Point and shoot camera suggestions?
 

My wife and I are looking for a new digital camera. We defintely want something compact, but still takes quality pics and preferable in the 200-300 price range. Ive found two that I like, but Im looking for any other suggestions or feedback. Thanks!

Two Im looking at:

Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ5K or DMC-FX37:dontknow2:

I take a lot of pics with a Canon Elph. Mine is a 6 megapixel and a couple of years old, so they may have an 8 - 10 now.

Takes great pics and fits in my pockets. Can also take short vids.

I would recommend upgrading the memory card to at least 1Gb.

while i don't have a point and shot type of panasonic, i will most definitely vouch for their more advanced cameras. I still have my old panasonic from 1997 that uses superdisk floppies, and it still works.

i currently have the DMC-FZ8 and it's been sticking it out with me for over a year with no signs of backing down. this thing has been off roading with me, hiking, dropped, tossed, dropped again, out in the rain, etc.


so if panasonic makes all their stuff with the same quality (and i'm going to assume so) then the Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ5K would be an excellent camera.

and from what i've read on it, it seems it can do a lot more then most point and shoots. its still got that "simple" mode, but it's also got all those hidden bells and whistles.

and to add, the image quality of panasonic is very astounding. i've taken pictures with my 3.2mp panasonic (the old one using floppies) and had images turn out so nicely people would ask which canon camera i used. and my new panasonic keeps dazaling me with the quality it's capable of.

We have had a couple Canon small point and shoot cameras and they just keep going and going like the battery bunny. They go obsolete before they give up and they all took great photos. We currently have a Pentax Optio Z10 that is pocket size and has a 7x zoom with 8MP resolution. It's an okay camera but not up to the previous Canon's we've had. When it dies or becomes a dinosaur, I'll go back to Canon. One thing I miss on the small ones is a viewfinder, LCD screens truly suck in the sunshine.

Check out the Sony Cybershot DSC W150/170 or one of the lesser models. The W170 is a 10.1 MP camera, there are cheaper models in that series.

They have a lightning fast shutter speed and "smile detection". They are simple, easy to use cameras that have been pretty durable and take great pictures. I bought one for my wife this past Christmas, and we both love it. :thumbsup:

I am partial to the Canon powershot series any of the IS (optical image stabilization ) models are great. For serious work I use Nikon 35mm. They handle better for me than the Canons.

Thanks for all the suggestions so far, I'll definitely have to check out the canon's and sony's too. There are just so many cameras out there, its hard to know where to start, its worse then picking out a bumper :crazyeyes:

That floppy drive camera is pretty sweet:thumbsup:

Check out "recommended cameras" on the the website of one of my favorite photogs kenrockwell.com

Since you mentioned a price range of $200 - $300 I'd stay away from Canon and Nikon...and I am a Nikon shooter. If you were to get a Canon G9 or G10 then by all means.. That's a great little camera but a bit more than you mentioned. I own a Nikon P&S and it sucks. I also have a Nikon DSLR and it's great.

Personally I think Sony make a great P&S camera. I've heard good things about the Panasonic too.

Although I love Nikon I would never buy another Nikon P&S.

Here is a nice site with in depth reviews of almost any digital camera out there with sample photos taken by the cameras included. Be prepared to spend days reading and looking at photos though. :yup: Just add the w's in front.

imaging-resource.com/DIGCAM01.HTM[/url]