New camera, need advice!

[Atty]

I'm going to buy a new camera in the next few days, hopefuly by the end of this week, and I need some advice.

Now, I don't do any advance photography but I do want a decent camera, I was hanging out with some friends last night and was using one of their Cybershot's and it seemed pretty awesome. I went to Best Buy's website and looked at the selection and I think I found one thats pretty good but I need some professional or even highly amateur advice, because when it comes to Cameras I know that MP means megapixel and thats about it.

Here is the page of cameras I am looking at.

I've already got a 2GB SD card so I don't need that, I was looking at the 7.2MP's (both) or the 8.1MP for $279.99.

Is there a huge difference between the 7.2 and 8.1MP? Any features that one is missing that would come in handy? Any bits of advice? Better cameras to get? Anything?

Thanks!

 

[zig3695]

7.2 and 8.1? no. the quality of the camera would matter much more then those numbers there.

as my opinion goes, i hate sony, so i dont play with cybershots. i do play with other brands though, and without hesitation i recommend the newer canon powershots. those elph cameras, or even the 'A' series if you dont like the compacts. the A560 is FANTASTIC, its a $250 performing camera for half that- http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?Item=N82E16830120193

and my favorites are the digital elphs. cant beat a deal like this imo- http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?Item=N82E16830120147

and with any 7mp or higher camera, you will find yourself only using 5mp or so pictures for the most part. again, the quality of the camera matters more then the MP's (at least once your 3mp or up)

 

[troytime]

i hate sony as well, but i LOVE my sony cybershot t-9

its the previous years version of that black 8mp one

the pictures it takes are very good, as are the movies
its a solid camera, and it's shape is PERFECT for a front pocket
seriously, even the corners are rounded off

i would definitely buy it again

 

[Atty]

Well, I'm all for quality. Convenience is wonderful and all but I'd much prefer quality, I'll look into those Canon Powershots, thanks! Anyone else have any suggestions? I did some research into the Cybershots and a lot of people are saying that they have very bad picture quality so I guess I'll stay away from them (even though they look nice.)

 

[Heidfirst]

Originally posted by: iAtticus
I did some research into the Cybershots and a lot of people are saying that they have very bad picture quality so I guess I'll stay away from them (even though they look nice.)

afaik the W35, 55, 80 etc. are supposed to have decent image quality.

 

[Atty]

Thats what I thought but the reviews I read said they were sub par, but I got mixed results. I'll dig deeper and find out.

 

[teatime0315]

Originally posted by: troytime
i hate sony as well, but i LOVE my sony cybershot t-9

its the previous years version of that black 8mp one

the pictures it takes are very good, as are the movies
its a solid camera, and it's shape is PERFECT for a front pocket
seriously, even the corners are rounded off

i would definitely buy it again

I have the T9 also and I love the thing too.
Great for Macro's
Anyway to the OP... IF you plan on getting a Sony, you need to get a new memory card because Sony's do not use SD sadly.

 

[teatime0315]

Check out the Canon SD850IS.
That little camera has very good reviews.
PLUS!! it uses SD memory so you are good to go.
SD850IS
The camera also has Image Stabilization which is also a big plus!

 

[ElFenix]

sony doesn't take SD memory.

dc resource page review of a similar camera
some people don't like jeff's reviews in comparison to imaging-resources or dpreview, but he is good in that he focuses more on usability and how the camera does in the field, rather than lab tests.

 

[Jawo]

Another vote for the Canon Powershot line. I have loved the A series, having owned the a40, a95, a610. Just got a SD800 IS for my sister and she loves it as well.

 

[TheDrake]

Typically the reason you find so many mixed reviews about sonys and canons is due to the fact that there are very few biased reviews on the net. Best thing to do is to compare pictures taken with both cameras and go to a store that has the cameras you are looking at and check them out yourself. Since you know next to nothing about cameras I say go with whatever feels good to hold, fits nicely where you want it to, and has the features that you want. You wont notice much (if at all) difference in quality with the cameras listed here due to your inexperience. But since you have a SD card then I say go with a product that accepts them, go with one of the cheaper canon's. Then if you start learning more about photography and demand higher quality or better features you can move up later.

 

[zig3695]

in my case i just had to remember the decades plus of things named 'sony' breaking on me.


if you can afford the 850IS, hell yeah. just be aware- the newest canons have 1600 iso capabilities, and i find it almost difficult to take a blurry picture. in the case of the sd630, i didnt see really any need to have IS, and that was just 800iso. i guess for zoom shots the IS would help but other then that, if the camera is good it wont make a huge difference.

 

[Pabster]

Originally posted by: teatime0315
Check out the Canon SD850IS.
That little camera has very good reviews.
PLUS!! it uses SD memory so you are good to go.
SD850IS
The camera also has Image Stabilization which is also a big plus!

For sure. I just got the 850 and love it. It isn't perfect, but it really shines for a point and shoot.

The 870IS is shipping now as well.

 

[jdoggg12]

I just ordered the sd800 on costco.com, after the reviews i saw, i picked the sd800 over the 850. I wouldve gone with the fuji f31fd since pic quality and portability were my # 1 & 2 priorities respectively. From all the reading i did the sd800 was the way to go, taking much better pics than the sd1000