I'm looking for advice on purchasing a camera (point and shoot type) that's easy to use and load and takes nice, clear pictures. I don't know if I want a zoom or not - would appreciate advice on this. I will use it to take family pictures on trips and at family events such as graduations and reunions. thanks for your help <BR>

Sandy, <BR> <BR>I did a little research before I bought my adult daughter a new point and shoot camera a year ago. <BR> <BR>I bought her a Pentax 928. (I hope they still make them, as my wife needs a new camera. Here is why I bought the Pentax 928. <BR> <BR> Lens sharpness and contrast better than most P&S camers. <BR> Zoom range is 28 to 90mm rather than the usual 35 to 105 or 115 or greater. (28 gives you a wider view than 35 and is great for those family reunion shots and scenery shote. 90mm is a reasonable telephoto without the disadvantages of the larger telephotos such as 115 and larger. These larger telephotos have three "barrels" and there are a lot of problems with the three barrels not working with time. <BR> Camera does NOT produce panorama pictures. Cameras with the panorama feature are just a marketing ploy. They do NOT give you a wider image, they just chop the bottom and top off of a regular shot. I had to prove this to my daugther and wife because they did not believe me. <BR> <BR> Exposure compensation is easy to set and not resetted after switched off. <BR> <BR> All controls easy to acess. <BR> <BR> Ed Romney (has written several books on camera repair) says it is an outstanding camera. <BR> <BR>Why I did not buy <BR> Canon - Poor quallity control. Red-eye reduction ineffective. <BR> Minolta - Starts many new things and then discontinues products and accessories. <BR> Olympus - Telephoto zoom cameras have had a lot of repair problems. Overexposure problems. Just not good cameras. <BR> Yashica - Somewhat combersome to zoom. Does not have much control and complaints about lens performance. <BR> <BR>These were my conclusions after obtaining information from the internet, talking to knowledgable camera people and "playing" with the cameras myself. <BR> <BR>Others, I may have differences of opinions. I know my daughter is pleased with her camera and the photos are great be they of friends, the Great Wall of China or the Andes mountains. <BR> <BR>Dick <BR> <BR>PS - I ordered the camera through Camera World of Oregon and spoke with Barney. She was very helpful and a straight shooter. I received exactly what I ordered in a very timely manner. <BR> <BR>

Hi Sandy!: I got the Pentax 928; great pictures, but since it was getting there in years, I bought a Kodak Advantix when I needed a versatile camera (3-sizes photos, including panoramics), small size , and not too much fuss (in-built zoom function is a breeze!)...It worked great in a recent trip to France/Scotland/England; pictures came out fantastic....and you definitely need panoramic in Europe, specially in Scotland!!! <BR>

I would suggest getting the most zoom - 130 or 140. It is very helpful when you are outside and want to snap a bird or animal which is far away. <BR> <BR>For panoramic, I suggest a throwaway camera. They are cheap, take a good picture, and it is truely wider than what you get from an Advantix film.

I have to reply to Dave because I have done both, the disposable and the Advantix, and the Advantix is definitely bigger than the ones taken with the disposable....which it doesn't mean better. I have actually had to trim the Adv Pan's to fit on albums..