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General discussion

Yes yet another help deciding on digital camera thread

by cdtmiller23 Mar 17, 2010 4:44PM PDT

Hi all I hate to bore you with yet another thread like this but I'm stuck. I've always wanted a DSLR but after thinking about having to lug it around with me(size), the $$$ and no zoom capability without changing lenses, I decided against it after nearly buying a Canon T1i. Any way my budget is between $300 to $500 and I'm looking for a camera with good optical zoom, image stabilization, and HD video capability. I have looked at the Nikon P100 and the new Kodak Z981 but am wondering what else is out there and if anyone has any feelings about the new z981 as for the $$$ it seems like a good deal. Any help from you guys and girls is greatly appreciated.

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3 Posts
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actually, none of those would be high on my list
by kalel33-20416052469708587370302374692233 Mar 17, 2010 7:52PM PDT

I would look at:

Sony HX5- it has the new back-lit sensor which should make it better than any other super-zoom in low light.

Panasonic ZS3 or ZS1- right now, considered the best compact super-zooms(some newly released cameras haven't been reviewed yet)

Canon SX20 IS- A good all around super-zoom.

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hmmm
by cdtmiller23 Mar 18, 2010 8:27AM PDT

I will take a look at those too now, so many choices out there right now and it seems that every one of them always has something wrong with it lol. Any other insight??

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There's always something wrong
by kalel33-20416052469708587370302374692233 Mar 18, 2010 11:56AM PDT

It doesn't matter if it's a $150 point and shoot or a $2000 DSLR, there is always some shortcomings. What you, as a consumer, have to do is decide what you are willing to give up and what is necessary. I've sold cameras to people that didn't care much about image quality but wanted it to be fast, and vice versa. You'll give up some things just by choosing a super zoom camera, just because of the complexity of those lens and physics.

Just right down what are your priorities(money, size, image quality, speed, etc.) and then decide what you're willing to live with in a camera. I've never found the perfect camera for me and it'll probably never be made, but I choose based upon "my" needs/wants and what I'm willing to put up with.

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