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Need help selecting good/cheaper digital camera.

I would go with the Olympus tough series... they are built to withstand drops, vibrations, rain, freezing, dust, stupidity (like my ex just dripping her purse with my old digi in it). They can be found right in the range you're looking and charge off USB with a proprietary cable... makes travel easier in my book since everything I own except my DSLR will charge off a USB port.

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2

The TG-1 really does look awesome, F2.0 lens which should kick butt for fast snaps. The GPS isn't supposed to be as good as the TS4, but the waterproofing is supposed to be better. It is also supposed to have a more rugged case, only problem is that it is $350 vs. $260... :-?

Extra batteries/charges are cheap for either, looks like ~$20 gets you a charger and two extra batteries.
 
Search on Amazon.com and ebay

I have looked there and a couple of other places but there are so many I need help narrowing it down. I have seen some wonderful pictures on here and I think I can get some great advise here. It will be a camera I will have to make last awhile so I want to make the right selection. Thanks for the suggestions so far. Drew
 
You have gotten some really good advice so far. That camera Tricepilot quoted is a very attractive one for the price right now on Amazon.

Battery life is amazing on the new cameras today. I have a Canon S90 and literally go a week or more and several hundred pictures between charges. It still has life left but my habit is to charge it on Sunday nights before going back to work on monday. The whole AA capable battery pack is a non-issue for me and hasn't been for years now. YMMV.

What are some of your must haves, don't want's on a new camera.

Do you want it to be able to operate in MANUAL mode, where you set the ISO, f/Stop and Shutter Speed?
Do you want it to be able to capture in RAW?
Do you want it to take 1080p Video?
Do you want it to have an internal GPS for Geotag'ing?
Do you want it to have fancy er' artistic scene settings?

$200 bucks today +/- $50 bucks, can snag you a very nice and capable camera.

As others have said. I would stick to Canon or Nikon

It comes down to Ford vs. Chevy argument in the end, as at that price point there is not going to be a tonne of differences in the features.

Have you gone to a Best Buy or a Wal-Mart or even a Target to hold different models in your hand yet? That to me would be a starting point. Many of the camera frames from a MFG are the same, it is the internals and programing the make the price point change. Find one that feels "right" in your hand and then price compare, feature compare online. B&H Photo has a neat "compare" function on their web site, as does Best Buy I believe.

All that said... I don't think either of the below linked cameras would be a bad choice. Good luck in your quest. Ask more questions and we all will try to assist.

[ame="http://www.amazon.com/Canon-PowerShot-Digital-Stabilized-Wide-Angle/dp/B0075SUK14/ref=sr_1_1?s=photo&ie=UTF8&qid=1357192285&sr=1-1"]Canon SX260[/ame]
[ame="http://www.amazon.com/Nikon-COOLPIX-Digital-Camera-NIKKOR/dp/B009SE6KPI/ref=sr_1_3?s=photo&ie=UTF8&qid=1357192285&sr=1-3"]Nikon Coolpix 9200[/ame]
 
I had a Canon Powershot S95, great camera, gave it to my daughter, have a new Canon Powershot S110 coming today. Bigger, faster, and better, plus it has Wi-Fi so I can put them on the iPhone or post up directly to internet. Very handy. Woo Hoo! Cannot go wrong with a Canon. Battery life is excellent. Both cameras fit easily into your pants pocket and both have all sorts of functions. S110 even has a touch screen, giddy with delight awaiting the new camera.
 
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You have gotten some really good advice so far. That camera Tricepilot quoted is a very attractive one for the price right now on Amazon.

Battery life is amazing on the new cameras today. I have a Canon S90 and literally go a week or more and several hundred pictures between charges. It still has life left but my habit is to charge it on Sunday nights before going back to work on monday. The whole AA capable battery pack is a non-issue for me and hasn't been for years now. YMMV.

What are some of your must haves, don't want's on a new camera.

Do you want it to be able to operate in MANUAL mode, where you set the ISO, f/Stop and Shutter Speed?
Do you want it to be able to capture in RAW?
Do you want it to take 1080p Video?
Do you want it to have an internal GPS for Geotag'ing?
Do you want it to have fancy er' artistic scene settings?

