Need recommendations for a new digital camera

[Motegi]

Re: very good stuff here from everyone...

Off-tangent but not totally off-topic... what do you guys (and gals) do w/ your past film camera's?!? I got perhaps half-a-dozen or so from over the years...

I threw out most of my old 35mm point and shoot cameras. As for the 35mm SLRs I still have them collecting dust in the closet. Many of the old film SLR lenses can be adapted to fit the newer DSLRs.

Now I have a collection of over a half dozen digital cameras ranging from some of the first Canon Digital Elphs to a couple of DSLRs. Over the years I've sold some of them and have given some of them away to family. Other than the DSLRs, digital cameras are pretty much disposable these days. Like old cell phones!

 

[Fastrunner]

Thank you all for your responses...i went to costco yesterday to check out what they had for sale and have narrowed it down to the Panasonic Lumix ZS6 ($269 -$50 rebate = $219) and the Sony Alpha NEX-3 with 2 interchangable lenses ($689 - $60 rebate = $629).

Panasonix Lumix ZS6

http://www2.panasonic.com/consumer-...eras/model.DMC-ZS6K_11002_7000000000000005702


Sony NEX-3

http://www.sonystyle.com/webapp/wcs...p:dg_gglsrch:pe&productId=8198552921666282220

 

[Osiris_x11]

mine are paperweights, now...

Many of the old film SLR lenses can be adapted to fit the newer DSLRs...

I always wondered about that!

Other than the DSLRs, digital cameras are pretty much disposable these days. Like old cell phones!

I know...

Thank you all for your responses...i went to costco yesterday to check out what they had for sale and have narrowed it down to the Panasonic Lumix ZS6 ($269 -$50 rebate = $219) and the Sony Alpha NEX-3 with 2 interchangable lenses ($689 - $60 rebate = $629).

Panasonix Lumix ZS6

http://www2.panasonic.com/consumer-...eras/model.DMC-ZS6K_11002_7000000000000005702


Sony NEX-3

http://www.sonystyle.com/webapp/wcs...p:dg_gglsrch:pe&productId=8198552921666282220

I just came across this:

Panasonic Lumix DMC-G10 12.1 MP Live MOS Interchangeable Lens Camera, 14-42mm Lumix G Vario f/3.5-5.6 MEGA OIS

It's relatively compact too, being a system camera ("world's lightest system camera in a compact digital camera design")...



Seemingly, reviews are great for it, as well as its price-point ($599 MSRP, now $349/shipped). Might be a viable option for those wishing to go beyond point-&-shoot offerings but still want the portability of those, yet not wanting to step up to the complexity & size of the D-SLR's realm.

 

[Motegi]

The Lumix G10 is a micro 4/3 system camera just like the ones that I had mentioned in my initial post.

Most of the micro 4/3 cameras differ from traditional SLRs in being "mirrorless" and tend to have electronic viewfinders rather than traditional optical viewfinders.

The mirrorless design allows them to be more compact.

... If you want something smallish but yet with an interchangeable lens for under $500 then how about the Olympus PEN E-PL1 micro 4/3 camera:

http://www.amazon.com/Olympus-Interchangeable-Digital-14-42mm-Black/dp/B0035LBRJO

Its like the intermediate step between a compact superzoom camera and the full size DSLRs. As an added bonus they are also popular among the HD video crowd just like the DSLRs.

Some HD videos shot by E-PL1 users:
http://vimeo.com/11377921
http://vimeo.com/13842069
http://vimeo.com/15104181
http://vimeo.com/15688358

Here are some reviews:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Eu4FqR1AMug
http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/OlympusEPL1/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tXn33wEtEHA&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d7oQfDi6ehk&NR=1

Or the Panasonic DMC-GF1 micro 4/3 camera:
http://www.amazon.com/Panasonic-DMC-GF1-Four-Thirds-Interchangeable-Digital/dp/B002IKLJUK

The Micro 4/3 standards website:
http://www.four-thirds.org/en/microft/index.html

 

[synth19]

I pretty much narrowed my choice down to Canon's Powershot S95. It pretty much has all the things the OP wanted and MORE. Good build quality, easily fits into your pocket, etc. It also has some nice "manual" features I was impressed with. However...since my wife will keep this camera pretty much on "auto" mode, I decided against the S95 and instead ordered the SD4000- small, good IQ, and f/2.0.

 

[RJPKRP]

I know it the OP wants/wanted a non-dSLR BUT, this is a pretty good deal for anyone who stumbles across this post while they are still in stock and at this price....

Canon EOS Rebel XS dSLR Kit with 18-55mm lens $319 at B&N.

Now, I'm obviously a "Nikon Man" (see earlier post) but this is a heck of a deal on a dSLR kit, and Canon to boot so you get a boatload of EF/EF-S lenses to use from '87 on!

 

[kookoo4nsx]

I give a big thumbs up for the Canon SD 1300. It weighs about
4 oz, 12mp and 4x digital zoom. Don't let the low sale price
Of roughly $110.00 fool you. For a true point and shoot,
It takes amazing pix. Better than my $400 Nikon, and it
fits in your shirt pocket.