Digital camera for newbies?

[Alicnwondrln]

We wanna get a new camera for our trip in dec
DH is driving me nuts he keeps changing his mind and cant make up his mind
first it was kodak that was 5.o mega pixel it seemed nice now he might pick something else and then he changed his mind again.
we dont take alot of pics we would probably take more if we had a good camera of the kids
anyway
what the best started camera for this
thanks

 

[Geoff_M]

Unfortunately, there's no "best" camera on the market. My advice to you is to do some research and pick several models you like. Sample images and on-line reviews should tell you if the camera is a "dog" or not. Then go to the store and get some hands on time with the models. What are you looking for?:

1) Does the camera "feel" right in your hands?
2) What's the build quality look like?
3) Do the controls make sense to you?
4) Do the menus make sense to you?
5) Does the viewfinder (mainly with dSLRs) look good to your eyes?
6) Would you find this camera to be "easy to use"?

 

[Alicnwondrln]

i have no idea
he is picking the camera not me and will use it more than i will so
i just want something that takes a nice picture and isnt that hard to use
i want it to be user friendly

 

[ndelaware]

Have you DH click this link. http://reviews.cnet.com/Digital_cameras/4520-7603_7-5023995-7.html?tag=dir
It is a digital camera buying guide that will at least get him started on the right track. No one can tell him exactly what camera is right for him. There are just too many choices out there. As long as he gets at least a 4 or 5 meg camera he should be fine.

 

[almacdonald]

I used to sell digital cameras and the first question i would ask a customer is "what features are important to you".

Most of the time someone would mention price. The most important thing to keep in mind when buying a digital camera (if price is important to you) is to set a limit, for example $500. Now, subtract at least $150 from that amount and look at cameras in that price range. Most people don't take into account the cost of memory cards or batteries. A case is also an important investment.

Some people were concerned about size. Compact cameras can fit in your pocket but usually have a max zoom of 3X. Keep in mind that you're not going to get great pictures if you don't feel like lugging around a huge camera!

For people who aren't concerned about size but rather zooming capabilities I remind them to compare a camera's optical zoom, NOT digital zoom. Digital zoom degrades photo quality. Operations like digital zoom can be done (more precisely) on your computer at home.

As far as MegaPixel ratings, a 3 MP camera can produce a high quality 8x10 picture. If you would be interested in created larger prints, you would need a higher MP. Keep in mind though that the higher the MP rating the larger the picture size and the fewer pictures you can fit onto a memory card. A 4MP camera can be set to take pictures at the same quality as a 3MP camera but not vice versa.

Hopefully i've touched on some factors that would be important to your husband. www dot stevesdigicams dot com has a LOT of great camera reviews to help too! GOOD LUCK!