Digital Camera Questions

[sraun]

My Polaroid PDC640 died.

From experience, we're going to take 10's of pictures per year, practically all of them will go on the web or otherwise be displayed on a computer screen. I think I've made one paper print from a digital picture in the last five years, and I didn't take the picture (lsanderson did) - so I'm not especially concerned about that.

At this point, small and cheap are going to be the defining characteristics of what I'm looking for - the Altoid tin sized cameras are ideal. They're small enought that I'm actually likely to carry them! My very limited in person shopping so far indicates that the current crop of Casio Exilims and Pentax Optios are running the form factor I'm interested in.

Cheap is on the close order of $100. I can't justify spending more than that right now.

So, recommendations? Suggestions for sites that would have recommendations? Anyone have one they're interested in getting rid of?

Comments

[norabombay.livejournal.com]

I just bought a 5MP Canon A530 off of Amazon. Camera was $154, which is over your price range. But they had them in the 3-4 MP range for about $100. I've heard nothing but good things.

Tiny, sturdy, about the right range.

[trixtah.livejournal.com]

I think the Canons are definitely worth looking at too. Cnet review for the A430 (http://reviews.cnet.com/Canon_PowerShot_A430/4505-6501_7-31739696.html?tag=pdtl-list).

Then there's the Sony Cybershot DSC-S40 (http://reviews.cnet.com/Sony_Cyber_Shot_DSC_S40/4505-6501_7-31292842.html?tag=pdtl-list&ar=o) and the Sony Cybershot DSC W1 (http://reviews.cnet.com/Sony_Cyber_Shot_DSC_W1/4505-6501_7-30725569.html?tag=pdtl-list). It looks like the S40 gives more bang for the buck, but I would personally find the small LCD annoying.

[thebluerose.livejournal.com]

I have just bought a Canon S3IS and love it, its more camera than you are asking for but I can recommend this site as the best one for comprehensive camera reviews

http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/

Good luck and happy buying :)

Yes go there

[judith-dascoyne.livejournal.com]

That site is far and away the best I have ever see for camera shopping. (and learing about camera too.)
You can sort for price as well as other features.
What I like to do is search the "bargain" sites for what I am willing to pay and then go to the Digital Review site and see if I want the camera.

Or I have gone looking the other way, finding a camera I like and searching EBay for the best price.

[gomeza.livejournal.com]

Check out the pocket sized Cannons, ie; Elph series et.al.

[technomom]

I've had a Canon Elph for a year or so, and I dearly love it. It's a little bigger than an ALtoids tin and takes very good photos.

I think the price on a used one should be in your range - it wasn't that much more than that when I bought it.

My daughter has a fancy digital SLR camera that's too big to stick in her pocket and have on her all the time at school, so the Elph lives on her at the moment. Pout.