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General discussion

Looking for a new camera

May 14, 2005 7:25AM PDT

I am looking to purchase a new digital camera. I want something that is compact, 4-5 megapixels, and around $300. My main goal is to take pictures of my new baby and to use on vacations. It must take great images indoors & out. Any suggestions are appreciated.

J. Greene

Discussion is locked

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Cameras
May 14, 2005 8:40AM PDT

There are many cameras to choose from:

4 Megapixel:
Kodak DX7440 - 4X zoom - $240
Canon SD300 - 3X zoom - $300 (ultra small camera)

5 Megapixel:
Kodak CX7530 - 3X zoom - $220
Olympus D630 - 3X zoom - $260
Canon A95 - 3X zoom - $270
Nikon 5900 3X zoom - $277
Kodak Z730 - 4X zoom - $280

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how about?
May 14, 2005 11:20AM PDT

What do you think of the Sony W5? Of the 5 megapixel cameras you suggested...how would you rank them? Iamge quality is most important, size, etc. I currently have a Minolta Dimage S414 and am not happy with the image quality.

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Thinking
May 14, 2005 11:47PM PDT

I am not a big fan of the Sony ''W'' series of camera and their twin counterpart; the P100/150/200.

They have a very short shutter lag (0.2) seconds. They have an excellent lens and take great photos, but they all have a quirk.

During low light shooting (with and without flash), the camera will select a slow shutter speed. Too slow for reliable shooting. Any camera movement will result in blurred pictures. You can compensate by switching to manual mode and selecting a faster speed.
But that can lower the light for the exposure.

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Of the cameras I listed, I would rate the Kodak 7440 and Z730 as the best choice for people with kids who move too quickly for most digital cameras. Those cameras have a very short shutter lag (0.2 second).
Plus they have an excellent lens.

For versatility and good photo quality, the Canon A95 is tops for the price. People love that swivel LCD. The shutter lag is not as good as the Kodak cameras mentioned above. Shutter lag is 0.6 second.

If you are looking for an ultra thin camera, the Canon SD300/400/500 would be an excellent choice. Great photos, great movie mode and low shutter lag (0.3 seconds).

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how about?
May 15, 2005 7:54AM PDT

What about these:

Kodak DX7630
Sony DSC S90 or S60

Thanks for the help.

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Cameras
May 15, 2005 10:46AM PDT

The Kodak DX7630 performance is the same as the DX7440. Very low shutter lag and great photos.

I checked a Kodak forum and saw no complaints against the DX7630.

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The new Sony S60 and S90 are so new that there is no customer information available.

Checking the specifications and the one review I found, I suspect that the S series of cameras are likely to have the same quirk as the W series of cameras.

They appear to be using the same concept for exposure which lead to the slow shutter speeds under low light conditions on the W series of cameras.

I would take a wait and see position on the S series of cameras. Lets see what the customers are saying after they get their hands on the new cameras.

An interesting observation. Many retail places are not selling the S60, only the S90. This is probably because the only difference between the cameras is the size of the LCD (2in or 2.5inch). And the price difference is less than $50.

Here is a link to the only review I could find on the S90:

http://www.dcresource.com/reviews/sony/dsc_s90-review/

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leaning towards Canon
May 15, 2005 12:14PM PDT

After doing much research, I am leaning towards the Canon A95. I think this will do the trick. If I am not satisfied I will get the Kodak.