How did you choose your digital camera(s)?

[dud]

With the (literally) billions of camera choices out there ... how did you choose your camera? My wife wants to buy me one because I keep borrowing hers. All I need/do is take relatively low resolution pics of cars and ebay stuff. For connectivity I require plug-and-play with my laptop (none of this special software needed like my wife's old Kodak required to sync with a computer).

How would you choose?

 

[Kaido]

My favorite point-and-shoot digital cameras are Canon PowerShots. They take really great pictures and have a lot of nice features. The 590 model is available on Dell for $114.99 with a 4gb memory card right now:

http://forums.anandtech.com/me...=2252973&enterthread=y

 

[kyzen]

I've bought a few point and shoots recently. I usually looked up reviews online to narrow it down to a couple of cameras, then went to a store and played with them in person to see if I liked the feel, and if I could figure out the menus in a reasonable amount of time. I've also asked here and on another forum for input when I was looking for something specific (budget constraints, opinions between 2 models I had narrowed it down to, etc).

My most recent purchase was a Canon Powershot SD1100 - bought it on eBay using the 25% cashback from MS, and it's coming with an 8GB card, extra battery, and some other random accessories of varying degrees of usefulness. After the cashback, I'll have spent about $145ish on it.

 

[996GT2]

For a good starter camera that will take great pictures in most conditions, look no further than the Panasonic LZ8, Sony W120, or Canon A590.

The Panasonic has the edge on the Canon, since it packs a better lens, higher resolution LCD, better movie mode, better continuous shooting, all in a smaller form factor that maintains the same (sometimes better) image quality.

The Sony W120 is good choice if you want something simpler than the Panasonic or Canon. Though it doesn't offer the full manual controls and other features of the Canon or Panasonic, it's smaller, more stylish, and still offers about the same level of great image quality in this class.

Here is DPReview's roundup of budget cameras. The overall winner was the Panasonic LZ8, but the Sony W120 wasn't too far behind.

The Panasonic is just $99.99 from J&R.com; the Canon is a few dollars more, and the Sony is about $130.

 

[magomago]

i'd just follow the dpreview roundup. LZ8 or W120 are both great cameras. to be honest, there isn't going to be a huge difference between most p&s cameras...so i'd put ergnomics, if you like the design, and if you can deal with menus ahead of anything technical.

 

[kyzen]

As Magomago said, most P&S cameras - especially the cheaper ones - are going to be very close in image quality, so I'd suggest looking for some of the more defining features - shape, size, shooting speed (my Canon Powershot has painfully slow flash recharge times), what kinds of batteries it uses (easily findable AA's, or proprietary batteries you'll need to buy more than 1 of if you take the camera somewhere you can't charge the battery), etc.

 

[LS21]

7 years ago i got my first digital camera (through AT HOT DEALS actually) and it was a canon. for the 5 following years it was unanimously the best choice for compact digital camera.

this summer i had to buy a replacement, and was miffed at the hundreds of similar offering now - at the same pricepoint for compact form factor.

again i got a canon (850) and had no regrets. while it may not have the *absolute* best photo qualities, for a snap shooter, these characteristics make it an easy choice: intuitive menu, FAST operation, good battery life, awesome warranty support

 

[luv2liv]

i got my olympus 1050 sw and couldnt be happier

this thing is virtually indestructable! waterproof, dustproof, freezeproof, shockproof! take it anywhere and never be afraid. n yes, it takes video too.
got it last month from newegg for $220