Digital Camera - DPChallenge Forums

Great price and a great camera

11/12/2003 11:26:46 PM · #1

I need feedback:

My son wants to buy his girlfriend a new digital camera for Xmas.
What is the best bang for under $350.00?

Probably a beginners kit. With good software for viewing/editing/downloading.

Sony or any of the propietary memory is out.

Thanks in advance.

Gordon

RIM BlackBerry Curve

Canon EF 85mm f/1.8 USM

11/12/2003 11:31:18 PM · #2

11/12/2003 11:35:39 PM · #3

Gordon

I sent him the link twice :)

OLYMPUS CAMEDIA C-740 $348

CANON POWERSHOT A-80 $337

11/12/2003 11:38:40 PM · #4

Gordon

He said he was going to keep an eye on it. He doesn't really want to many bells an whistles if you know what I mean. I told him it was not that fancy.

Thanks for the quick help :)

Message edited by author 2003-11-13 09:29:43.

pitsaman

Canon EOS-30D

Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 II

11/12/2003 11:44:06 PM · #5

Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 II

11/12/2003 11:53:08 PM · #6

I love that Oly with 10x optical zoom.

Have you ordered from this company before?

Originally posted by pitsaman:

OLYMPUS CAMEDIA C-740 $348

CANON POWERSHOT A-80 $337

pitsaman

Canon EOS-30D

Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 II

11/12/2003 11:55:35 PM · #7

Originally posted by Calvus:

I love that Oly with 10x optical zoom.

Have you ordered from this company before?

Originally posted by pitsaman:
OLYMPUS CAMEDIA C-740 $348

CANON POWERSHOT A-80 $337

I did my two cameras,they are very nice and on time ( I got free second day day FED-EX air on both ocasions)...

wkmen

Olympus SP-570 UZ

11/13/2003 12:26:03 AM · #8

Last Christmas I bought my college-age son a Nikon Coolpix 250, and he loves it. It's only 2 MP, but is compact, has a revolving LCD and some nice auto settings. It was well under your stated limit, with batteries and good memory card. You should take a look at it, and maybe successors in Nikon's line. (I, myself, prefer the Olympus C series with the 10x zoom, too, but by the time you get a card and batteries, you may be busting the budget there.)

amateurboi

Canon EOS-1000D Rebel XS

11/13/2003 01:34:40 AM · #9

I strongly recommend the Olympus Camedia C-150/D-390 as i'm having that... It is a good deal as a beginner's kit. It doesnt have any optical zoom but it does produce some cool pics if the person is talented enough..! It is 2MP and i think it will be the best you can get for the lowest price. This comes with a wonderful piece of software called CAMEDIA MASTER. Uses xD Picture card!

She can later go for one with optical zoom after playin around a bit.. :))

I strongly recommend C-150 and i love that camera!

Message edited by author 2003-11-13 01:36:16.

GeneralE

Canon PowerShot S3 IS

Canon 12x IS USM (S3 IS built-in Lens) -- 36-432mm (35mm EQ)

11/13/2003 01:45:00 AM · #10

I got Isaac a Fuji A101 (1+MP/fixed-focus 2-position lens). It takes excellent quality photos but he quickly grew frustrated with having no zoom. For now, he'd rather go back to borrowing mine sometimes until I can get him another.

Check out the Olympus Stylus 2MP model -- there is (at least) one which is water-resistant, so some common kid-type "situations" needn't be disasterous. I think it's under $350.

Maverick

Nikon D200

Tamron SP AF 90mm f/2.8 Di for Nikon

11/13/2003 01:46:27 AM · #11

My sister is going to buy her fiancee a Canon A60 for Christmas. I've heard a lot of praise for it, and the A##line seems similar to my S30 in terms of features and quality - relatively inexpensive as well. If your son can spring for the few extra dollars, I'd recommend the A80 - kind of like a mini-G2 (or you could bid on Gordon's actual G2)

mikemti

Canon EOS-300D Rebel

11/13/2003 03:03:16 AM · #12

I still think the Canon G2 on ebay is the best bet. Just set it to auto and shoot away.

PaulMdx

Canon EOS-1D

Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L USM

11/13/2003 03:40:41 AM · #13

I'm very pleased with my A70 and have no hesitation in recommending an A-class camera.

