I may buy a Kodak Z712 IS P&S

[sabbath999]

I am thinking about buying a Kodak Z712 IS P&S camera to add a superzoom P&S to my collection. I can get one new for about $150 bux.

It looks like a good enough camera to let me really explore the "what you can do for $150" type photography, with a superzoom lens.

Image quality is OK (if a bit softer than say my 70-200 f/2.8 VR ) and as long as I keep the ISO at 100 or 64 they don't seem to puke TOO badly.

I want a superzoom for my next "El Cheapo" camera because it will let me shoot the kinds of things that I shoot (basically I shoot long-range stuff a lot).

This D300 and all these fancy fast lenses are cool and all, but sometimes I fell like I need to expand my photography in different directions, by limiting the technical end of it.

How many times do we here "man, you must have a really nice camera..." and I love to reply "Nah, I took it with a $200 point and shoot from WallyWorld".

Most folks, I suppose, will think I am nuts for wanting to shoot with a P&S instead of a fully tricked out pro/prosumer DSLR rig, and I may be.

I also would like a Powershot S5 IS too, but they cost $300+ and that starts to move more into the "nice camera" sort of area.

Am I nuts?

 

[schumionbike]

Hey, I have the Kodaz 710 and I think it work fairly well. I shot picture on D80 before, and on automatic, there is no comparison. That say, the camera does have a manual mode that's fairly convenient to use.
I have shot 400 ISO on it before it turn out to be useable, the noise is noticable but not objectionable as some like to put it. At 64 ISO, the image is completely clean. Shot over 3000 pictures with it, no problem so far.

The main critique for me is the camera is a bit slow, mine take like 5 second turn on and well, everything else is pretty slow.

I think the camera is pretty nice for the price.

So no, I don't think you're nut. If you like, I'll trade my camera for your D300