Take a look at PCWORLD.COM, at this time you can click on the word camera on the products line at the top of the page.

They have a great review of camera's and a discussion about what to look for.

Sandy

Here is a link that might be useful: cameras (3/25/05)

I suggest you check the link below as well. Specifically the Buying Guide...

TJ

Here is a link that might be useful: Digital Photography Review

Canon (or is it Kodak), but the model number is A70 or A60. Great for the beginner and durable for the family (younguns sometimes drop the phone or fight over it...)

I'd recommend anything in the Kodak Easy Share product line. The cameras are easy to use, they take great quality pictures, and the software/accessories are designed for amateur photographers.

Cannon. Cannon. Cannon.

I have a PowerShot A40, discontinued, and a PowerShot A75, also discontinued.

Amazing cameras. The PowerShot A75 was rated #1 in the 3 megapixel or over class a year ago by PC Shopper.

The list was amazing , PowerShot A75 #1 at 300.00 and the #2 camera was well over a thousand doolars.

I picked up my PowerShot A75 for 150.00 as a clearanced display model two weeks ago.

Cannon has brought a replacement model for around 199.00, the PowerShot A80.

I originally was an Olympus fan, and loved my first digital camera, the Brio. I was crushed, when I was ready to move on to bigger and better camera's, that Olympus was no longer wowing the critics.

My best friend has the Olympus whatever 3.2 mega-pixel camera, and her pictures look like cut-out paper dolls pasted on a background. My dad who is a dark room hobbyist, and known amateur photographer, said of the Olympus shots, that they were some of the worst photos he had ever seen. He did not who had taken them or what camera they were taken with. The Olympus shots were clear, crisp, flat and lifeless.

I don't know if these will show, because all of a sudden I cannot go back and forth with links in this forum with my computer.

Doug and Lisa's Excellant Adventure was shot with the Olympus 3.2 megapixel, Building A House (and Hogwarts) was shot with the Cannon A40 2.0 megapixel. (which by logic should be worse than the 3.2...it isn't).

marf

Here is a link that might be useful: Pics Olympus VS Cannon...I like the Cannon

I still got to toot my horn, or shoot my camera, as it may be.

CNET, whom I respect the most of all review sources (whoop-de-doo, isn't that a ringing endorsement?), still places the discontinued Cannon A75 at numerero uno, the best of the bunch, and as the cream of the crop.

There are still some A75s out there at a very good price. But when they are gone...they are gone.

I don't know why these companies mess with success. Five-Six years ago (or so) Olympus enjoyed that spot, and then they improved their cameras and fell to the bottom of the barrel (I see they are slowly climbing back up).

Get the A75...that's a command.

marf

Here is a link that might be useful: CNet Reviews 3 mega-pixel Cameras

LOVE my Kodak!!! It's ultra easy to use (yes there are features that are more complicated that I've never needed to us). MUST get the docking station so transferring your photos to your computer is just a press of a button & then it loads up into the software they include that is also SOOOO easy to use to view, print, e-mail, create special effects or just make simple corrections like getting rid of red eye & cropping your photos. You can also create categories if you want. I've sold several of my friends on this camera. Now they make a printer dock which is the docking station your camera sits on to charge as well as upload photos so you can print your photos out directly too photo paper in a 4x6.

I finally got a camera as a gift for my birthday. So know more deciding for me. I received a Canon Power Shot A95. Now to figure out how to use it. I will keep you posted on what I think.
Barb

That's a gooood birthday gift. I made a goof in my earlier post, the A80 is not to replace the A75.

The camera is fairly straightforward to use. It has an auto setting, which will probably be enough for you to get started as a point shoot. Later on you can worry about things like shutter speed, and internal vs. external flash.

Basically, buy a flashcard with enough memory to run around and take as many pictures as you can with, it will make it an easier worth-while learning experience.

Find where the batteries go, find where the flashcard goes, find the auto setting, find the on button, and point and shoot.

There are video cables as well as USB cables for your camera (can do TV or computer).

Cannon makes a photo printer THAT IS NOT AN INKJET! Its great. One of the many accessories that Cannon probably papered your intructions with.

They have this postcard printer, that lays the picture down
with sets of colored transparent film, one color at a time, its bizzaar.

Cannon makes different lenses (lenzes) for their digital cameras, not cheap but not outrageous for your never ending picture-taking education.

You have a nice camera. I'm jealous.


marf

I can't get through my thick brain that Canon has only one "N" in the middle. I am the worst speller in the world, and even when I know that I'm spelling everything wrong...I still spell it wrong.

