Calling all Camera guru's

My wife wants a new camera and I don't know what to look for as in what is good for around $200. She is going to mainly be using it for family pics and such. I have been looking around but need some assistance on what you guys would recommend.

I would like to get something that has the ability to take nice macro shots also


Help me out fellas

3 words canon power shot

The best camera Ive had experience with that has a rechargeable battery would be the canon powershot 1100is but its only a 8mp 3x optical zoom which is mediocre features for images yet the image quality makes up for it.

Also an alternative to the cannon would be the mega super zoom Sony Cyber-shot DSC-H50. 9mp and a 15x optical zoom which equivalent to a f2.7-f8 31-465mm

if you willing to spend a little more to get into a dslr a d40 would be better but then its not as nice as a point and shoot. (not the d40x which is just a slight upgrade and actually peforms a little worse.)


It all really depends on what she wants though because I can name off about 100 cameras that I like and yet none of them would be in her cup of tea. So what features does she want?

i second the canon powershot. my wife has that camera and it's pretty good for such a small camera.

and like what starwarskid mentioned, there's also the new canon rebel xsi--it's about $500 online.

I'd look into the Canon Digital Elph line of PowerShots, avoiding the A-series. The difference is the Elphs are higher quality builds, and more rugged. They have stylish metal bodies, while the A-series are larger and plastic. You can even get the SD1100 in pink

i wouldn't recommend a dSLR for shooting family stuff. They're big and bulky, especially with a nice lens. I got tired of carrying my dSLR around for things like that, so I picked up the PowerShot G9 as a full featured point and shoot, but even that is a big much for casual use.

big nd bulky? Have you even tried a d40 with the 18-55mm kit lens or the 55-200mm lens (i own that one and its great)? If your going dslr the d40 would be the way to go as it still beats out the new xs despite the lower pixel count.

Thanks guys for the help

I am not really worried too much about size as I am concerned with getting the best bang for my buck. It really won't leave the house that much. I can always show her just enough to take pics. I just would like a little something on the side for when I want to take close up pics of hardware and such

$500 is too much as I just cant justify that kind of money on electronics that I can't bench on hwbot with

Cannon powershot looks nice but I am willing to go as high as $250 for something a little more powerful in regards to detail/options.

Oh yeah, none of that SDHC requirements are needed or wanted.

Canon PowerShot Digital Elph's go higher than $250 and are quite powerful in detail/options. I suggest going to a local camera store and trying one out.

Also, to swk, the 18-55mm kit lens is a piece of crap. The 17-85mm IS USM is lightyears better but it's also $500 for just the lens. I wouldn't waste my money on a kit if it came with the former lens.

hahaha actually that 18-55mm is not a bad piece of glass if you know what your doing with it. I dont own it but I do own the 55-200 which is a great lens all by itself.
And USM is for canon

oh, you're talking about the d40, I thought you meant the 40d. I personally hate Nikon. The bodies feel cheap and plasticy. I've got a 100% Canon Bias. Olympus is pretty good too. But Nikon is just garbage. Especially their weird Ashton Kutcher endorsed point and shoots.

lol and yet they beat canon on most regards for their products. I always find using a canon camera whether itr be slr or dslr I find it cramped to use. Their point and shoots are great but their line of dslrs are pretty meh from my pov. Yet then again I own a d200 with battery grip and 55-200mm lens soon to own a 300mm lens from the 80s

i have the rebel xti and the 40d and love them both. i had played with the d40x and wasn't that impressed either. the shutter even sounds cheap. yep, i'm in love w/ canon!

meh well canon is great for some things but in others nikon is better but hey what can you do?


Another alternative to both the canon and sony would be a Panasonic DMC-TZ5

None of the major camera manufacturers make bad cameras. The canon elph is was listed on Amazon new for $160 last night.

One thing to keep on mind. You don't need more that 6-8 megapixels for a point and shoot camera. Many new cameras have moved beyond that pixel count so get yourself an older camera with 6-8.

Megapixels is a marketing ploy and the higher we get with point and shoots the crappier the cameras get. The lenses can't resolve that kind of detail and the images get noisier since they are cramming so many photosites on one small sensor.

And another nice necro.. although this one isn't quite as old, but just as dead.

i agree