My digital camera up and died on me and I think I need a new one

[skipshady]

So I'm vacationing in Japan right now and it appears my camera has met a sudden and untimely end. I knew something was up when it wouldn't turn on - I thought it was the battery, but I usually get some sort of warning and even if it's drained, it'll turn on for a few secs before turning itself off.
I could take it in to the shop, but I'm afraid it'll just cost as much to fix it as it would to get a new one. It's not under warranty and I've dropped it a few times in the past 2+ years, though I hadn't seen any effects until now. I pronounce it dead for the time being.

Now, what camera do I get? My current/old one is Canon Powershot S40. It's a great performance camera, and I rarely use the 4 whole megapixels, but it's a nice option to have and it's the other features that did it for me.

I'd prefer to get a Canon since I'm already used to using one. Plus, I have a Compact Flash card that needs salvaging and I can use it with my new cam.

Here are my two choices right now: Canon Powershot S60 (around $400) or Canon Powershot A75 (around $200).
I'd like to get the S60 because I like the S-series, I like the upgrades they've done in the past couple of years, plus I have an extra battery and an AC adapter for it.
But the A75 is an option since it costs about half as much and gets decent pics. It's only 3 megapixels compared to S60's 5, but like I said, I don't make huge pics and it's all about the manual features.

Any advice?

A75 review: http://www.dcresource.com/reviews/canon/powershot_a75-review/index.shtml
S60 review: http://www.dcresource.com/reviews/canon/powershot_s60-review/index.shtml

[phats_away]

if you don't need huge pics, and don't care that there isn't a huge zoom factor (something that can be made up with croping and more megapixels) than go for the 3. if you're printing them, unless you want bigger than a 4x5 print, 3 is fine

[skipshady]

I'm actually considering Canon S1 IS (http://www.dcresource.com/reviews/cameraDetail.php?cam=553) now. It's 3.0mp, but has a 10x zoom!

It bothers me a bit that it doesn't have an AF-assist lamp (it helps focus in low lighting conditions), but for most of what I will end up doing, it shouldn't be a problem.

So right now, it's between the S1 and the A75.

[Outback Maverick]

I'm actually considering Canon S1 IS (http://www.dcresource.com/reviews/cameraDetail.php?cam=553) now. It's 3.0mp, but has a 10x zoom!

It bothers me a bit that it doesn't have an AF-assist lamp (it helps focus in low lighting conditions), but for most of what I will end up doing, it shouldn't be a problem.

So right now, it's between the S1 and the A75.

I purchased a Canon S1 IS last month. The AF-assist is a little annoying. However, the 10x optical zoom and built-in stabilizer more than makes up for it. Also, this camera can take very good (30 frames/sec) movies. If you want to capture high speed action however, like a soccer match, you may want to look elsewhere.

Having said all that, I love this camera.

btw, how do you keep your camera safe from the rain? I'm going to the Caribbean this winter and I'm sure it will rain a couple of times I'm out hiking in the middle of nowhere on Dominica.

Mav

[phats_away]

get the s1

10x is awesome and great for most things. 3x is kinda weak, esp if you like shooting say, soccer matches

[skipshady]

get the s1

10x is awesome and great for most things. 3x is kinda weak, esp if you like shooting say, soccer matchesYeah, the 10x zoom is appealing.

One thing that bugs me about the S1 (other than the lack of an AF assist lamp) is that I have to spend extra dough on batteries and a charger if I want to use rechargeables. But I guess the upside is that I can use regular old AA batteries in a pinch. I'll get over it.
btw, how do you keep your camera safe from the rain? I'm going to the Caribbean this winter and I'm sure it will rain a couple of times I'm out hiking in the middle of nowhere on Dominica.I'm sure Canon would want you to buy their underwater kit. I don't know, the issue hasn't come up for me since I keep my camera in my messenger bag (waterproof), and I haven't done any shooting in the rain. Um, clear plastic bag?

