What is the best easy-to-use digital camera for conferences?

[pamperedlinda]

I want to get a new Digital Camera to take to conference with me. I need simple and easy. We already have a fancy zoom lense one that also records mini-movies, but it's kinda bulky and way too complicated for me. PLus, if I don't have my glasses on I can't see the dang settings! I want something smaller that still takes good pictures.

Any suggestions?

 

[chefann]

I've got a Polaroid i533 that takes good pics. It's around $100 usually (I got it on sale at Target last year for $88. ) It's got a lot of different presets for night, distance, macro, etc. The only complaint I have is that there's no manual white balance, but if I only used it for snapshots I wouldn't care. (I would like the white balance for when I take pics of my jewelry for my shop.)http://polaroid.com/global/detail.jsp?PRODUCT%3C%3Eprd_id=845524441764743&FOLDER%3C%3Efolder_id=2534374302029037&bmUID=1214844272964&bmLocale=en_US

 

[Jennie4PC]

I love my didgital camera. Its a pentax Optio S40. It does have different settings but it is so easy to use. And it is not big and bulky.

 

[wadesgirl]

Ooh, I just got a new one! I bought it on newegg.com It was cheaper than the local stores including Wal-Mart and it comes with a free 2 gb disk. Let me find it and I'll post it. I'm a Canon girl and LOVE photography.

Okay it's this one:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16830120256

Very easy to use, just point and shoot on the regular setting. Light weight. A little thick because of the batteries but it only takes AA not lithum batteries.

 

[The_Kitchen_Guy]

"Easy-to-use digital camera" is an oxymoron. Each and every one of them has a bazillion settings you can use to screw up your photographs.There are, however, several out there that are easy to use. I absolutely love my old HP 720, it's completely idiot-proof but after 15,000 photographs, it's just worn out, I guess.

Trust me, neither the roads nor the skies in Waukesha County are pink.I need a new one, too.

 

[Mwalker]

I'd look into the Sony Cybershots. Small, compact, big Res, around $200.I've taken it pretty much everywhere including on the back of my motorcycle. Its also pocket friendly without being TOO small .

 

[etteluap70PC]

I love my Cannon. I am on my 2nd one only because I wanted something smaller. The one I have that is 5 years old is still going strong. I now have a powershot SD1000 digital elph. it is about 3" long 2" tall and 3/4" thick. One of the reasons I love Cannons is I think they are easy to use right out of the box. And the software is easy too.

The only drawback to cannons is they are known for their slow shutter speed and focus.

I used a friends sony a few weeks ago and could not believe how fast it was.

 

[dannyzmom]

I am a big fan of my Canon Digital Elph.
It is small, sturdy (except when I dropped it over the balcony), takes great shots, has enough options so it's not super-basic but few enough options that it's not overwhelming, kwim?

 

[The_Kitchen_Guy]

Ooh, I just got a new one! I bought it on newegg.com It was cheaper than the local stores including Wal-Mart and it comes with a free 2 gb disk. Let me find it and I'll post it. I'm a Canon girl and LOVE photography.

Okay it's this one:
Newegg.com - Canon PowerShot A590 IS Black 8.0 MP Digital Camera

Very easy to use, just point and shoot on the regular setting. Light weight. A little thick because of the batteries but it only takes AA not lithum batteries.

Based on your recommendation, I have just acquired a Cannon SX100, which is the next one up the ladder. More features - but more importantly, no more pink clouds, pink bridges and pink asphalt.

 

[pamperedlinda]

Based on your recommendation, I have just acquired a Cannon SX100, which is the next one up the ladder. More features - but more importantly, no more pink clouds, pink bridges and pink asphalt.

Guess I better go check out that site then. If it's good enough for KG, then that's a pretty high recommendation!

 

[wadesgirl]

Based on your recommendation, I have just acquired a Cannon SX100, which is the next one up the ladder. More features - but more importantly, no more pink clouds, pink bridges and pink asphalt.

I looked at that one too but couldn't spend much more money since I just invested in my laptop.

Guess I better go check out that site then. If it's good enough for KG, then that's a pretty high recommendation!

My brother is a regular purchaser from newegg. They were really good both times I've dealt wit them. The camera was purchased and shipping to me within 3-4 days!

 

[pampchefrhondab]

My daughter has the Sony Cybershot for about $200 as listed above. She loves it and it takes GREAT pictures - very easy to use as well. It's so small to fit in her purse as well. She has it w/her all the time.

 

[sklay723]

Well, I think people tend to like one camera or another based on their own preferences, so I'll totally understand if you're not interested in my offering...but I will put my two cents in on the Nikon Coolpix line. I had one as my very first digital camera, and it took some pretty great photos for such a little thing. My SIL got one almost exactly like mine (par for the course in my family) and then about a year later my mom got one, too...and believe me, for mom to use it, it's gotta be user-friendly! I use it as my backup now (bought a Fuji SLR-wanna-be for freelance work!) but it still works great.

 

[cathyskitchen]

Newegg.com is a great site - highly recommend it. I love our new Panasonic Lumix 10x optical zoom camera, too - much better than our old FujiFilm FinePix (it's the same camera that Kate on the TLC show "Jon and Kate Plus 8" hates!).

 

[The_Kitchen_Guy]

I have also had good luck with NewEgg, along with some other mail order places. NewEgg might have had the one I bought for less (they usually do) but I had a promotional coupon that expired today and with the coupon, it came out pretty close.The 590 is probably all you need - it doesn't have as many bells and whistles as the SX100, so there's less to have to fool with. The SX100 has some features that I'm going to use in my hobby (shooting bridges) so that's why I went up a notch.

 

[janetupnorth]

I've gotten plenty of PC stuff from NewEgg in the past - always recommend - good prices and service. I like them a lot better than Tiger Direct usually.

 

[PampChefJoy]

I'm a Canon girl as well... I have the A510 Powershot, the Rebel XT and my newest baby is the 40D (I'm in LURVE!)

We will probably get my DH the newest Elph before our cruise in December. If you have trouble seeing, the newer Elphs have 3" screens. My mom has one and she has trouble seeing -- plus she never wants to set anything outside of AUTO and needs the settings as simple as possible, and she takes great pics with her Elph. Depending on what you're shooting, you can overcome the slow shutter speed by pre-focusing if possible.

 

[janetupnorth]

I have also had good luck with NewEgg, along with some other mail order places.

NewEgg might have had the one I bought for less (they usually do) but I had a promotional coupon that expired today and with the coupon, it came out pretty close.

The 590 is probably all you need - it doesn't have as many bells and whistles as the SX100, so there's less to have to fool with. The SX100 has some features that I'm going to use in my hobby (shooting bridges) so that's why I went up a notch.

No wonder we have been having bridge failures around the US the past few years. KG keeps shooting holes in them.

 

[wadesgirl]

I have also had good luck with NewEgg, along with some other mail order places.

NewEgg might have had the one I bought for less (they usually do) but I had a promotional coupon that expired today and with the coupon, it came out pretty close.

The 590 is probably all you need - it doesn't have as many bells and whistles as the SX100, so there's less to have to fool with. The SX100 has some features that I'm going to use in my hobby (shooting bridges) so that's why I went up a notch.

You sure bridges are the only thing you shoot?

As an avid photographer, my favorite is my Digital SLR Canon (cannot remember which style). It was a step up from my old film RebelXT. But it can be big and bulky to carry around all the time which is why I finally went for a smaller digital. It's still 8 MP like my SLR but is smaller and easier to carry around. For regular photography things, I'll still use the SLR but for normal use, I'll stick with my new one I mentioned above.

 

[The_Kitchen_Guy]

No wonder we have been having bridge failures around the US the past few years. KG keeps shooting holes in them.

You sure bridges are the only thing you shoot?As an avid photographer, my favorite is my Digital SLR Canon (cannot remember which style). It was a step up from my old film RebelXT. But it can be big and bulky to carry around all the time which is why I finally went for a smaller digital. It's still 8 MP like my SLR but is smaller and easier to carry around. For regular photography things, I'll still use the SLR but for normal use, I'll stick with my new one I mentioned above.

Bridges are about the only thing I've been shooting lately but I'm inclined to take a trip to Rhinelander and start shooting smartass consultant.A nice digital SLR is on my wishlist for a project I'm hoping I can sell to a publisher.

 

[cwinter474]

My daughter is a special need young adult and we got her the Kodak Easy Share from Best Buy for about $80. Takes GREAT pics and is very easy to use!!! and is not confusing. She has no problem using it at all.

Highly recomended

 

[wadesgirl]

Bridges are about the only thing I've been shooting lately but I'm inclined to take a trip to Rhinelander and start shooting smartass consultant.

A nice digital SLR is on my wishlist for a project I'm hoping I can sell to a publisher.

The prices of the digital SLRs are dropping like crazy. I watched the Canon one for two years until DH and I finally broke down and bought it. Would you believe 2 months later, it dropped in price finally! On auto mode, they are actually a very easy camera to use.

 

[dannyzmom]

I'm a Canon girl as well... I have the A510 Powershot, the Rebel XT and my newest baby is the 40D (I'm in LURVE!)

We will probably get my DH the newest Elph before our cruise in December. If you have trouble seeing, the newer Elphs have 3" screens. My mom has one and she has trouble seeing -- plus she never wants to set anything outside of AUTO and needs the settings as simple as possible, and she takes great pics with her Elph. Depending on what you're shooting, you can overcome the slow shutter speed by pre-focusing if possible.[/QUOTE]

I know very little about cameras but was told that to speed up the shutter speed, you just need a better SD card?? Is this misinformation?