I have a gift certificate to overstock.com and I’d like to spend it on a digicam, the better to endlessly document my life on the internets. as always, I’m THRIFTY and don’t want to spend too much cash. Here’s my criteria, in vague order of importance:
1. response time. I take a lot of snapshots and digicams have always REALLY frustrated me in the past with their very slow response time.
2. camera size — small is better!
3. picture quality
Speed of click is always the pain. Only a digital SLR is really click-GO, but that’s neither cheap nor small.
You don’t want anything less than 4megapixels. You also want to watch out for Digital vs. Optical zoom. Digital zoom is worthless.
I love Olympus Camedia Series (C4000 is the one I have). It’s not tiny, but it’s a fantastic camera with lots of options (really good macro setting), decent speed of shot, good options, etc. etc. The D series is the consumer line, C series is the pro-sumer line. You’ll have to decide if you are a con or a pro. 🙂
I also hear good things about the ridiculously thin new Sony ($$$). Some people swear by the sony system with memory sticks. Personally, I would hate that I can’t walk into any store, even Target, and get a memory card that works. Generic has it’s priveledges.
It’s really about how you use it. If you think you’ll be using a lens that can zoom, you don’t want a superflat camera as the cheaper ones have basically no option other than framing the shot.
I highly recommend going into a camera shop and figuring out which brand fits right in your hand. There is a vast difference in the little camera bodies and what I like may not fit you right.
Hope this helps a bit.
wow, totally comprehensive. I am not ready to fully commit to the big pro model like you did though! honestly, at this point I want to spend 50-100 on top of my $50 certificate… but you really think 4 mp is important? what if I just want to take pictures to post here, and on flickr?
You’ll be surprised at how fast you want a better camera if you get a cheapy one.
If you have 4mp, you’ll stave that feeling off a lot longer. The most basic camera will just not do what you will want it to the more you use it.
Maybe it is just the fact that I really honestly NEED a minimum of 4mp to do any work, but I’d guess that if you took some great shots, you’d want to print them eventually and you’d be pissed they looked like crap when you did.
Go to a shop and test a few models. It’s the only way figure it out.
OK — I’m thinking the pentax optio s40. It’s small, 4MP, has optical zoom, and will cost me 110 on top of my gift cert. and I’ll still lug around my big old pentax to important events because well, I love it.
I’d try some out, but heck I’m impatient! I want to order this now and have it come right away so I can start taking pictures of my commute home! I’m sad that I missed all the dogwood blooms.