Decent Digital Camera - <$260

[dvdsung]

Hello all,

I'm looking for a decent digital camera under 260ish plus tax.

Currently i'm looking at the Sony DSCW80 Cyber-Shot and the Canon SD1000. Which of the two would you recommend? Keep in mind i'm looking for a slim camera and not one of the bulkier designs. I'm leaning towards the Sony buy many reviews are telling me the Canon over the Sony. The problem is that the sd1000 looks like a piece of crap. The camera looks like it's worth $30.

What would you recommend? Does anyone have any recommendations of cameras in my price range other than the two mentiones above that may be better?

Thanks guys.

[Cafe_333]

I agree, the SD1000 looks like a piece of cheap crap. So since you are willing to spend $265 + tax (total of $302), then get the SD750 - the build quality is a lot nicer and it comes with a beautiful 3" LCD display. You will not find a better camera for $300 taxes included (details below). This is how you can get the camera within your price range:

Email Staples and ask for a pricematch to CanadaComputers which currently has it on sale for $299.99:
http://www.canadacomputers.com/index.php?do=ShowProduct&cmd=pd&pid=013487&cid=DC.178

They will email you back with a quote for $293.10 after the pricebeat.

Then order it through the staples website for the full price $368.86 and use the coupon code 50933 at checkout to get $30 dollars off. When they send you the confirmation email, simply reply to it with the pricematch quote, and they will email you back with a new quote with the pricematch of $293.10 - $30 dollars coupon = $263.10 will be your new price. After taxes, it will come to $299.93. Shipping is free. This was posted in the Hot Deals section of the forum a while ago and many people jumped on it and got this deal for said price including myself lol. Enjoy.

[HunkaHunkaBurningLove]

I recently picked up a Fuji F31fd, and I'm quite happy with it. They are getting harder to find, but it's worth tracking one down. It's not the easiest camera to use, but after you get used to it's nuances, you start to get a feeling for what settings work best.

I'm used to Canon P&S cameras, so this was a bit of a change. The Fuji definitely doesn't have as nice a user interface as Canon I find, but it's a minor thing. The low light ability of the F31fd is nice. It's not going to perform any miracles, but with minimal lighting it produces some really nice results. Compared to some test shots I made with a Canon S5 IS, the F31fd is amazing in low light.

Outside I find that it captures images that require very little photoshop adjustment afterwards. The only exception was an overcast, cloudy day which gave me a few underexposed shots, but they were easily adjusted afterwards. I think the camera tends to err on the dark side to preserve shadow detail so you can adjust it yourself later rather than it blowing out the image.

It's quite an interesting camera that I would probably recommend to more experienced users. Otherwise, you probably can't go wrong with one of the higher end P&S Canon cameras like Cafe mentioned if you want something that you don't have to think about adjusting settings and such.

[KorruptioN]

Have you even handled the SD1000? It is built quite well.

[willy]

Compared to some test shots I made with a Canon S5 IS, the F31fd is amazing in low light.
I still can't believe Canon uses the tiny 1/2.5" sensor in S5 IS .....

[HunkaHunkaBurningLove]

Yeah, I was hoping the image quality in lower light would be nicer on the S5 IS. Oh well, maybe it just wasn't working in my hands.

Here's a sample shot taken indoors in the afternoon with the F31fd with no flash. It's a 100% crop from a portrait photo I took at ISO 200.

http://img403.imageshack.us/img403/2100/handnz5.jpg

EXIF:

