best digital camera for $200 or less

[wavinwayne]

I need a new digital camera, something in the 3-4 megapixel range. I won't spend anymore than $200.

Can the BITOGers please recommend some good ones in the $200 & under price range?

Thanks in advance.

 

[satterfi]

Canon A510

17th St. Photo has awesome customer service.

 

[1sttruck]

Sony had a 4 megapixel fixed focal length lens for about $150 on sale at Target, a P41 as I recall. We have one, it takes very good pictures once it's propoerly set up, and seems to have good battery life with the 2500 mAhr NiMh (?) batteries. Fixed focal length works for me as I'm not a fan of slow zooms.

 

[90hardbody]

Ditto on the Canon A510. I have one and love it. Seriously, my wife is jealous. Well, of that and my oil stash too...

 

[wavinwayne]

Can one of you guys take some close up pics of your engine, bottles of oils, etc., with the Canon A150 so I can have an idea of what to expect.

Thanks in advance.

 

[Mr Nice]

Cnet.com has tons of reviews on digital cameras

 

[satterfi]

Go here and read all about it.
Steve's Digicam

and here
Imaging Resources

You can spend weeks researching cameras.

quote:

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Originally posted by wavinwayne:
Can one of you guys take some close up pics of your engine, bottles of oils, etc., with the Canon A150 so I can have an idea of what to expect.

Thanks in advance.

---

 

[wavinwayne]

Thanks for the links. It looks like that camera would do everything I need it to. I am going to seriously consider buying it; Now I just have to find the best deal.

 

[sxg6]

http://www.dcresource.com is also a very good site

and i third the a510

 

[Al]

quote:

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Originally posted by sxg6:
and i third the a510

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Looks great..Get some extra memory . I really like 64mb memory. Cheap, and it holds more than enough memory for 120 decent resolution pics. Get two of them and then you won't have too many eggs (pictures in one basket) They are 10 bucks here: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/search-handle-form/002-3206662-4356856 ..check to make sure you get the right one..also possibly ebay.

 

[97tbird]

I got the KonicaMinolta Dimage Z10 for $186:00 (incl.ship) at Newegg.com
great so far; has 8x optical zoom; 3.2 MP;
strongly recommended; loaded with all kinds of features, which normally belong in higher end cameras. Also has one of the fastest start-up/operating times in its class.
The MSRP was $389.00 or so, I think I got a great deal at Newegg.com.

Read all about it here:
http://www.imaging-resource.com/PRODS/Z10/Z10A.HTM

 

[Pablo]

My vote is for the Olympus C-740 - I think you can get get it under $190 (I did w/rebate) 10X optical zoom, super clear shot - yes 3.2 mp - great battery life.....I LOVE this camera!

Trade offs:
1) No sound on video (I don't care)
2) A bit large - older style and 10X lens size (eventually I will get a tiny camera)
3) View screen is not large (I prefer the SLR style view finder)

 

[LarryL]

Find a stranger at the store buying a digital camera and offer to by the one he's leaving behind. I got a Sony Cybershot 3.2mp camera, almost brand new for $25 form someone buying a 5mp camera. I followed him out to the parking lot and bought the camera as he was opening the box on his new, better camera. I just don't need those 2 extra mega pixels and the camera does more than I want to know about.

 

[methusaleh]

I bought a Kodak EasyShare CX7430 after reading reviews in Consumer Reports and talking to my brother, who sold cameras for years. He said it was basically between the Kodak EasyShare line and Olympus's current digital line (both brands have had some bad models in the past). He said he's never had a Kodak returned to his store, however anything made by Polaroid (which common sense would steer one away from anyhow) was such a joke that the wholesaler stopped carrying Polaroid two years ago...they were taking just as many returns as they sold.

 

[Pablo]

One thing that sold me on Olympus and turned me off on HP (the worst), Kodak and even Canon, to some extent - the quality of the optics - The 2 year old model Olympus' used some really great lenses. A friend took a digital camera class - the teacher has award winning photos - using my exact camera! (Which cost a lot more the $200 a few years ago - so again your under $200 now is buying optics, not fancy bells and whistles)

I do like LarryL's idea - especially if the guy has an Olympus C-740 for $25!!!!

 

[Al]

quote:

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Originally posted by LarryL:
Find a stranger at the store buying a digital camera and offer to by the one he's leaving behind. I got a Sony Cybershot 3.2mp camera, almost brand new for $25 form someone buying a 5mp camera. I followed him out to the parking lot and bought the camera as he was opening the box on his new, better camera. I just don't need those 2 extra mega pixels and the camera does more than I want to know about.

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I agree 3.2 should be fine. I have an Olympus 4 megapix and my usual resolution is about 250K.

My wife took a pic at about that resolution of me and my grandson and I blew it up to 8 x 10 with a matt finish. Its framed and sitting at my desk..You would have no idea that's its low resolution.

 

[OCB]

Kodak EasyShare CX7430.. Got mine with a memory card for about $160. Works well