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Looking for Point and Shoot < $300

- For Family use
* Kayaking
* Snowshoeing
* Parades
*School Plays
- prefer sturdy design
- prefer unlimited video record time w/sound
- prefer no xD cards
- don't need super manual options
- no need to print wall size photos

Thanks in advance.

This is what I will get after my current Kodak is finally done in by my daughter

Panasonic DMC-TZ5K (TZ5S if you want silver)

http://www.amazon.com/Panasonic-DMC-TZ5 ... B0011Z8CCG

Review - this is a good site to view other options also

http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/panasonictz5/

Lots of good options out there right now but I have had good luck with Canons. One small one for portability hiking and on the bike and a larger one for playing photographer. I would recommend one with image stabilization.

And get the most optical zoom you can get if you are going to shoot school plays, concerts etc. I have found from experience, there is not substitute for zoom shooting those events.

Unlimited video time? Is that even possible?

wncbmw wrote:
Unlimited video time? Is that even possible?

Yes, other than the limit of the card itself.
Also manufacturers use different compression. Some take up even 1mb a second. Making HUGE files for video.

My current A95 has an artificial 30sec. limit. Annoying as he||.

I bought my first digital camera couple years ago. Did a lot of research before I bought. There are a lot of good sites out there with review, comparisons, etc.. I went through an elimination process (SLR's too expensive and big, SLR lookalikes too big, tiny pocket thingies with no features and 1x optical and 50x digital) and finally settled on the Canon Power Shot 720 IS. The current model of that is the 2000. It's 8 Megapixel, which is plenty of detail (new one's are 10), 6X optical zoom, image stabilization, unlimited video, image stitching, supports SD memory cards, has a lens adapter system (if you want a long zoom or a macro lens), has various programed modes and manual modes including shutter priority and aperture priority. Uses a mini USB to transfer images. It's actually small enough that it can fit in your pocket (assuming your pants aren't too tight..). There's even a waterproof case available for it. The 720 actually has a few more manual features than the newer 2000's (one of those features is that the 720 has an optical viewfinder and the 2000 only has the LCD). Over the last couple years I've found it take great pictures, is fairly painless to carry around, and it's only as complicated as you want it to be. You should be able to find them online for right around $200. The 720's for even less.

+1 on the Canon. I have had 4 Canon cameras---2 slr's and 2 digitals. Still have one of each. Still have an old AE1 Program but still works wonderfully. My current digital is a Canon A550 (7 mp) and is great. Great quality shots from an inexpensive point and shoot. Digital and optical zoom. Now discontinued but still too good a camera to worry with upgrading.

Wayne

You can try this web site
Maybe too much info
http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/default.asp?view=alpha

I like Canon cameras.
Seem too work very well, no problems, with good results..

jfslater98 wrote:This is what I will get after my current Kodak is finally done in by my daughter

Panasonic DMC-TZ5K (TZ5S if you want silver)

http://www.amazon.com/Panasonic-DMC-TZ5 ... B0011Z8CCG

Another good option, I like the technical specs.
Reviews across some other sites are showing some hit or miss picture quality.

Last month Costco ran a special where with a coupon I could get the TZ5 for $200. Sold! Now that I've had to take the day off to go to traffic court, I'm now bored enough to run a very short, very unscientific comparo of the new camera vs. my old one.

In this corner, weighing in at 5 Megapixels and 3x of optical zoom is my Kodak V550, purchased to record my daughter.

The contender comes in at 9Mp and 10x of optical zoom.

The pictures were taken at the same time, approx. same location, and using the same settings: nothing. No scene selections, no ISOs, nothing. Whatever the engineers set up at full auto when the camera turns on. So we have a cat, my daughter's "kitchen" and two shots of my bike.

The Kodak V550

Cat
Kitchen
Bike
Cylinder head

The Panasonic DMC-TZ5

Cat
Kitchen
Bike
Cylinder head

Although the Panasonic has a much wider view, I'm not sure that the picture quality is any better on some of the shots. The colors tend to "pop" more on the Kodak. Also, on my PC, the Panasonic pictures were 4 to 6 times the size of the Kodak. Good thing memory is cheap.

I'll have to live with the Panasonic a bit more to see if I like it any better. Maybe fiddling with the settings will get some more juice out of this fruit. Anyway, hope this helps out anyone else who is in the market.

I like Canon too....however, based on your requirements I would lock in on:

Max optical zoom
Image stabilization...that works
High ISO, above 800 for night shoots as most flashes are useless past 8'
Even though cameras are bulkier, I would go with the rechargable NMH (nickel metal hydrade) as you can always bring spares. Worse come to worse if needed you can get disposables in a pinch.
Last but not least, buy a mini tripod as they become really habdy if you want to get in the scene.

You might want to check C-Net as they do a lot of testing. You should be able to get a good camera with the required features within your budget.

Good luck........

I've always been a Nikon guy, but Canon makes a hard to beat camera. My daughter wanted a point-n-shoot digital a few years ago and I went with the Canon SDi1100 (or something like that). The camera only has a 3x optical zoom, but the 10MP makes up for it. Plus, it's a very small camera and fits easily into a shirt pocket. I now have a higher end Canon G9 which takes great pictures, but I almost like the smaller SDi1100 - the pictures are very similar in quality.

My vote is for a canon.
I shopped and hit the reviews a little over a year ago. I really researched this in depth.
I chose a canon A710 IS. Probably new technology out there now...seems as soon as you buy this stuff there is a new one to take its place. I chose a camera with image stabilization, small enough to toss in tank bag, but glove friendly...so i chose a model with a good grip, provided by the battery chamber.

Just my experience.

JB

So, what camera did you end up getting?

I've got a Canon SD1000 Elph (recently aquired) and it takes amazing pictures for a pocket point-n-shoot! Mine's only 7mp but still amazing. I really like the Macro function for taking up-close shots and it's easy to use while riding, so you can get good shots of the scenery too.

An example

Beaze wrote:I've got a Canon SD1000 Elph (recently aquired) and it takes amazing pictures for a pocket point-n-shoot! Mine's only 7mp but still amazing.

That is a nice looking shot.
That on Auto or another setting?