Make - FUJIFILM
Model - FinePix F31fd
Orientation - Top left
XResolution - 72
YResolution - 72
ResolutionUnit - Inch
Software - Digital Camera FinePix F31fd Ver1.00
DateTime - 2007:08:23 17:23:55
YCbCrPositioning - Co-Sited
Copyright -
ExifOffset - 294
ExposureTime - 10/1800 seconds
FNumber - 2.80
ExposureProgram - Normal program
ISOSpeedRatings - 200
ExifVersion - 220
DateTimeOriginal - 2007:08:23 17:23:55
DateTimeDigitized - 2007:08:23 17:23:55
ComponentsConfiguration - YCbCr
CompressedBitsPerPixel - 4.00 (bits/pixel)
ShutterSpeedValue - 1/181 seconds
ApertureValue - F 2.83
BrightnessValue - 4.39
ExposureBiasValue - 0.00
MaxApertureValue - F 2.83
MeteringMode - Multi-segment
LightSource - Auto
Flash - Not fired, compulsory flash mode
FocalLength - 8.00 mm
FlashPixVersion - 100
ColorSpace - sRGB
ExifImageWidth - 2848
ExifImageHeight - 2136
InteroperabilityOffset - 1274
FocalPlaneXResolution - 3703
FocalPlaneYResolution - 3703
FocalPlaneResolutionUnit - Centimeter
SensingMethod - One-chip color area sensor
FileSource - DSC - Digital still camera
SceneType - A directly photographed image
CustomRendered - Normal process
ExposureMode - Auto
WhiteBalance - Auto
SceneCaptureType - Standard
Sharpness - Normal
SubjectDistanceRange - Unknown

Maker Note (Vendor): -
Version - 30333130
Quality - FINE
Sharpness - Normal
White Balance - Auto
Color saturation - Normal
Flash Mode - Off
Flash Strength - 0.00
Macro - Off
Focus mode - Auto
Slow Sync. - Off
Picture Mode -
Unknown - 1
Sequence mode - Off
Unknown - 0
Blur warning - No
Focus warning - No (Focus OK)
AE warning - No (AE good)

Canon S5 IS sample photo at ISO 200 and 100% crop.

http://img217.imageshack.us/img217/8695/blocksui6.jpg

EXIF:

Make - Canon
Model - Canon PowerShot S5 IS
Orientation - Top left
XResolution - 180
YResolution - 180
ResolutionUnit - Inch
DateTime - 2007:07:05 14:51:20
YCbCrPositioning - Centered
ExifOffset - 196
ExposureTime - 1/60 seconds
FNumber - 2.70
ISOSpeedRatings - 200
ExifVersion - 220
DateTimeOriginal - 2007:07:05 14:51:20
DateTimeDigitized - 2007:07:05 14:51:20
ComponentsConfiguration - YCbCr
CompressedBitsPerPixel - 5 (bits/pixel)
ShutterSpeedValue - 1/60 seconds
ApertureValue - F 2.71
ExposureBiasValue - 0.00
MaxApertureValue - F 2.71
MeteringMode - Multi-segment
Flash - Flash fired, auto mode, red-eye reduction mode
FocalLength - 6.00 mm
UserComment -
FlashPixVersion - 100
ColorSpace - sRGB
ExifImageWidth - 3264
ExifImageHeight - 2448
InteroperabilityOffset - 3346
FocalPlaneXResolution - 14506.67
FocalPlaneYResolution - 14485.21
FocalPlaneResolutionUnit - Inch
SensingMethod - One-chip color area sensor
FileSource - DSC - Digital still camera
CustomRendered - Normal process
ExposureMode - Auto
WhiteBalance - Auto
DigitalZoomRatio - 1.00 x
SceneCaptureType - Standard

Maker Note (Vendor): -
Macro mode - Normal
Self timer - Off
Quality - Superfine
Flash mode - Auto + red-eye reduction
Sequence mode - Single or Timer
Focus mode - Single
Image size - Large
Easy shooting mode - Full Auto
Digital zoom - None
Contrast - Normal
Saturation - Normal
Sharpness - Normal
ISO Value - Auto
Metering mode - Evaluative
Focus type - Auto
AF point selected -
Exposure mode - Easy shooting
Focal length - 600 - 7200 mm
Flash activity - Fired
Sequence number - 0
White Balance - Auto
Image Type - IMG:PowerShot S5 IS JPEG
Firmware Version - Firmware Version 1.01
Image Number - 1000047
Owner Name -

I think at 4 x 6 " printing, you wouldn't notice the graininess from the S5 IS. It's just when you start "pixel peeking" that you see what you have to work with.