[Crimen y Castigo]

This isn't one of your choices but I received the Canon PowerShot A80 (here's the review) (http://www.dcresource.com/reviews/canon/powershot_a80-review/index.shtml) as a gift and I love it.

Oddly enough, one of the best things is the rotating LCD display (It doesn't just swivel out as shown in the picture -- it also rotates 180 degrees). I thought this was a total gimmick, but it's genius. It allows you to shoot over people's heads, around corners (or people), you can take the ol' arm's length self portraits much, much easier. And it's great for secret snapshots, pretending you're looking down and fiddling with the knobs while you snap away.

[Jacen McCullough]

Don't go for the A series. AA batteries and how quickly they drain will drive you nuts if you're used to the LIION batteries on the S-40. I'd go for the one with the 10x zoom. I've got the Kodak 6490 (4mp, 10x optical zoom) and I love it. Fantastic for taking sports photos. I just took these of my cousin Matt this past Sunday:

http://tiger.towson.edu/~soneil4/hinkle/hinklebaseball.htm

I was a good 30 feet away at least on all of the shots.

I know you want to stick with Canon, and they have a great reputation, but if you do decide to venture out into another company, I'd highly recommend the Kodak 6490. It uses SD memory. Here are some other pics I've taken with it:

Here's one I took of my dog:
http://tiger.towson.edu/~soneil4/dominotoy.JPG

Here are a few from the inner-harbor in Baltimore:

http://tiger.towson.edu/~soneil4/innerharbor1.jpg

http://tiger.towson.edu/~soneil4/innerharbor2.jpg

http://tiger.towson.edu/~soneil4/innerharbor6.jpg

http://tiger.towson.edu/~soneil4/innerharbor8.jpg

[skipshady]

Thanks.

Well, the bad news with S1 is that it uses AA batteries too, and with the zoom and everything, it drains the batteries even more. But I'm not too bothered, since I can get a charger with 4 NiMH AAs for around $20, and 4 extra AAs would set me back around $10.

[skipshady]

I'm strongly considering the A80 right now. I like the swivel screen and the camera is reviewed well everywhere I've looked. While I like SI's super duper telephoto, I like to be able to take my camera with me everywhere I go in case photo-worthy moments pop up, as they often do in NYC.

But I'm also being seduced by the slick, brushed metal charms of Digital Elph S410, mostly for the looks and the ultra-compact size. I don't know if it's the worth extra $100 or so though.

[Jacen McCullough]

I'm strongly considering the A80 right now. I like the swivel screen and the camera is reviewed well everywhere I've looked. While I like SI's super duper telephoto, I like to be able to take my camera with me everywhere I go in case photo-worthy moments pop up, as they often do in NYC.

But I'm also being seduced by the slick, brushed metal charms of Digital Elph S410, mostly for the looks and the ultra-compact size. I don't know if it's the worth extra $100 or so though.

I took a look at the SI when I was in my old store today. Seriously, go with the Kodak. The SI is decent, but it's $100 more than the Kodak and not the same quality. The 6490 is less expensive, also has the 10x optical zoom, has a better lens, has the rechargable LiIon battery and comes with a camera dock. You can get the camera and a bunch of SD memory for the same price as the SI. I'd avoid the Elph. They're cute, and they tend to be durable, but the optics suck. The pictures don't tend to be great quality out of the elph line. The A-80 is another decent camera, and I've heard good things about it, but I personally couldn't live with a 3 or 4x optical zoom anymore. I've got a Sony that is just fantastic (S-85), but I never use it anymore because the zoom blows. I realize that portability is important, but based on what I saw today, the SI, the Elph and the A-80 all take a significant back seat the the Kodak 6490 (And yes, I realize that I probably sound like a Kodak rep! :) I also can't say that I'm not at least partially biased because I have the 6490, but at the very least, you should check it out. It's a great camera).

[skipshady]

I took a look at the SI when I was in my old store today. Seriously, go with the Kodak. The SI is decent, but it's $100 more than the Kodak and not the same quality.I'm looking at PriceGrabber, and 6490 is priced around $330 and S1 comes in around $370, so the price difference isn't that great, though it isn't insignificant either.

