Photography thread **Not 56k friendly**

[dirt_cheap_fleetwood]

Okay all you photo savvy people, I have decided my family needs to invest in a new camera. It will probably be a Christmas present for my Mom. I understand that most of your photos are taken with professional cameras that are far out of my price range but our camera is a cheap one and is many years old. Comparing my photos to yours it is really bad.

So my question is, what would be a good point and shoot digital camera for less than $300 (>$250 would be best)? It must have a mechanical zoom because digital zoom never works without "pixelizing" the image. I know the technology has gotten way better since we got ours and now I can compare it fairly easily. All your pictures are nice a crisp with brilliant colors and mine are all grainy and so-so.

[Sinister Angel]

Originally Posted by dirt_cheap_fleetwood

Okay all you photo savvy people, I have decided my family needs to invest in a new camera. It will probably be a Christmas present for my Mom. I understand that most of your photos are taken with professional cameras that are far out of my price range but our camera is a cheap one and is many years old. Comparing my photos to yours it is really bad.

So my question is, what would be a good point and shoot digital camera for less than $300 (>$250 would be best)? It must have a mechanical zoom because digital zoom never works without "pixelizing" the image. I know the technology has gotten way better since we got ours and now I can compare it fairly easily. All your pictures are nice a crisp with brilliant colors and mine are all grainy and so-so.

Honestly, I would say get a lower cost dSLR. Once you shoot one, you won't be sorry. After shooting one, I couldn't go to a point-and-shoot unless I absolutely had to. Something like the Canon Rebel XS would do perfect for you I think:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16830120278

Price point isn't that bad either. Another thing to keep in mind too is that it isn't just megapixels. It's a slew of things which contribute to quality - glass, composition, lighting, etc.

[gary88]

If you want to buy an awesome used SLR (this one without a lens):
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/produc..._Rebel_XT.html
This is very similar to the camera I use, and will yield you the crisp image quality you're after

Or if you'd prefer a point and shoot, this was Canon's best when it was released a couple years ago:
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/produc...al_Camera.html

Or if you'd prefer a brand new mid-range P&S with 10x optical zoom:
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/produc...S_Digital.html

[gary88]

My cats sit on the vents when the heat is on. The living room is always cold.

[gdwriter]

Gary, I've always loved Chicago, but your pictures make it look absolutely gorgeous.

[dirt_cheap_fleetwood]

Originally Posted by gdwriter

Gary, I've always loved Chicago, but your pictures make it look absolutely gorgeous.

Its horrible. I hate going downtown. Unless you are somewhere upscale like the magnificent mile the city pretty much sucks.

[gary88]

Originally Posted by gdwriter

Gary, I've always loved Chicago, but your pictures make it look absolutely gorgeous.

Thanks!

Originally Posted by dirt_cheap_fleetwood

Its horrible. I hate going downtown. Unless you are somewhere upscale like the magnificent mile the city pretty much sucks.

If you drive there and have to find parking, yes it sucks. If you live there and get around by the CTA, it's awesome (except the CTA kinda sucks). I live in Lincoln Park and love it (I'm in the suburbs until January though).

[gary88]

We has snow.

[RightTurn]

^^ Nice. hay Gary, have a look http://www.mentalfloss.com/blogs/archives/11275

[dirt_cheap_fleetwood]

Is that your back yard Gary? Its beautiful! I wish I lived in a wooded area.

[gary88]

Originally Posted by RightTurn

^^ Nice. hay Gary, have a look http://www.mentalfloss.com/blogs/archives/11275

Nice find, never saw those before!

Originally Posted by dirt_cheap_fleetwood

Is that your back yard Gary? Its beautiful! I wish I lived in a wooded area.

Yep. There's a creek back there too so in the summer I get eaten alive by bugs.

[RightTurn]

Moar olde pics. http://www.shorpy.com/

[gary88]

Been going through my photos from Paris lately and making prints. This one's from inside Notre Dame.

[gary88]

Some cold wintar tiem pics

[ryannel2003]

This was taken at my grandmother's funeral in 2006 and has been one of my best received photos. The crazy part is that it was taken with a lowly Canon PowerShot A400. Great little camera, though I recently upgraded to a PowerShot SD750.