I will never stop spelling Cannon with two "N"s in the middle.

marf

Martha certainly has a strong anti-Olympus bias. I don't know why. I looked at her pictures, and I still don't know why. A lot of people on these forums are very happy with their Olympus digital cameras. I'm one of them. I have a C-730 Ultra Zoom, and am contemplating getting a C-5500 to take everywhere with me. Here are a couple of shots from the C-730.

{{gwi:13356}}

Alisande,

Wow Wow Wow those are great shots. Is it the camera or the
person snapping the button? If I could get photos like that
I would be very happy with any camera. However, I think it
is me and not the camera. Where is my Brownie point and shoot?

The OP didn't specify price range or requirements, so I'll chime in with the camera I just bought - Canon SD500. It's tiny and light so you can drop it in a pocket or purse every time you go out, and 7 megapixel if you like to do wall-size enlargements once in a while.

Kodak for ease of use

Canon for better control - A75 or A95

As I said Olympus used to be on top. The major problem with Olympus photos, while clear and crisp, they lack depth. I'm not biased against Olympus, I own a Brio Camedia. What Can I say? I agree with the critics, the Canon's up to this point, take better pictures.

marf

I reread the latest ratings and pros and cons of many digital cameras, and Olympus is moving up. Their new models aren't plagued with some of the handicaps as some of their camera's were in recent years. Olympus has recently reclaimed the 4 mega-pixel spot and is nipping at cannon's (Canon's) heels in the six and sevens...meanwhile Nikon pulled through with a beauty in the six and over range.

What's great about Canon is what you get for the price. Such as livvyandbella's camera, the 5 mega-pixel point and shoot, A95 slipped to #3 on CNET's rating. Number one and two are each into the $1,400.00 range. The A95 is in the $300.00 range. Not bad to hold its own in that price group.

Camera's, though, are like everything else. Talented designers and engineer's switch companies more often than we switch shoes.

Canon, in the past few years, have hogged most of the top ratings, and that is beginning to change.

It is not that I have it in for Olympus, it is just that I watch the trends.

One trend to watch, by the way, is that Kyocera has developed a faster shutter speed for digitals and they have cameras that take consecutive motion shots. Trouble is that Kyocera doesn't take the greatest shots to begin with...they are not bad, but one would do better with an Olympus or Canon. But the technology is new. Lets see who runs with it and perfects it.

marf

Martha,

Why do you respect CNET's reviews the most? Is there something about the other camera review sites you don't like? I've noticed that the reviews at CNET don't quite match up with those at the other camera review sites (dpreview.com, etc.).

Jen

This is such a late post. I don't know if Jen will read this or not.

I, along with others, have been very disappointed with Consumer Reports recommendations.

Most reviewers, CNET and Consumer Reports included, are bestowed, let us say "favors", instead of monetary rewards, for favorable reviews.

CNET authors and editors, in the past, have answered me directly when I have had a critisism, or question, or disagreement with their review.

CNET reviewers let you know who they are, they haven't hid under the name CNET.

Also, I have found that CNET reviews are very thorough and tailored to each item and each product they review.

CNET is not afraid to enter obscure companies and their products into their reviews.

The truth is, I bought one the first five disk DVD changer/player's on CNet's recommendation, and low and behold one of the generous and knowledgeable experts contributing to this forum, who was the owner of an electronics shop in Michigan, had the same model, thought it was terrific and believed there was nothing better in its category. Something was in the player that wasn't supposed to be, and he walked me through getting it out. That player must be at least five to six years old now, and it is humming along perfectly, with a gorgeous picture and all the optical, componet, composite, svideo, hdtv hookups imaginable. It was a product before its time. Strange that other reviewers didn't have it at the top of their list.

I had never heard of ABS or the Falcon or Polywell or even the ACER Travelmate before I started to read CNET.

Back to photography, one other opinion I highly, highly recommend is Phillip Greenspun, and his brain child Photo.NET. He is a highly respected Harvard/MIT professor and computer whiz.
Five years ago it was between his and CNET's endorsement of Canon that made me skeptically give Canon a try.

Through the past years, companies are catching up to Canon. On photo.net, there are detailed comparisons of photos from several brands of cameras in the same category. As I post this, Canon may have become a leader of nothing more than the past.

For this thread's sake ... such as one of the competing Olympuses' and Canons'.

If anyone is interested in photography, Photo.Net and Eric Greenspun's personal pages are more than worthwhile to investigate. His and his colleague's tips and tricks for taking good pictures are invaluable.

I hope this is a satisfactory answer to your question.

marf

Here is a link that might be useful: Camera Comparison's on Photo.Net

"Minolta makes the best bodies, Nikon makes the best lenses, Canon makes the best compromise" -- My rich friend Bob who has all three systems.
....
Phillip Greenspun from photo.net

Here is a link that might be useful: Phillip Greenspun's page

Ohno...I called good ol' Phil, Eric. Please forgive me Phil...

marf