What's the best digital camera under $200?
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What's the best digital camera under $200?
Okay, I'm a jackass for posting a WTB<$200 thread, but I REALLY WANT TO KNOW! We're going to NYC next month and would like to be able to have some piccies thereof.
Bueller, Bueller?
Bueller, Bueller?
Re: What's the best digital camera under $200?
My aunt was just in town, and she bought a HP 4.1 Megapixel with 3X optic zoom for 179 Canadian bucks. her limit was 200, and i thought that was her best option. She bought it at Staples.
I would try places like office depot, walmart, and that kind of crap because all the 4 Mega pixels are just out of date now, so you can get some good deals.
Here is what to keep in mind:
There are a couple standouts as far as optics go. Cannon and Nikkon are a little better than their friends as far as the lenses go. Kodak and Minolta, and close behind am told Olympus are all decent, as I imagine Sony and Fuji, optics wise. These are all fairly close, with some others not quite so good.
two personal bad flavours I have are for Sony (proprietary crap designed to stop working shortly after the warrenty expires) and I think Fuji exagerates their resolution, so I usually round their megapixels down by about 2/3. They seem too specify 'interpolated' quite a bit, which is odd.
Resolution is important, but along with optics. high resolution with crappy optics is like a u87 on something that sounds like shit. so, I think you can aim for a decent 4 Megapixel bad boy here, at least. Those make nice 8x10s.
then, features. Movies are handy to have, I think most cameras have that option. Optic zoom is nice. cameras seem to have either none, 3X or 6-10X. I have 10X right now, and i like it because i can layout some nice shots. what is nice about 3X zoom is that those cameras fit into your packet, which is why i still have my Canon s100. Digital zoom is nothing, and people will say that you can just crop high res photos rather than the large zoom - true but I don't ever bother.
My newer one is a kodak, and the colour is beautiful.
so, I guess what I am saying is that other than Fiji and Sony, the big names are all fairly priced, so just go and see what is on sale at a few places.
hope this helps.
I would try places like office depot, walmart, and that kind of crap because all the 4 Mega pixels are just out of date now, so you can get some good deals.
Here is what to keep in mind:
There are a couple standouts as far as optics go. Cannon and Nikkon are a little better than their friends as far as the lenses go. Kodak and Minolta, and close behind am told Olympus are all decent, as I imagine Sony and Fuji, optics wise. These are all fairly close, with some others not quite so good.
two personal bad flavours I have are for Sony (proprietary crap designed to stop working shortly after the warrenty expires) and I think Fuji exagerates their resolution, so I usually round their megapixels down by about 2/3. They seem too specify 'interpolated' quite a bit, which is odd.
Resolution is important, but along with optics. high resolution with crappy optics is like a u87 on something that sounds like shit. so, I think you can aim for a decent 4 Megapixel bad boy here, at least. Those make nice 8x10s.
then, features. Movies are handy to have, I think most cameras have that option. Optic zoom is nice. cameras seem to have either none, 3X or 6-10X. I have 10X right now, and i like it because i can layout some nice shots. what is nice about 3X zoom is that those cameras fit into your packet, which is why i still have my Canon s100. Digital zoom is nothing, and people will say that you can just crop high res photos rather than the large zoom - true but I don't ever bother.
My newer one is a kodak, and the colour is beautiful.
so, I guess what I am saying is that other than Fiji and Sony, the big names are all fairly priced, so just go and see what is on sale at a few places.
hope this helps.
Re: What's the best digital camera under $200?
If you're ok with <3 megapixels and used, the first round of the canon digital elph series were great (the new ones are two but they're outta 200 range). I had an s100 for a while and loved loved it. very small and really great pictures. I think the s100 can be had for <100 on ebay these days. I'm saving for the current gen for no good reason, I was totally happy with that one.
dont forget to budget for a big card.
will
dont forget to budget for a big card.
will
Re: What's the best digital camera under $200?
I got a Nikon coolpix 2200 for about $150 last year. it is a great enough digital camera for the price. in fact I liked it enough that I gave it to my wife and bought another better version of the same camera (the 4200) which is a little more expensive but better in various ways, e.g. both let you take little movies but the 4200 lets you take longer movies with sound
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Re: What's the best digital camera under $200?
I'll second the Nikon Coolpix series. I bought one last year and love it. I did a bunch of research before hand, and at the time (things may have changed), it had the best lens of the sub $300 cameras. People seem to only look at pixel count and feature doo-dads, without worrying too much about the actual build quality of the cameras. I'm not saying this is on par with a hasselblad(sp?) or anything, but at that price point, it's a pretty well designed (mechanically) camera.
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Re: What's the best digital camera under $200?
All of the Canon Powershot series kick total ass for the price. The A80 is a great one on the compact end, and on the more prosumer, you could get a used G2 or G3 for about $200 i'm sure...
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Re: What's the best digital camera under $200?
Re: Nikon Coolpix. My girlfriend had a Canon Powershot A70, it got stolen. Her dad gave her a Coolpix 3100 or something. We both miss the A70 very much. It was faster, lighter, had better modes, took better looking photos, and allowed manual settings of aperature/shutter, whereas I don't think any of the Coolpixes do.
I'm not knocking Nikon-- they make great cameras. But the Coolpixes I've seen are laughable when compared to the competition.
I'm not knocking Nikon-- they make great cameras. But the Coolpixes I've seen are laughable when compared to the competition.
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Re: What's the best digital camera under $200?
Thanks for the info, all! I appreciate it. I'm temping and working at a music store so the old income's not what it was when I was a state employee.
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The posterity may love or hate you depending (but through no fault of your own. )
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Re: What's the best digital camera under $200?
I have the Canon A300, an older model but still available. Looks to sell around $200 now. 3.2 MP, video with sound, macro, panoramic, etc. Takes nice pics. Drawbacks: munches batteries (so I use NiMH), weak zoom (don't use it), slow "reset" between pics (oh well).
All the boys with their homemade microphones have very interesting sounds. -- Dan Behar
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Re: What's the best digital camera under $200?
Here's another question:
Do any of the above-mentioned or other models under $200 feature built-in recharging?
Do any of the above-mentioned or other models under $200 feature built-in recharging?
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Re: What's the best digital camera under $200?
My girlfriend's coolpix 2500 has a rechargable battery.apropos of nothing wrote:Here's another question:
Do any of the above-mentioned or other models under $200 feature built-in recharging?
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