Dang! I dropped my camera!

[Podunkfla]

Wow! Thanks for all the tips! I'm going to sit down tonight and wade through it all.

Has anyone had any experience with the Fujifil FinePix s5200 ?
consumer reports seems to like it but I don't know of anyone with any knowledge of it.

Dakotamouse... Funny you should mention the Fujifil FinePix s5200... I was just having coffee with a buddy that was showing me his new one. Seems like a fine little camera. I really like the shape and handle of it. About the only negative I can see is that it uses 4 AA rechargable batteries? For a camera in the $350. price range I would think it should come with a lithium-ion battery rather than having to deal with AA's... These things do eat batteries bigtime.

[caseydog]

I'm shoot Nikon professionally, but I like Canon's pocket cameras better than Nikon's (don't tell Nikon I said that).

Olympus has always had good cameras, too. My mom and sister both have Olympus digital cameras, and are both happy with them.

BTW, dpreview.com really is a good source of information. Try out there "compare" feature.

I don't know that I'd mess with repairing the old Kodak. There's too much plastic in these types of cameras, so who knows how much is wrong inside. Plus, if it is more than two years old, it is just about obsolete.

CD

[WarPony]

DakotaMouse, I have a Fuji S5000 which I bought in 2004 and it still works great!! Don't worry about the 5200 using 4 AA's because that's what mine uses and they last quite awhile. That's one of the selling points I liked because most all the camping gear I have uses AA's so I don't have to buy any special batteries. The only thing that I don't like is that it is rather bulky. It takes up alot of space in my backpack when hiking because I bought a waterproof Pelican case to carry it in so it doesn't get busted up or wet when I take it on caneo trips, also.

I was so impressed with Fuji's products I bought an A400 a couple of weeks ago and love it, too!!!!! It'll be my backpacking camera when we go on vacation in a few weeks and I paid $100 for it!! I bought mine at www.wolfes.com . I went to the actual store because it is here in Topeka and they pretty much match Best Buy's price but at least if you ask the guy at Wolfes, he'll know more about the camera than Bobby Pimpleface
will. For another $30 I got a soft camera case, a 128MP card and a NiMH charger with batteries!! It was a no-brainer.............


Oh, one thing about looking at the zoom properties of a digital camera, look at the "optical zoom" power not the total zoom. There's "optical" and "digital" zoom. The camera companies will multiply the optical by the digital to come up with their "total". It's kind of a play on numbers.

If I told this wrong, please beat me up on it.

Jeff

[Lesbest]

I have an Exacta Varex IIa and some lenses -- no batteries, no auto focus, no shutter priority, it weighs about 4.5 lbs. and takes great pictures- when I get the film developed, but its bulky, heavy akward and if you forget you settins the pictures prove it.

The new digitals are amazing. I have a Canon Sure Shot A540 and what a difference technoligy has made. The picture you showed is beautiful and looks like a winner. If you like it you can't lose.

Sorry about the Kodak.
Les

[Podunkfla]

If I was going to buy a pocket camera today... I'd prolly go for the Canon's Digital ELPH SD40. It has 7.1 megapixels of resolution, a Lithium-ion Rechargeable battery, a color-keyed, durable stainless steel body and 2.4x optical zoom. And... It's a cute little bitty thing!
I have a friend who has one, and I love it.



http://www.steves-digicams.com/2006_reviews/sd40.html

[Alfred]

Wow! I feel your pain. About a year ago I managed to run my old Olympus digital over with the minivan (Set it down to help one of the kids and forgot about it). The minivan did it in, despite it is supposed to be shock resistant! <Grin> Doh!

In my opinion it is not worth that kind of money to repair an obsolete camera. There is a good argument to go with a new Kodak, since you already have experience with that product. My wife has an EZshare and likes it. Myself, I really like the Olympus cameras. Both the old one and the one I bought to replace it sell for about $149. They are simple to use and take a good picture. I have always liked Olympus, all the way back to my old 35mm OM-2 days.

Hang in there! Too bad life doesn't have a rewind button!

AL.

[Lynn Coleman]

My original digital is a Canon S10 still works well. Solid camera takes a licking and keeps on picing. Sorry all those Timex commerials rolled back through my mind. Downfall of this camera is it goes through batteries way too soon.

I love my Nikon D50 and if I can afford it some day I'll be buying a rather pricey Nikon. But even the basic Nikon SLR is above your price requirements. I love that the battery lasts and lasts in this camera.

I also was given a Kodak Easy Share V530 and I am quite happy with it. It's not a bad little camera but I don't believe it has 10X zoom. I'm not sure what zoom range it does have. I generally use it for wide angle shots when I need to get the whole area feel of a place. It also has great battery life.

Lynn

[ssrjim]

look at a Nikon P5000, very nice and your range if you buy online.