I don't know, I'm still kinda torn, but my plan right now is to get a compact or an ultra compact right now, then get an SLR or a super-zoom later. Anyway, I'm going to the Apple Store today and I know they'll have Canons, and I'll see if they have Kodaks so I can actually compare them in person.

The one great thing about A80, which the Powershot S-series at $300-$400 range doesn't have, is it accepts conversion lenses like telephoto and wide angle, which is great for a camera that size.

I am now strongly considering Kodak's DX6440 now though. We'll see.

[phats_away]

bhphotovideo.com

hell, just goto 33rd street and visit the store

[metrocorazon]

bhphotovideo.com



Been there a bunch of times. Thats gotta be the weirdest store ever. They got these stupid carts floating around with merchandise everywhere, and the clerks have the worst attitude of any store youll go into. Still its kinda like going to the soup nazi, the service is sh!t but the prices are cheap, and you have a huge selection. Just dont think you're going to be helped much, so know exactly what you want before you get there.

[bostonsoccermdl]

can anyone recommend a small digital camera?

I saw one at a wedding I went to this weekend, but didnt have a chance to inquire about it. It looked pocket size, and looked ideal for taking out for a night on the town...

Any opinions on these would be great.. (ie picture quality tradeoffs b/c of size)

btw, I know almost nothing about cameras, so basic info would be great..

[skipshady]

can anyone recommend a small digital camera?

I saw one at a wedding I went to this weekend, but didnt have a chance to inquire about it. It looked pocket size, and looked ideal for taking out for a night on the town...

Any opinions on these would be great.. (ie picture quality tradeoffs b/c of size)

btw, I know almost nothing about cameras, so basic info would be great..If you know almost nothing about cameras, then Cnet is a good place to start: http://reviews.cnet.com/Digital_cameras/4520-7603_7-5023995-1.html?tag=tnav

Which one's right for you? That depends on how much you want to spend. When you're dealing with small cameras, you have to sacrifice something, so you have to decide if you want to give up:
a) affordability
b) zoom
c) picture quality
d) features

It should be pointed out that megapixels (the number of 'dots' in a picture - basically, the more pixels you can pack into an area, the better your picture quality) are overrated for most people IMHO. If you just want to take photos to email and make small prints, then 2.0 megapixels should be enough.
I like to have more just so I can crop a photo and still get a quality pic.

From reading reviews, I think Kodak and Canon will get the most for your bucks, and Nikon and Olympus aren't too far behind. But like I said, it's all up to how much you're willing to spend.

---

As for my own camera search, I think I have it narrowed down between Canon A80 and Kodak DX7440. I know, I know, the telephoto is nice, but for me, portability wins out.

I'll hit Best Buy later so I can actually touch and feel them in person (Apple Store only carries Canons and Nikons). I would buy it from a brick & mortar store, except I can usually save at least $100 if I buy from digibuy.com. We'll see.

[Looper121]

Go with a Canon...I bought the A60 for my dad this past Chirstmas and it actually pretty cool for a cheapy camera. All of th Canons get great reviews, which leads me to the next point. DON"T GET A KODAK. My fiances father bought us one (6340, 3.2 Meg)for Christmas, and I absolutely loathe it. The features are crap, it uses the more expensive Secure Disk cards, the packaged software might as well be thrown into the Atlantic, the selection dial and iddy biddy joystick thing are enough to drive you mad.

Anyway the A80 is dropping in price every month it seems as Canon is probably getting ready to introduce it's replacement. For the $270, you probably can't find a better deal, although the A series are a little "chunky".

[Looper121]

Here is a pretty cool site with full reviews and sample pix.

www.dpreview.com

[bostonsoccermdl]

great advice guys..

[skipshady]

Here is a pretty cool site with full reviews and sample pix.

www.dpreview.com
These sites are good too:
http://www.dcresource.com/reviews/cameraList.php
http://www.steves-digicams.com/hardware_reviews.html