Best Camera for the Budget??? Help please!!

[CecilsTanequin]

Okay so here's what I'd like to put to you Camera Experts:

I am a Costume Designer/Technician and need a good camera to take photos of my projects and pieces. Here are my stipulations:
-Easy to use - I know very little about photography and cameras. I'm a point and shooter. I'm willing to learn a little but I'm not interested in a new hobby (yet).
-Computer Compatible - I have a macbook and I need to be able to easily put all my photos on my macbook
-Be able to pick up small details clearly
-For around $150

So. Suggestions? Is this possible? What brand? What model (do you call them models, like cars?)?

Thanks so much in advance! I know I can count on my RFers for reliable advice!

[LadyStitch]

May I second this request.  I too do the same thing she does, and have the same computer.  My good camera died and I really would like a new one before my next trip to visit my old school .

[DeadBishop]

With the quality of current cameras, there are boatloads that will fit these requirements.  

-Easy to use - Virtually all cameras have a full auto mode and most name brand cameras have easy to understand controls.
-Computer Compatible - I have a macbook - All of 'em.  
-Be able to pick up small details clearly - Many current model shave good macro capability.
-For around $150 - Now there's the deciding factor.

A fairly new model from Nikon, the Coolpix S4000, is $149.99 at most places right now.

Canon SD1200 IS - Canon's best option in your price range.

[LadyStitch]

I often take pictures during rehearsals.  Is it possible to get a good fast moving shot, in low light?
There is nothing like having a great costume and want a shot of it during the actual scene and show light, and it comes out  all blurry or so dark even photo shop can't fit it.

[dbaldock]

I often take pictures during rehearsals.  Is it possible to get a good fast moving shot, in low light?
There is nothing like having a great costume and want a shot of it during the actual scene and show light, and it comes out  all blurry or so dark even photo shop can't fit it.

That's pretty difficult without a Flash, even for the more expensive DSLR cameras.  It mainly comes down to requiring a large aperture Lens (something like a f/2.8 ), to let through enough light in the short time required to not get a blurry shot.  The problem is that large aperture lenses are expensive.  For example, the Nikon 14-24mm f/2.8 Wide Angle Zoom (P/N: 2163) is ~$1,700.00; the Nikon 24-70mm f/2.8 Wide to Medium Telephoto Zoom (P/N: 2164) is ~$1,650.00;  and the Nikon 70-200mm f/2.8 Telephoto Zoom with Vibration Reduction (P/N: 2185) is ~$2,200.00.

I don't know if you'd get the results you need, at a lower cost, by taking still-frames from a good low-light video camera?

Take Care,
David Baldock

[LadyStitch]

Unfortunatly that isn't going to happen on my budget.  I may have to do what I have done before.  Take massive amounts of pictures and just weed out the bad ones until I get the 100 or so out of the 300+ that I have taken.

[dbaldock]

If you have a fair amount of control over how close you can get to your subjects, you may not need a fast zoom, and can instead use fixed focal length lenses, which are cheaper.  You could consider using something like a Nikon 85mm f/1.8 Medium Telephoto (P/N: 1931), which is ~$410.00, on a DSLR (equivalent to 127.5mm on a 35mm Camera).  Or for ~$740.00, you could get a Sigma 150mm f/2.8 Macro (Close-up) lens (P/N: 104306) for a DSLR (equivalent to 225mm on a 35mm Camera).

Take Care,
David Baldock

[LadyStitch]

My camara died during tech week. (It was 5 years old and only 5.0 megs anyway)  The DH said he is willing to spend between 200-250 on a good camara.  The thing is we want to get it either tonight, or at latest this weekend from Best Buy. (Got a nice gift card to there.)

HELP!

[dbaldock]

I went to the Buying Guide on Digital Photography Review  
http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/compare.asp  and selected:
Format = Compact Camera (To be in your price range)
Image Stabilization = Yes (To help take better shots in low light)
Aperture Range <=f/2.8 (To allow shooting in lower light without Flash)
LCD = 3.0"+ (To make it easier to review the shots)

Here's a list of the 9-15 M-Pixel cameras, in decending price order (including a couple that are a little bit above your price range), that fit those criteria:
(The highlights are for a Lens or Display that is better that the others.)


$320 - Canon PowerShot SD4000 IS
http://www.centraldigital.com/Product/?12001514
10.0 M-Pixel
* 28mm-105mm (3.8x Zoom), f/2.0-5.3 Lens (Fastest Lens = best lens for low light)
3" LCD Display with 230,000 dots


$315 - Casio Exilim EX-FH25
http://www.cameta.com/Casio-High-Speed-Exilim-EX-FH25-Digital-Camera-Black-45997.cfm
10.1 M-Pixel
* 26mm-520mm (20x Zoom), f/2.8-4.5 Lens
3" LCD Display with 230,400 dots


$299 - Samsung TL350
http://www.adorama.com/ISGTL350.html
10.0 M-Pixel
24mm-120mm (5x Zoom), f/2.8-5.8 Lens
* 3" LCD Display with 614,000 dots (Highest Resolution Display)


