com/archives/2010/02/bold_return_of.php#comments
I agree with Clayvessel, Valerie and Helga. I have a Sony Cybershot DSC-H9, and my girls have Sony Cybershots that are the size of their palms. Mine is a bigger camera–but I love it! I hate the delay that a lot cameras have after the picture and this Sony has very short reflex time.
I have shot plenty of video with it and am very pleased that feature. Actually, there isn’t one thing that I am unhappy about or wish it had and if it breaks, I am buying the same ‘new’ version.
Good luck!
canon powershot is the way to go!
My daughter loves her samsung, but I think it was kind of expensive.
Go Cannon Powershot and you’ll love it! I got mine a couple years ago and it was around $250. Really easy point and shoot options or you can play wth the settings and get fancier. I love it and I had mine in college, at smokey underage bars and I’ve taken it camping, to the lake, etc and it’s lasted very well! Great zoom and you can print the shots SOOC and don’t have to edit them always.
Another vote for a Canon powershot! We have 2. SD100 is hubby’s, mine is A540. Mine is great for basic stuff but his is much better for the digital zoom and video.
As for batteries get a charger and a couple sets of batteries.
I have to agree with the Canon PowerShot users. I typically shoot with my DSLR, but I keep the Canon in my purse for those just in case times. Just in case usually means keeping my preschoolers occupied while I am grocery shopping. It’s been dropped millions of times and works great. It takes double A batteries, but the lithium ones last a really LONG time. The video can be grainy, but it is better than I expected. We got ours at Christmas time two years ago when the new model came out, a local department store ran a special on the previous years model – we got it for WAY cheaper than the new model. That’s a great way to get a quality camera at a cheaper price.
OH, me! Me! Me! Pick me!!
Kodak EasyShare Z812 IS~not to big, but not too small. Shatter proof, battery lasts for DAYS (rechargable, too which I LOVE) Great vid capacity, Zoom, great indoor shots..has a few bells and whistles that I have learned over time but didn’t have to right away..takes great pics, I truly love it.
I believe it was 250.00 or so…where “or so” means that I did buy the battery and the charger and a carrying case so it probably came up to a bit more than that. And then my husband took me out to eat after we bought it. You better figure that in for sure. I don’t care what Dave R. says.
This one will live through anything…AND it is PINK!
http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2864743&CAWELAID=128474175
I have this one and like it a lot.
http://www.amazon.com/Canon-PowerShot-SX120IS-Digital-Stabilized/dp/B002LITT3S/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1269578678&sr=8-1
One think you want to consider is if you want one that uses AA batteries. The Lithium ion batteries make for a smaller lighter camera, but I like to be able to throw some new AA batteries in my camera if my rechargable AA’s bite the dust in the middle of an important event!
I just upgraded from a Canon PowerShot SD1100 IS to a DSLR. I highly recommend the Canon as it has so many good points. One being that it has a view finder! You won’t realize how important that is until you try to take pictures with the sun glare on the view screen. I also prefer a camera with a rechargeable battery as they have lasted longer for me than the other kind. I also like that I can keep a spare charged battery with me. I am not sure how sturdy the view screen is tho. I busted my previous Canon PowerShot Elph’s view screen a couple of times. Good luck shopping!
Amen about the view finder!! I find it impossible to take a picture with my current camera w/o a view finder when the sun is bright and shiny. I just can’t see the screen.
Hi April,
After ANOTHER season of missing all the volleyball shots inside the gym cuz of the low light and slower than molasses shutter speed on my 4 year old point and shoot, I finally broke down and got another camera. (Well, I DID get good shots of the Basketball goal posts in the backround instead –grrr.)
I did tons of research and decided on a Panasonic Lumix DMC- FZ 28. It was $259.00 in Dec of 2008 online. (B and H Photo) The battery is a Li-ion rechargeable and I haven’t had a problem w/ running out of umph. And it seems to recharge quickly.
