Recommend a cheap digital camera

Colonel Panic

Colonel Panic

Well-known member
Looking to spend around $200 for a still camera. Nothing fancy, just something for quick vacation shots or decent quality pix for eBay listings.

Any recommendations or junk I should stay away from?

I know how to Google reviews but first hand experience from people in the biz of capturing the world has a bit more credibility.

Thanks in advance.
 
I've had decent luck with Fujifilm. My old cheap-o was an S5700, which is 7.1MP with a 12x optical zoom. I got it new for under $200. It takes good pictures, and the build feels more like an SLR (even though it's fixed lens, it has a similar - albeit smaller - body shape with hand grip).

For a compact point-and-shoot, I absolutely love that camera, though I'm getting rid of it now that I have a T2i. The newer one from Fuji is the S1800 with 12.2MP and 18x (!) optical zoom. Right around $210. Personally, I much prefer the body design on these cameras to the more popular slim design. It feels much better in my hands... and the bang for the buck on this one is above and beyond any others in the $200 range.
 
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New its higher than your budget but I bet you could get one on Ebay ..

I highly recommend the Panasonic Lumix zs3
Great in low light, shoots 720 HD video
great lil camera.

I liked mine so much I bought my dad the same exact camera for x-mas
 
I really like Canons, and I bought a SX100 when Circuit City went under, but they're still under $200. I'm continually amazed by its features and quality.
 
I can't say enough about the Kodak EasyShare. Mine was a 6.1mp and cost $150. Today they're 10mp cameras are about $60 - $70. Crazy. Click on my "Divinity" link and go to the last pages you'll see some of the photos I've taken with it. We actually used a photo from this camera on the cover of one of my films. No one knew it was from a consumer camera.

-Nate
 
frankly, i would try to pick up a used DSLR and kit lens... i drag a Nikon D50 around everywhere, and for years it practically lived in my girls' purse. no p&s can compare IMO.
 
Things to consider:

Sony uses MSPD's. Olympus uses XD.

Everyone else uses SD. Just from personal taste, that knocks them out of the running. Inventing proprietary memory cards makes you a jerk in my book.

I'd go canon, fuji, or nikon. Emphasis on Canon and nikon.

Another thing to consider: do you want a camera that has a rechargeable battery like a cellphone, or do you want one that takes AA batteries.

With the rechargeable battery packs you don't have to buy new batteries all the time. You just plug it in. But, you lose out on the zoom. AND if your battery dies when you want to take some pics, you have to wait for it to recharge.

AA will expand your zoom options. And give you the option of being able to swap out your batteries on the fly. But you're going to be paying for them. The advanced or ultimate batteries that will actually last cost about $10-$15 for a pack of 4. Regular AA's are pretty much useless. AA rechargeables are OK, but they die pretty quick too.

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Just some stuff to think about.


EDIT:
To clarify, about losing out on the zoom. You'll notice that cameras that use the rechargable battery packs all have a short zoom 3x-5x usually. Anything longer, and they're going to be AA bateries. Or one of the those big, honking battery packs like in the DSLR's
 
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