Need some camera advice

[Summit]

Hi guys,

I'm in desperate need of help in deciding between which camera i should consider buying. The cameras that i'm deciding between are all in the $500-$600 range (canadian). I'm by no means a pro, so please don't flame me...I'm looking for somthing compact, but advanced enough to allow me to grow from my current camera, a costco sale special. So the cameras i'm looking at are the Samsung NV10, the Samsung NV7 OPS, the Panasonic Lumix DMC LX2, and the Canon Powershot S3 IS. Basically, i'm looking to get more into digital photography, so this camera will be used for casual pics with friends (small is good), as well as more pro-like pictures or scenery, cars, and stuff. So if you can recomend any of these cameras or have any grudges against any, i'd really like to know what you think.

Thanks for any advice

 

[Big Mike]

Welcome to the forum. I have a grudge against all those cameras for the simple reason that they all have very small sensors and built-in lenses. If you really want to allow your gear to grow with your knowledge of photography...then an SLR camera is really the way to go. Unfortunately, they are not so compact and can be expensive. You might be able to get a Canon Rebel XT with kit lens for $900 or around there. I know it's more than your budget...but it will be 10 times better than any of the ones you listed. And you will have the option to upgrade the lens at any time you can afford it.

That being said, The Canon S3IS should be pretty good for a digicam...and Panasonic is supposed to be OK. I don't know much about Samsung cameras.

 

[fightheheathens]

I agree with big mike.
and as someone who sells cameras the canon is by far the best of the ones you listed.

 

[oldnavy170]

I own a Canon S2 IS and I love it. It does what you are looking for. It has manual modes but also has auto modes for those casual photos. I love my Canon!!!!!!!!!

 

[Summit]

ya, i went back to the store today and played around with the Canon S3IS. Its a really nice camera, but i find myself awkwardly in between something like the canon s3 and spending a few hundred more on the Nikon D50. In reality, the d50 is farrrr beyond anything i need right now, but i just don't want to find myself wanting a camera more powerful than the s3 in the near future. The other thing is that the portability of the slr's and the slr-like cameras kinda turns me off, thats why i was interested in more of the compact cameras at first. Any opinions on cheap slr-like cameras like the kodaks and the fujifilm's?

 

[craig]

Consider that any thing will be better then the Costco sale special. One thought is to buy a 2-3 hundred dollar camera and put the rest toward a more expensive one. I have a Nikon coolpix 5200 and it is great. I also have a D200. Point is that cameras in 5 to 6 range may not be a good buy. At this moment in time I see a line between digi cam and DSLR. The 800 to 2000 range is certainly pricey but generally buys a lot of camera.

Of course a film camera will be your best buy. That is a whole other story.