$200 bucks today +/- $50 bucks, can snag you a very nice and capable camera.

As others have said. I would stick to Canon or Nikon

It comes down to Ford vs. Chevy argument in the end, as at that price point there is not going to be a tonne of differences in the features.

Have you gone to a Best Buy or a Wal-Mart or even a Target to hold different models in your hand yet? That to me would be a starting point. Many of the camera frames from a MFG are the same, it is the internals and programing the make the price point change. Find one that feels "right" in your hand and then price compare, feature compare online. B&H Photo has a neat "compare" function on their web site, as does Best Buy I believe.

All that said... I don't think either of the below linked cameras would be a bad choice. Good luck in your quest. Ask more questions and we all will try to assist.

Canon SX260
Nikon Coolpix 9200

Gosh Duke I wasn't thinking about features as much as price range. Now I may have to relook at it all. I did look at chinamart and liked some of the cheaper ones. Would like it to be compact for travel and such. I will not be the only one using it so it will be at the house as well as in the cage and motorcycle. Heck it will even go on vacation to NM or CO this year! Great advise so far folks keep 'em coming. I plan on picking one up this month. Drew
 
I have had two Canons, they both died from the mechanism that runs the lens in and out failing. One was an A95, which took great pictures, and had a swivel screen, which was very convenient. The other was a A2thirtysomething, it was cheaper, and didn't have the swivel screen.

I now have an Olympus Stylus Tough, which is advertised as being able to survive being used under water, dropped on concrete, used as a side stand pad, whatever. It has held up well, but takes lousy outdoor pictures. It always looks like the air is hazy on long shots, even when it is not. I am ready to buy another camera, it is so bad. It could be some setting I don't know about, I just use it in auto mode, so any help there is welcome. I think I paid $270 for it. One other small complaint is the odd (xD) card it takes, they are not easy to find.
 
I have had two Canons, they both died from the mechanism that runs the lens in and out failing. One was an A95, which took great pictures, and had a swivel screen, which was very convenient. The other was a A2thirtysomething, it was cheaper, and didn't have the swivel screen.

I now have an Olympus Stylus Tough, which is advertised as being able to survive being used under water, dropped on concrete, used as a side stand pad, whatever. It has held up well, but takes lousy outdoor pictures. It always looks like the air is hazy on long shots, even when it is not. I am ready to buy another camera, it is so bad. It could be some setting I don't know about, I just use it in auto mode, so any help there is welcome. I think I paid $270 for it. One other small complaint is the odd (xD) card it takes, they are not easy to find.

The one I get has got to take good outside pics. Most of the ones we take seem to be scenery and outdoor stuff. Your in the same boat/motorcycle that I am. :lol2: Good luck on your search. Drew
 
The Olympus tough that I have uses SD and takes what I consider fair outdoor pics. Is it a DSLR, no. However it will handle just about any abuse you put it through and can be had for 1/3-1/5 the price.

I'll link in some of my Olympus pictures and let y'all decide

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2
 
Look at the Canon Powershots on Amazon.com

Here's the #1 selling point and shoot on their website:

Canon PowerShot SX260 HS 12.1 MP CMOS Digital Camera
20x Image Stabilized Zoom
25mm Wide-Angle Lens
1080p Full-HD

4.3 out of 5 stars (322)

List Price: $349.00

Price: $199.00

I think I have talked myself into this one trice, This weekend might be ordering time. Thanks for all the input folks. Now it is time to get ready to take some pictures. Drew
 
I think I have talked myself into this one trice, This weekend might be ordering time. Thanks for all the input folks. Now it is time to get ready to take some pictures. Drew

You may wanna get a smugmug while you're at it. I like them because they don't do funny stuff with your pictures to store them... what you upload is what you pull back off.

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2
 
You may wanna get a smugmug while you're at it. I like them because they don't do funny stuff with your pictures to store them... what you upload is what you pull back off.

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2

Where is a reasonable place to grab one?
 
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