I've not used a G2 myself, but as Maverick says, the A80 is very close, and it will be newer.

kaush

Olympus C-5060WZ

Carl Zeiss 35mm f2.4 Jena/Flektogon MC

11/13/2003 06:36:43 AM · #14

Cannon Powershot A40. 2MP
Easy to use.
Excellent camera. Uses CF cards which are cheap.
The power supply is provided by 4 AA batteries.
If you get rechargable NiMh battreies which can be rechared upto 1000 times. Way cool.( I keep 3 sets with me)
And I keep my batteries in the camera for about 3 days without charging them. This is with constant use aswell.
Its a simple good camera.
5 modes - Auto, Program, Manual, Panoramic and Video.
3* optical. plus a total of 7.5* with digital zoom.
Powershot A40 review.

Gordon

RIM BlackBerry Curve

Canon EF 85mm f/1.8 USM

11/13/2003 10:37:57 AM · #15

Originally posted by Calvus:

Gordon

He said he was going to keep an eye on it. He doesn't really want to many bells an whistles if you know what I mean. I told him it was not that fancy.

Thanks for the quick help :)

The G2 is good in that it works very well in the straight shooting modes, as well as having the space to allow you to grow into the more creative modes with increasing control. But as a plain point and shoot it works well too.

StevePax

Canon PowerShot S50

11/13/2003 10:41:28 AM · #16

My sister just got a Fuji A303. It's 3 MP, point and shoot, uses XD card media, and comes in under $300. Takes good pics, too!

GeneralE

Canon PowerShot S3 IS

Canon 12x IS USM (S3 IS built-in Lens) -- 36-432mm (35mm EQ)

11/13/2003 10:43:05 AM · #17

Originally posted by Calvus:

I need feedback:

My son wants to buy his girlfriend a new digital camera for Xmas.
What is the best bang for under $350.00?

How old is he? With little kids like Isaac size (of the camera) matters.

Gordon

RIM BlackBerry Curve

Canon EF 85mm f/1.8 USM

11/13/2003 10:48:37 AM · #18

Originally posted by GeneralE:

Originally posted by Calvus:
I need feedback:

My son wants to buy his girlfriend a new digital camera for Xmas.
What is the best bang for under $350.00?

How old is he? With little kids like Isaac size (of the camera) matters.

Read the question again - slowly:
His son wants to buy his girlfriend a new camera for christmas :)

I seem to remember he's working full time, right ? :)

Neil

Fujifilm X-T30

Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 24-70mm f/2.8G ED

11/13/2003 11:23:02 AM · #19

This summer we bought my young son a Canon A60 which is only 2MP but it's a wonderful camera (Paid $190 at Dell.com with coupons). Perfect size for someone who mainly wants a point and shoot, but it has all the controls to do more, and 3x optical zoom.

If you want to spend more, the A70 is 3MP. There's also a newer A series model which has the flippable LCD like my G2, but I haven't read anything about it yet. The canon's all take great pics.

Check out steves-digicams.com and dpreviews for good in-depth reviews.

Also: remember to save some of the budget for rechargeable batteries, usually not included, and a decent size compact flash card. The CF cards are cheaper than the other meda. We got a San disk 256 MB card for about $29 after rebates.

Message edited by author 2003-11-13 11:25:07.

Canon PowerShot Pro 90 IS

11/13/2003 12:46:47 PM · #20

You have a good point.

We are just checking what is available and he will decide shortly.
Even if it has to be a belated gift :)

Originally posted by wkmen:

coolhar

11/13/2003 12:48:47 PM · #21

Check out the Kodak CX6330:

Kodak CX6330 reviewed by Steve's

May be able to find it street priced around $250.

11/13/2003 12:51:53 PM · #22

I have the Olympus C3030-Z and I love that software.
I like it better than what came with my Canon EOS 10D.
It is more user friendly and is a lot better for browsing the photos.
It is to the point where I very seldom use the Canon 10D software anymore.

What is the XD Picture Card?

Originally posted by amateurboi:

This comes with a wonderful piece of software called
CAMEDIA MASTER. Uses xD Picture card!

Message edited by author 2003-11-13 12:54:04.

11/13/2003 12:58:09 PM · #23

He started out looking at the Sony cameras then he houd out about the memory and decided against it.

Last night he was looking at the Canon Powershot A70 and was happy with what he read.

Originally posted by Maverick:

If your son can spring for the few extra dollars, I'd recommend the A80 - kind of like a mini-G2 (or you could bid on Gordon's actual G2)

11/13/2003 01:02:11 PM · #24

He is 23 a recent college grad (Computer Science) and working now as a computer programmer. He is going back to college in Jan for his Masters in business management courtesy of the company he is working for.

Originally posted by GeneralE: