Canon SureShot--Which One?
Dec 23rd, 2006, 05:12 PM
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Canon SureShot--Which One?
Last minute Christmas gift help, please--for my adult son who is leaving for Rome on the 28th. I don't know enough to choose a digital camera by myself, and all that I've read here on the camera threads and review sites confuses me even more--since I am so ignorant on this subject. I have never owned or used a digital myself (can barely turn on my own TV), so all of the technical explanations don't help me at all. All I know is that he once mentioned the Sure Shot, and all I can afford is about $200-$250. When I looked up the Sure Shot models on line, I saw that they are many and varied. He does have some experience with digital, at least more than I. Anyone out there who can help me simplify this task tomorrow? And also keep it simple? Sorry for the last minute request, and very grateful for any help.
Dec 23rd, 2006, 05:41 PM
#2
The sure shot models are 35mm film cameras. Many of Canon's digital cameras are called PowerShot. Go to Stevesdigicams.com for a comprehensive review of Canon and others. The Canon PowerShot A530 is a nice one in your price range. It is a 5 megapixal camera with an optical viewfinder as well as the screen, 3x optical zoom, uses AA bateries. It gets an unusual 400+ shots between battery changes.
Dec 23rd, 2006, 05:56 PM
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See, I don't even know how to ask for what I need here. I must have meant the Power Shot because I know he does want a compact digital to take on this trip. He has a very nice 35mm SLR (did I get that right?), but he wants to take a smaller and less expensive camera on this trip. He's prone to losing things.
Dec 23rd, 2006, 05:57 PM
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Costco is having a sale on a Canon Powershot, A630, 8 Megapixels is $259.99 -- that includes all S/H fees. All of the Canon Powershot models receive very good reviews.
www.costco.com - (maybe a friend/relative has a membership and can order it and have it shipped to your son?) Best Buy might have comparable prices but Costco's return policy is great. If your son wants to try something else even AFTER he's back from his trip, he can return/exchange it for another camera for any reason at all.
I'm thinking of getting one myself since it's so compact and I'm curious to see if it can take similar pictures to my boyfriend's more expensive SLR. Good luck!
www.costco.com - (maybe a friend/relative has a membership and can order it and have it shipped to your son?) Best Buy might have comparable prices but Costco's return policy is great. If your son wants to try something else even AFTER he's back from his trip, he can return/exchange it for another camera for any reason at all.
I'm thinking of getting one myself since it's so compact and I'm curious to see if it can take similar pictures to my boyfriend's more expensive SLR. Good luck!
Dec 23rd, 2006, 06:14 PM
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basingstoke, thanks for straigtening me out. I guess it is the Power Shot and I got confused. Duh! But as I said in my intro message, reading those reviews doesn't help me at all. I just don't know enough to understand all of the technical data.
fishee, thanks for the tip on Cosco. It looks like they really have super prices, but I think it is a little too late in the day for me to go that route. I was hoping to run out tomorrow and pick one up somewhere, but I did want to get the best in the price range that I can afford.
Please keep me in mind, especially if anyone has some direct experience with one of the "Power Shot" digitals.
fishee, thanks for the tip on Cosco. It looks like they really have super prices, but I think it is a little too late in the day for me to go that route. I was hoping to run out tomorrow and pick one up somewhere, but I did want to get the best in the price range that I can afford.
Please keep me in mind, especially if anyone has some direct experience with one of the "Power Shot" digitals.
Dec 23rd, 2006, 06:25 PM
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I bought a PowerShot 700 in October and have been extremely pleased with it - took it to Europe for a week and a half right after I got it. It takes great pictures for a small point-and-shoot. My brother bought the same model just a few weeks before I did, so I relied on his research - he said Canon in general and the PowerShot line specifically all got good reviews. Based on my experience I'd recommend getting whatever you can afford in the PowerShot line. Good luck!
(If you want to see some examples, feel free to look at my Flickr site:
www.flickr.com/photos/jenthompson
Anything posted after mid-October is taken with this camera.)
(If you want to see some examples, feel free to look at my Flickr site:
www.flickr.com/photos/jenthompson
Anything posted after mid-October is taken with this camera.)
Dec 23rd, 2006, 06:29 PM
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www.bestbuy.com -- just purchase the Canon Powershot in your price range (looks like the 540 is still in-stock at most stores for $199 and the A600 is $249 -- the latter is a better camera but might not be available in stores.) You can try purchasing now on-line and pick it up in-store tomorrow before they run out.
But -- if there's a Costco in your area, notice that even with their $35 membership price, the same Canon Powershot A630 camera is still cheaper than the one at Bestbuy ($299)
But -- if there's a Costco in your area, notice that even with their $35 membership price, the same Canon Powershot A630 camera is still cheaper than the one at Bestbuy ($299)
Dec 23rd, 2006, 07:14 PM
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I have to say that I respectfully disagree with fmpden! Often I will take a shot that afterwards I decide to crop. Because I have a 7.1 megapixel camera I can crop and resize the remaining picture and still have awesome picture quality. That would not be the case if I owned 3 mp camera.
Also! the highter the mp the better the digital zoom, crucial in the powershot since the optical zoom is only 4
NJgirl
Also! the highter the mp the better the digital zoom, crucial in the powershot since the optical zoom is only 4
NJgirl
Dec 23rd, 2006, 07:26 PM
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I have the canon Power shot SD450 digital ELPH. It's a great camera. In fact it's the 3rd power shot that we have bought, we like them so well. We keep giving our camera to our kids and then buy ourselves a new one. They take good pictures and are small enough to slip into your pocket or purse without a lot of bulk. I took it to Ireland with me this last summer and took some 700 wonderful pictures. My daughter is going to France this summer; so for Christmas we bought her the A630. Good Luck!
Dec 23rd, 2006, 08:07 PM
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Thanks to all of you last-minute shopping helpers out there! It has been very helpful to hear from you and receive some expert guidance. I feel that my little shopping expedition tomorrow (Lord bless me!) will be much easier and more focused. But when you guys start arguing about megapixels and such, I really do get lost. I will print this out and take it with me tomorrow, so I can refer to it in whatever store I feel brave enough to tackle.
Jent, thanks for sharing your pictures with me. They are fabulous! I hope my son's turn out half so well.
All of you are so kind to help me at this 11th hour. I will let you know what I come home with tomorrow. And I am sure I can get my DS to put some of his pictures here for you when he returns. Obviously, that is not something I know how to do!
Blessings to all and to all a good night!
Jent, thanks for sharing your pictures with me. They are fabulous! I hope my son's turn out half so well.
All of you are so kind to help me at this 11th hour. I will let you know what I come home with tomorrow. And I am sure I can get my DS to put some of his pictures here for you when he returns. Obviously, that is not something I know how to do!
Blessings to all and to all a good night!
Dec 23rd, 2006, 08:11 PM
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I bought a Powershot 540 for my daughter for Christmas. She needed a camera to take along on our trip to Egypt.
I liked it because it's really easy to use on the Auto setting, but can also be set to Manual where you can control a lot of settings like exposure, light metering, white balance, etc. Somebody who knows how to use an SLR will appreciate the manual features.
It only took me a few minutes to figure out how to use it (as opposed to my Olympus which took a LOT of practice).
Was $199 at Circuit City AND they have the memory cards on sale as well
It's easy to hold, lightweight, uses AA batteries.
I hope she likes it...if not, it'll be MY new camera!
I liked it because it's really easy to use on the Auto setting, but can also be set to Manual where you can control a lot of settings like exposure, light metering, white balance, etc. Somebody who knows how to use an SLR will appreciate the manual features.
It only took me a few minutes to figure out how to use it (as opposed to my Olympus which took a LOT of practice).
Was $199 at Circuit City AND they have the memory cards on sale as well
It's easy to hold, lightweight, uses AA batteries.
I hope she likes it...if not, it'll be MY new camera!
Dec 23rd, 2006, 08:20 PM
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jgarvey, make your life simplier and your son's satisfaction greater. Don't go shopping. Make a cute little gift certificate for him for the camera of HIS choice. He probably knows exactly what he wants and you seem as befuddled by this digital stuff as I was before I spent weeks reading about them. Just give him a promise and let him do the selecting. Then you will have nothing to return.
Dec 23rd, 2006, 08:28 PM
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The Canon Elph is a great, small camera for travel. I saw it at Costco today for just $219, the 6 megapixel version. Our daughter has one that's just 3 MP and it takes great photos. I think we paid more than $219 for it just last summer, so either prices have come down, or else the Costco deal is especially good.
Dec 23rd, 2006, 08:31 PM
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polly, super idea! I had thought about this, but he is leaving on the 28th and at first I thought he would not have time to do his own shopping while getting ready and packing for trip. Also, another good benefit of your suggestion--maybe there will be sales!
Dec 23rd, 2006, 09:22 PM
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Sorry, just one more question. I really like the look of the Elph, but that's my taste. What is the major difference between the Elph models and the other regular compacts mentioned here? Is the quality still the same with the Elph? And do you think it would be too small for a guy's hands? Just wondering.
I did a little research as some of you suggested and discovered that there are a couple of Circuit City stores close to me, they do have some of these you mentioned in stock, and I can order here and pick up within 24 hours at the store. Isn't this a wonderful world??!!
I did a little research as some of you suggested and discovered that there are a couple of Circuit City stores close to me, they do have some of these you mentioned in stock, and I can order here and pick up within 24 hours at the store. Isn't this a wonderful world??!!
Dec 24th, 2006, 03:11 AM
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Hi JG,
For some years I used the Canon A60 and liked it very much.
This year I bought the S# IS for about $400. It is fantastic.
www.amazon.com has last year's model, the S2 IS, for $280.
It is almost the same camera, except that it is 5 MPX instead of 6MPX.
It has a 12X optical zoom that is terrific for closeups from across the street.
You can have it delivered by the 27th.
For some years I used the Canon A60 and liked it very much.
This year I bought the S# IS for about $400. It is fantastic.
www.amazon.com has last year's model, the S2 IS, for $280.
It is almost the same camera, except that it is 5 MPX instead of 6MPX.
It has a 12X optical zoom that is terrific for closeups from across the street.
You can have it delivered by the 27th.
Dec 24th, 2006, 05:22 AM
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Hi F,
I had an A60 (now the A500 series) with a 3X optical zoom. I got a 2:1 zoom for it.
It was a very good camera. You can enlarge up to 8x10, although 5x7 is better.
The advantages of the S2 or S3 ar 12X optical zoom, which is terrific; much better pix at the higher ASA speeds; stabilization for zooming; an electronic viewfinder; enough MPX to go to 8x10 or larger; and a whole bunch of stuff that I haven't figured out how to do yet.
If you like to take movies, the S2/S3 have stereo sound.
The camera isn't so large that it is bulky.
I have compared pix to those taken by Canon SLRs, and I don't think that the bigger cameras make a difference for what I want.
You can see how well the camera does, even though it was my first trip with it, at http://tinyurl.com/ybm32p
I had an A60 (now the A500 series) with a 3X optical zoom. I got a 2:1 zoom for it.
It was a very good camera. You can enlarge up to 8x10, although 5x7 is better.
The advantages of the S2 or S3 ar 12X optical zoom, which is terrific; much better pix at the higher ASA speeds; stabilization for zooming; an electronic viewfinder; enough MPX to go to 8x10 or larger; and a whole bunch of stuff that I haven't figured out how to do yet.
If you like to take movies, the S2/S3 have stereo sound.
The camera isn't so large that it is bulky.
I have compared pix to those taken by Canon SLRs, and I don't think that the bigger cameras make a difference for what I want.
You can see how well the camera does, even though it was my first trip with it, at http://tinyurl.com/ybm32p