It has a doofus setting (that would be IA – Intelligent Auto) which I use almost all the time. It also has a lot of other auto settings–inside, outside, sports, parties, close ups, etc, etc. (including the settings that you can mess w/ to do all sorts of your own thing). I don’t have time or interest or most probably brain power to figure those out, though. And it has video too, but I haven’t messed w/ that enough to give you an opinion if that works terrific or not.
It isn’t teensy like a pocket camera, but it isn’t nearly as big or heavy as a DSLR and it has great zoom. Even w/ the low lights of a gym, I have been very pleased.
Happy camera shopping!
Julie
Let me save you some research–I JUST went through this a month or so ago! There is almost too much info out there, with each site having 2,838 consumer reviews…the camera that topped all of the point and shoot lists was the Panasonic Lumix ZS3. Consumer Reports also ranked it #1.
I actually was able to find one for around $250 at costco. I was overjoyed and we are loving it. Good luck on your search!
I am a camera addict…I currently have 3 that I rotate between. I have a Panasonic Lumix super zoom, a Canon SD1100 point and shoot, and a Nikon D90 DSLR. My DSLR is definitely my favorite as I’m getting more and more into this photography thing, but the little canon is a gem. It is affordable, takes great pictures, and is small enough to keep in my purse!
http://www.amazon.com/Canon-PowerShot-SD1200IS-Stabilized-2-5-inch/dp/B001SER48S/ref=sr_ob_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1269614356&sr=8-1
I have a Pansonic Lumix DMC-T25 that I LOVE! It has a pretty durable build to it and it takes video w/sound and zooms (10x) and has tons of automatic settings. The battery lasts forever, but buy an extra one to have charged if you never want to run out of power. I only paid just over $200 and highly recommend it. Its not too big either but not tiny.
Hey, by the way, I live in Kansas, too. Just down south in the Flinthills.
Love your blog… makes me laugh!
April- you shoulda just stole your mom’s when you had the chance
. Seriously tho- check out dpreview.com to compare cameras and look at the different options. It’s a GREAT website. I would recommend either a Sony Cybershot (any model) or a Canon Powershot (again any model) both are excellent camera manufacturers with easy to learn point and shoot style cameras. Since you are alreasy somewhat familiar with your mom’s Sony- I would lean that way. I have the DSC-H7 and love it, it should be getting lower in price now too. Check Nebraska Furniture Mart’s camera department out (yes you will have to drive in town)- they have been having some great sales lately, and now that they have redone that department, you can really check things out good. They have pretty knowledgeable staff too, but I would still do my homework online first- then go play with the cameras.
alreasy, already…whatevah! So I can’t spell.
We’ve owned several versions of the Cannon Powershot, and they’ve been great. We always figure out which model we want, and then order through Abes of Maine online. They offer package deals that include extra batteries and memory cards that hold a lot of pics and video, for less than you can find at other places. The camera buffs in the family pointed us to Abes, and we’ve never looked back. Happy camera shopping!
Tammy
Not sure about the price, but my boyfriend got me a Panasonic Lumix 12x AVCHD Lite (just reading this off the actual camera!) and it has all the things you asked for.
I recently bought a Sony Cybershot DSC-W290 after trying several other cameras in the same category. I love it!
All three of our kids have the Canon powershot…..and LOVE it. I have a Sony….and don’t like it. I also have a Nikon D80 and love it….but that would be out of your price range.
Normally out of my range too….but I got a bonus at work one year…hehe
Panasonic DMC-TZ5 – It has features above and beyond what you are asking for. Price is $259 on Amazon but you may be able to find it for a little worse, but we love ours. We couldn’t recommend it enough.
I have a Lumix too and love it! I don’t worry about the kids using it (ages 9 & 11). The new ones are up too 12.1 mp, mines only an 8. If you go to my blog, most of the photos on it were taken with my Lumix 8. Their price range is a little higher (300+), but I’m really pleased so far. Yeah, I lust over the Nikons…I can dream, one day…. ;D
I have a Sony Cybershot that I use almost every day, I can’t ‘make’ it take a BAD shot. I take alot of video of my boyfriend golfing too. It’s my go-to camera.