$285 - Olympus SP-800UZ
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/674508-REG/Olympus_227665_SP_800UZ_Digital_Camera.html
14.0 M-Pixel
* 28mm-840mm (30x Zoom), f/2.8-5.6 Lens (Most Powerful Telephoto Zoom)
3" LCD Display with 230,000 dots


$280 - Canon Powershot SD3500 IS
http://www.centraldigital.com/Product/?11852029
14.1 M-Pixel
24mm-120mm (5x Zoom), f/2.8-5.9 Lens
* 3.5" LCD Display with 460,000 dots (The only 3.5" Display)


$241 - Casio Exilim EX-FH20
http://www.amazon.com/Casio-Exilim-EX-FH20-Digital-Optical/dp/B001HCTKZQ
9.1 M-Pixel
* 26mm-520mm (20x Zoom), f/2.8-4.5 Lens
3" LCD Display with 230,400 dots


$236 - Kodak Easyshare Z981
http://www.centraldigital.com/Product/?11824595
14.0 M-Pixel
* 26mm-676mm (26x Zoom), f/2.8-5.0 Lens
3" LCD Display with 201,000 dots


$235 - Nikon Coolpix S710
http://www.centraldigital.com/Product/?10579411
* 14.5 M-Pixel (Most M-Pixels)
28mm-101mm (3.6x Zoom), f/2.8-5.6 Lens
3" LCD Display with 230,000 dots


$230 - Canon PowerShot SD980 IS
http://www.centraldigital.com/Product/?11377237
12.1 M-Pixel
24mm-120mm (5x Zoom), f/2.8-5.9 Lens
3" LCD Display with 230,000 dots


$198 - Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX500
http://www.buy.com/prod/panasonic-dmc-fx500s-lumix-10-megapixel-compact-digital-camera-with-3/q/loc/33409/208167530.html
10.1 M-Pixel
25mm-125mm (5x Zoom), f/2.8-5.9 Lens
3" LCD Display with 230,000 dots


$180 - Samsung TL320
http://www.amazon.com/Samsung-TL320-Schneider-Stabilized-Silver/dp/B001PKTRDK
12.2 M-Pixel
24mm-120mm (5x Zoom), f/2.8-5.8 Lens
* 3" LCD Display with 460,000 dots


$179 - Canon PowerShot SX120 IS
http://www.centraldigital.com/Product/?11375210
10.0 M-Pixels
36mm-360mm (10x Zoom), f/2.8-4.3 Lens
3" LCD Display with 230,000 dots


$179 - Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX580
http://www.centraldigital.com/Product/?10598108
12.1 M-Pixel
25mm-125mm (5x Zoom), f/2.8-5.9 Lens
3" LCD Display with 230,000 dots


$155 - Casio Exilim EX-Z2000 (Available in Red, Black, Silver, Violet, & Pink)
http://www.centraldigital.com/Product/?11822415
14.1 M-Pixel
26mm-130mm (5x Zoom), f/2.8-6.5 Lens
* 3" LCD Display with 460,800 dots


EDIT: Clarification of a couple of the notes.

[Mandrake Von Sets]

My camara died during tech week. (It was 5 years old and only 5.0 megs anyway)  The DH said he is willing to spend between 200-250 on a good camara.  The thing is we want to get it either tonight, or at latest this weekend from Best Buy. (Got a nice gift card to there.)

HELP!

Since you're going to Best Buy, check these 2 package deals out for Canon's.
- http://www.bestbuy.com/site/Canon+SX120+IS+PowerShot+10.0MP+Digital+Camera+with+4GB+Memory+Card+and+Case/9999133300050019.p?id=pcmprd133300050019&skuId=9999133300050019
- http://www.bestbuy.com/site/Canon+SD1400+Black+14.1MP+Digital+Camera+with+Memory+Card%2C+Bag%2C+Extra+Battery/9999133300050017.p?id=pcmprd133300050017&skuId=9999133300050017

The 2nd option might be nice since you'll get an extra battery (a very good thing to have if you take a BUNCH of pictures at faire).

If you don't have one already, consider getting a card reader so you don't have to hook your camera up to the computer and use your camera battery while getting pictures off the camera. 

[LadyStitch]

We ended up getting a Kodak Easy Share M550. It was much better than my old one.  I works with my printer dock I have.  It is a much more updated version of what I use to have, and that worked well.

I like the fact it has ISO on it. I never was quite she what was the best setting for taking photos indoors in low light.
I also picked up a small tripod. If anything I can keep the  camara steady when taking shots. That was it is just the person possibly moving, not me.

[Lady Christina de Pond]

if you splurge a little more you might like the canon sx120is
http://www.amazon.com/Canon-PowerShot-SX120IS-Digital-Stabilized/dp/B002LITT3S/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1278081009&sr=8-1
I purchased mine last year and i love it yeah it's a little bulkier but i love the quality picturs it takes. one of my closest friends has a kodak camera simular to my canon and my canon takes better pictures than his does also my friend who went to Peru with me purchased herself an inexpensive camera before we left she was so envious of the picture quality i have. even our pro photographer who was with us liked my camera.