Looking for a good Point & Shoot...suggestions?

[JohnnyRebel]

yea, I just want to make sure I get something good and I'll keep for awhile. So I'm liking the Fuji F550, the Sony HX7/9V, and the Canon SX230HS. the 9V is slightly out of my range, but it sports the 15x zoom...the F550 is close to the 9V for $50 less, so I think it's going to be between those 2 for me b/c I would like the max of 15x zoom just in case I need it, but I could deal with a 10x zoom if I had to I'm sure.

I need to find a good camera shop around here somewhere, I don't actually know of any so I haven't went into any. Walmart/BestBuy demos don't even turn on half the time much less take a pic (due to know cards being inserted).

Adorama has a 30 day no questions asked return policy. Once you decide which one you want to try, you can return it to them if you don't love it. They really don't mind, even if you do this a number of times.

JR

 

[jacktesterson]

Fuji HS10 is an awesome camera and can be found on ebay.

 

[alkemyst]

Adorama has a 30 day no questions asked return policy. Once you decide which one you want to try, you can return it to them if you don't love it. They really don't mind, even if you do this a number of times.

JR

They do expect you to do some research and testing locally first (if possible)...if everyone just ordered up stuff and sent the bad choices back this policy would quickly be pulled.

Don't abuse liberal consumer benefits if you want to keep them.

Shop first, buy last.

 

[JohnnyRebel]

Don't abuse liberal consumer benefits if you want to keep them

This works for their benefit, even if some abuse it. The understated assumption here is that you would hone your decision down to the one you think you'd like; not just order a half dozen planning on sending five back. I did say "Once you decide which one you want to try..."

I guarantee they'd rather you buy and send back than risk for you to go to a B&M store, fall in love, and buy on the spot. This is especially true of a new customer. They are building relationships. Seth Godin promotes this tirelessly on his blog and in his book "Tribes". It's just plain old good business and it benefits them more than it benefits you.

I have sent back a couple thousand dollars of personal photo equipment, but they have already recouped that from me and also many times over in corporate purchases I have made for my company. They will sell the returns as "open box" items at a slight discount. They will get about 10 grand more of my personal money this next March. Like I said, good business. Look back at my previous posts, I am always pointing people toward Adorama. There is no better place to shop for your photo needs.

JR

 

[alkemyst]

hardly at all. I had an online retail shop a while and getting returns was the worst thing that can happen. You do it because you need to offer a satisfaction clause, but when I got something back I lost out on the profit, the shipping costs back and had to sell the item used and then deal with the shitstorm that causes when the idiot that orders it used thinks he was getting it new.

Rinse and repeat.

lol at you trying to qualify corporate purchase here. Yeah if you are buying $10k at a time they won't lose out so much...lolz.

 

[JohnnyRebel]

hardly at all. I had an online retail shop a while and getting returns was the worst thing that can happen. You do it because you need to offer a satisfaction clause, but when I got something back I lost out on the profit, the shipping costs back and had to sell the item used and then deal with the shitstorm that causes when the idiot that orders it used thinks he was getting it new.

Rinse and repeat.

lol at you trying to qualify corporate purchase here. Yeah if you are buying $10k at a time they won't lose out so much...lolz.

Sounds like you should read Seth's blog before you try your hand at business again.

That last comment lost me. "Qualify"? I have no idea what you mean.

I'm a happy customer, I direct as much business that way as I can, and as long as they continue with great customer support they have a lifetime customer and advocate. The only reason they'll get my "going into business" purchase is because of the way I was treated as an individual. The only reason they get corporate purchases I make is because of the way I was treated as an individual. They are reaping what they have sown. Simple, old-fashioned, good business.

JR

 

[alkemyst]

Sounds like you should read Seth's blog before you try your hand at business again.

That last comment lost me. "Qualify"? I have no idea what you mean.

I'm a happy customer, I direct as much business that way as I can, and as long as they continue with great customer support they have a lifetime customer and advocate. The only reason they'll get my "going into business" purchase is because of the way I was treated as an individual. The only reason they get corporate purchases I make is because of the way I was treated as an individual. They are reaping what they have sown. Simple, old-fashioned, good business.

JR

??? like costco's lifetime electronics warranty until people raped it.

get it now? Sending in $10k orders is a lot different than a consumer ordering 5 cameras to return 4 of them after opening them.

capeche?

 

[JohnnyRebel]

??? like costco's lifetime electronics warranty until people raped it.

get it now? Sending in $10k orders is a lot different than a consumer ordering 5 cameras to return 4 of them after opening them.

capeche?

It's a lot more like Dillon Precision's "No BS" lifetime warranty and their rabid customer base.

It's about delivering a lot more than "You do it because you need to offer a satisfaction clause".

Just my two cents.