[gary12]

Here's a camera that I like (Casio Exilim) (http://www.pixideal.ca/index.php?page=shop.product_details&flypage=flypage.tpl&product_id=2811&option=com_virtuemart&Itemid=114), which costs $219, is 7.2MP, and has a fairly large LCD screen.

http://www.pixideal.ca/components/com_virtuemart/shop_image/product/Casio_Exilim_Dig_4672b24723672.jpg

You should check the specs out.

[Cafe_333]

wow, the difference is night and day between the F31fd and the S5 IS. i can't seem to find any kicking around, but how does it compare to the F40fd which can be easily found?

[dvdsung]

Thanks a lot for all of the replies

I'm really loving the SD750 for the price and that beautiful LCD screen. Also, what a great deal...i'll try the PM.

But i'm looking at the Sony features again which has the double anti-blur technologuy, red eye reduction, HD output - records up to 1080! and it has the carl zeiss lens...
The canon has 640 X 480 VGA video... I may buy a camcorder anyone for video though so it doesn't matter too much...

It's a really difficult decision...

[mc_molineux]

Yikes, HunkaHunka, that shot makes the S5 IS look brutal. I was thinking about picking one up in the near future too...

Is that a fair example of the camera, or a shot specially taken to show off the flaws in the camera? I take it you're not happy with it?

[HunkaHunkaBurningLove]

I read that the F40fd isn't as good as the F31fd in terms of image quality. If you search for F31fd on the forums here, I did post a thread about where to buy the F31fd. I ended up returning the S5 IS to the store, but maybe I just didn't give it enough time to get used to adjusting the settings? I don't know.

You have to keep in mind when looking at those samples that it's basically pixel peeping where you look and compare images at 100% original size. It's not fair as well since the Fuji is a 6 megapixel camera versus the S5's 10 megapixels I guess. Both probably print fine at 4x6 to 8x10 sizes. Unless you're printing big honking poster sizes every day you probably wouldn't notice the graininess. That and if you want alot of cropping flexibility then graininess might come into play.

Both cameras have their strengths and weaknesses so it comes down to what you are looking for really. I wanted something small and pocketable with good image quality and colour as well as low light ability. The S5 IS has a killer zoom on it plus it has full manual controls versus the Fuji's limited manual selection, but it's a lot bigger and doesn't seem to do as well indoors, at least for me.

[KorruptioN]

and it has the carl zeiss lens...

Marketing.

[Slaughter]

That's odd with the S5IS as we use one at work here and it is amazing! Never an issue like that.. but I guess there are many attributing factors in play...

I picked up a Canon A570IS for myself and I love it! $229.99 + Tax. I had a Fuji A820 but the color is terrible. The Canon A570IS delivers beautiful color and detail. :) More of a budget consumer camera mind you.

[KorruptioN]

Fuji's entire A-series is crap. You get what you pay for.

[Slaughter]

We quickly discovered that. It was the wife's choice anyways! :P She just buys things until she finds what she likes. I prefer to research a bit first. :P

[HunkaHunkaBurningLove]

Yeah I don't know what was up with the S5 IS. I did try it out over a few days, but maybe it needed more time? I don't know. I used it mainly indoors so maybe that's the problem. Maybe I just sucked at adjusting it's manual settings. Other people were reporting some similar problems on the user reviews at DPreview.

Slaughter, how well lit are the places that you are taking photos with the S5 with? My living room in the afternoon isn't the brightest place especially with the blinds closed, but it's not like steak house dark either. I think the S5's image would have been worse if the flash were off.

[sylo66]

still looking?
i got an DSC-S600 (6 megapix) for $150ish obo.