How does everyone choose what digital camera they are gonna buy?

[hysperion]

Don't walk- run to your nearest store and pick up the V1 for $299.....that is by far the nicest camera in that pricerange. I paid $675 for mine when it first came out and couldn't have been happier with it as a point and shoot camera. (I now use my D70 for everything though)

IMO
$500 or less V1
$500-1000 Nada save the money and get the V1
$1000+ D70 or 20D

 

[darrontrask]

walked into Kmart and seen last years canon on sale for $78. since i only take pics of the kids it work just beautifully. GREAT pics. CANON's are great if you are on a budget and if you are looking to just point and shoot. I love mine.

 

[aceO07]

For the OP, not sure if it's been mentioned before, www.dpreview.com has a Buying Guide section. You can select the features you want and it will give you a list of cameras, or you can do side to side comparisons of cameras you're interested in. I'm sure other camera review sites have these features as well.

It's not the camera that takes good pictures, it's the person behind the camera. The camera just captures the scene in front of you, some just happen to capture it more accurately than others.

 

[aceO07]

Originally posted by: hysperion
Don't walk- run to your nearest store and pick up the V1 for $299.....that is by far the nicest camera in that pricerange. I paid $675 for mine when it first came out and couldn't have been happier with it as a point and shoot camera. (I now use my D70 for everything though)

IMO
$500 or less V1
$500-1000 Nada save the money and get the V1
$1000+ D70 or 20D

You forgot the Canon 300D. It's approx $700 after rebate.
There's also the Sony F828.

That's assuming the buyer is looking for a bigger camera with more options.

 

[hysperion]

I didn't forget them....IMO your better off spending the $200 or so extra for the D70 over the 300D and only buy the 828 if you like the color purple....

 

[kami333]

Originally posted by: hysperion
I didn't forget them....IMO your better off spending the $200 or so extra for the D70 over the 300D and only buy the 828 if you like the color purple....

Or like getting headaches from staring into the EVF...

I like the F828 and think it is a great camera for its intended market but it's not a substitute for a DSLR. It does make for a great travel camera though. I ended up getting a Pentax *istD.

 

[MithShrike]

Originally posted by: Fmr12B
Unless you plan on buying a top of the line $800+ camera you will want a different camera or two after about 3-6 months of use.


My first camera was a Fuji 2600Z 2.1mp and 3x optical. Paid $250 2.5yrs ago

Decided resolution wasnt all that important but I wanted a more full featured camera with a big optical. On a Low Budget I picked up a Panasonic Leica FZ1 2.1MP 12X Optical with Image Stabilization for $199 + tax about 8-months ago. Love the ZOOM!

Now I want a micro camera with 2-3MP and 3-4X Optical Like the Pentax Optio S.

Those get brought back all the time. Good luck with that.

 

[dr150]

Originally posted by: aceO07

Originally posted by: hysperion
Don't walk- run to your nearest store and pick up the V1 for $299.....that is by far the nicest camera in that pricerange. I paid $675 for mine when it first came out and couldn't have been happier with it as a point and shoot camera. (I now use my D70 for everything though)

IMO
$500 or less V1
$500-1000 Nada save the money and get the V1
$1000+ D70 or 20D

You forgot the Canon 300D. It's approx $700 after rebate.
There's also the Sony F828.

That's assuming the buyer is looking for a bigger camera with more options.

You forgot to add the Pentax IStDS and Olympus E300 for $1000 DSLRs.

 

[NFS4]

Got my Sony DSC-V3 today and it kicks ass!!! I'm officially a Sony nut

 

[SirChadwick]

Do any of you know how the Sony DSC-V1 sizes up against the Canon S410? I currently own an S410 and love it to death except for taking pics under low-light conditions... its just struggles to get a clear pic unless I hold the camera completely still. I mainly use my camera for eBay auctions, but also love nighttime pics. Ornery, you seem to be very knowledgable and really back up Sony digicams. Would you suggest I sell my S410 and get the Sony V1? Or would it make that much of a difference?

 

[Ornery]

A no-excuses "enthusiast" camera from Sony: Cyber-shot DSC-V1

• A unique, Sony-only feature the V1 shares with the F717 that went before it is Hologram AF, which uses a laser diode and a holographic diffraction grating to produce a crosshatched autofocus-assist pattern of bright red lines on the subject. This projected pattern stays more or less "in focus" almost irrespective of subject distance, so there's always a sharp pattern for the camera to focus on. Hologram AF isn't just for low light. You'll see the pattern projected in fairly normal lighting when there's not enough contrast in the subject for the contrast-detection AF system to focus effectively.

Too bad you missed the $300.00 deals on this unit. It's been replaced by the DSC-V3, which is much larger and more expensive. Personally, I prefer my HUGE DSC-F707 over my son's V1. We got the V1 for a pocket sized camera to "take everywhere", but 99% of the time, I know when I'll be taking pictures, and the larger camera suits me better. That unit was replaced by the upgraded, but identical DSC-F717, and then the much upgraded, and larger DSC-F828.

Suit yourself, but I will never buy a digital camera without that infrared autofocus assist, or an equivalent (currently unavailable) technology. I'm way too spoiled having owned & used it for a few years and many thousands of pictures.


Sony DSC-V1 sizes up against the Canon S410?

I know EXACTLY how it sizes up against the S50, since I owned it for about a month. It was going to be the "pocket sized" digital camera around here, but it couldn't pass muster in low light. The V1 isn't as small as the S410, but there is no camera smaller than the V1, that also has the Hologram Autofocus Assist.

 

[klingsor]

I've had a few cameras and haven't read this whole post but take a look at the "best of" section at Steve's Digicams.

I now have a Canon S1 IS for 10x zoom (image stabilized) photos and an Casio EX-Z55 for a thin light 5MP no-shutter-lag always-at-the-ready camera

Pretty happy with both of them; they both made Steves list by the way.

Good luck!!!