As far as Adorama, why don't you give them a call and ask them if they'd rather you buy a camera from them that you will return if you don't love it or if they want you to do all your looking and testing at local retailers with the intention of buying from them after you find your perfect camera. I already know what they'll say...

JR

 

[alkemyst]

It's a lot more like Dillon Precision's "No BS" lifetime warranty and their rabid customer base.

It's about delivering a lot more than "You do it because you need to offer a satisfaction clause".

Just my two cents.

As far as Adorama, why don't you give them a call and ask them if they'd rather you buy a camera from them that you will return if you don't love it or if they want you to do all your looking and testing at local retailers with the intention of buying from them after you find your perfect camera. I already know what they'll say...

JR

They'd be stupid to say not to try it out locally rather than keep ordering and returning.

I don't think you understand what people do today. They will go and order multiple items on sale. Then shop them after that. Often returning all of them and buying from somewhere else.

 

[JohnnyRebel]

They'd be stupid to say not to try it out locally rather than keep ordering and returning.

I don't think you understand what people do today. They will go and order multiple items on sale. Then shop them after that. Often returning all of them and buying from somewhere else.

I appreciate your perspective. I've seen some of it, especially on deal sights like Anandtech (especially the first half of the last decade) and FatWallet with thier deals, often contrived to get something for nothing thru abusing policies. However, this is just a small part of it all; as is the "no questions asked" return policy from Adorama. That is just one small part of what makes them a great company.

They won't tell a customer to go somewhere else, because if they do they'll usually never see that customer again. A few returns in the price range of a point-n-shoot camera is small compared to the return from passionate satisfied customers over time. What builds a great business is often counter-intuitive. Companies fail for many reasons, but it's never because they delivered an awesome experience to their customers.

Check out this link, and notice #3 especially:

http://www.joelonsoftware.com/articles/customerservice.html

JR

 

[shortylickens]

ALERT OP! ALERT!

If you head over to the Hot Deals forum you will see Staples has a 20% off coupon for the next 3 days. It excludes most gadgets EXCEPT cameras. So if you can find something you like over there you will probably get it cheaper than Amazon or Walmart.

 

[DigitalCancer]

Yea...it's 20% off, but it's $350 over there which will bring it down to $280 BEFORE taxes. It sells on Amazon around $280-285...$220 used right now. I'm not willing to jump on it right this sec for that price, I'd rather buy used through Amazon.

I found one on eBay brand new for $260 shipped as well.

I'll get one soon, I just want to make sure it's the right one...but I think this one is the right one but I keep looking at that Sony HX9V, I really like how the images turn out. ^_^

 

[DigitalCancer]

Alright...so I'm close to getting my new camera...found out a couple of weeks ago that we're pregnant! So I want a good camera for taking lots of pics. ^_^

I have narrowed my search down to these few that I like a lot now...

Canon SX230HS ($280)

Canon S95 ($350)

Canon SX40 ($400)

FujiFilm F550 EXR ($250)

I'm really eye-balling the SX40 due to it's dslr style...and I here the 230hs doesn't have the greatest battery life?

Here's a quick comparison I fixed up...

http://www.dpreview.com/products/co...230hs&products=canon_sx40hs&sortDir=ascending


Also please keep in mind that I'm not an avid/professional photographer so I'm looking for something that takes some nice pics with vibrant colors and can focus well.

 

[Gooberlx2]

S95 will perform the best in terms of IQ due to a superior sensor and lens, and even give you some room to grow as a photographer with RAW and manual controls. The others will probably perform rather comparably.

 

[sixone]

S95 will perform the best in terms of IQ due to a superior sensor and lens, and even give you some room to grow as a photographer with RAW and manual controls. The others will probably perform rather comparably.

Probably also a better choice so that you aren't juggling baby and camera. You can drop the S95 into a pocket when your hands are needed elsewhere, like emergency diaper changes.

Can't do that with the SX40. Style is nice, but not very practical for your needs.

Congrats!

 

[DigitalCancer]

Makes sense...I'm really looking for the 'pocket' size rather than the dslr style...but I do like the bulky ones as well. ^_^

So out of the SX230HS and the S95...everyone says go for the S95? I've compared images via Amazon (not sure of a better site to view samples?) and I like both...they're both very smooth/vibrant.

I would like to get the S100 b/c I've heard it has a few 'physical' advantages over the s95 but...I can't raise my budget over $400 really.

My next item to get is going to be a camcorder...that should be pretty easy to pick out I'm sure though. ^_^

 

[sixone]

Check out dpreview.com's forum called Canon Talk. You'll see lots of threads about the S95 and the SX230, and what kind of results users are getting.

Amazon recently had the S100 for $385, and Best Buy had a 10% off coupon on all digicams, among other things. If you aren't in a hurry, keep an eye on going prices, and jump when it drops down to where you want it.

 

[AkumaX]

S100 if you got $$
S95 because i've seen it less than $300