Well good reason to get an iphone if you don’t already have one! I just started using it regularly to take pictures with some crazy apps that make plain old photos really fun. The apps are camerabag and hipstamatic. I have done alot of research looking for the same as you’ve listed above. the trouble is if you want to stay under $250 your best bet is to go with a point and shoot that’s pretty automatic. If you want something you can really use to learn photography, you have to spend a little more. For about 400 you can get the Canon s90 which is very portable and will work as point and shoot but you also have full manual options so you can learn about shutter and aperture. I’m not too sure about swinging it around and dropping it! Check out my blog for some pics. The ones on Posterous(can also immediately upload pics from iphone to blogs)are with my iphone. Most on Flickr with s90. Good luck!
Lots of good advice…
Here’s my .02
My first digital camera was a 2001 Sony DSC P7. It’s 3 MP, and is now a hand-me-down to my 8 year old son.
Next, came the Sony DSC H7. This is a bigger camera, really good zoom, decent video capability. Only con is the size… not a deck of cards. Still using this when I don’t lug around my newest addition…. http://www.amazon.com/Sony-Cybershot-Digital-Optical-Stabilization/dp/B000M4J2PI/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1269739335&sr=1-1
I’ve loved both of my Sony Cybershots.
The Canon http://www.amazon.com/Canon-50D-Digital-18-200mm-Standard/dp/B001ET6QFO/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1269739277&sr=8-3 is stunning. A wee out of your price range (and mine!) but I inherited mine.
Good luck! My favorite review site:
http://steves-digicams.com/ and of course, Amazon reviews.
I bought a Nikon D90 last year, and love it. But it cost way more than what you are looking to spend. Too bad, because its a fabulous camera and I highly recommend it!!!
Try http://www.woot.com
They have real bargains on refurbished items, and new stuff too. Every day is different, and eventually they will have a good deal on a camera that will be worth the wait.
good luck!
My older Canon PowerShot started biting the dust late last year. I’d had it since 2001! Great little camera, but it started getting static in the photos.
So, while sitting in a waiting room I picked up a Consumer Reports and hey, here are camera reviews! They gave a lot of good marks to the Canon PowerShot something or other, but when I went to buy one, I was pointed to a newer model.
For Christmas I got a Canon PowerShot A1100 IS. It was less than $150, takes great photos, very easy to use and has a video feature that I never use. I have rechargeable batteries for it, and they last quite a while before I have to recharge them. (I won’t buy a camera that needs a special battery pack… if you can’t just pick up batteries at the store if you need em in an emergency, forget it!)
Amazon.com has great prices, and a deal on the camera and good sized memory card. Or they did when I got this one. Oh, and it comes in different colors.
(I see the price has come down a bit, too)
I highly recommend Canon cameras. I almost bought a Fuji instead, but I’m glad I didn’t.
hugs,
Vyx
I have loved my Sony cyber-shot. not too pricey and really great pictures and video. I can only point and shoot.No other skills here so i don’t even try anymore.
I also have a Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ5, which satisfies most of your criteria, but the best thing about it? 10x optical zoom, which is one of the best in the compact camera world. I have seen at Costco that there is a newer version out, and it is probably worth checking out. Normally I would recommend staying with a traditional camera company rather than an electronics company, but the lens in this is a Leica, which is an old and respected lens company. It’s been a great camera, fits in my purse, easy to use but has some options, and very good quality pictures.
My husband and I have had 3 Canon Powershots over the years, and they have been reliable and totally satisfactory. I have only ever taken videos by accident, but they turned out well.
The one thing you absolutely need to have is a viewfinder, an item that many cameras now lack. It is not possible to compose an outdoor scene in bright sunshine, looking at an LCD screen. I suggest you buy a battery charger and keep a spare set of charged batteries, so you are never without. You should be able to get a Canon Powershot for less than $250.
I have now graduated to a Nikon D60 which I love, as does my husband, a former professional photographer. However, this is way out of your price range, I just threw it in as you might like to put it on a wish list for later on.