A710A or...

[chamlin]

Just picked up a Canon A710A for $239 (our first digital camera). Have 2 weeks to experiment with it/to decide. So many other options. Thanks for helping...

Budget: $250 to $400

Size: Mid-sized, easy to hold

Megapixels: Not sure. My wife takes photos of plants and animals and I know I'd like to enlarge them to at least 11x14. Optionally, I'd like to blow them up BIG, maybe for 24x36 canvas photos. Not sure about that though.

Optical zoom: At least 6x, more would be nice.

Image quality: 10

Manual controls: Not really. She shoots in Automatic modes.

What will you generally use the camera for? Plants, animals, family photos (concerned about the A710's "red eye" problem.)

Photo enlarging: Yes. 11x14, maybe much bigger.

Will you be shooting a lot of indoor photos or low light photos? Not a lot.

Will you be shooting sports and/or action photos? Not as a mainstay.

Brands you like or hate? Feel open to Canon, Panasonic, Nikon, Fuji, maybe more. Not interested in HP, Kodak, Sony.

Are there particular models you already have in mind? A710, (more pixels, more zoom), S4??? A820??

Other special features?
Image Stabilization — Yes, Yes, Yes
Rotating LCD — Optional...would be nice

[bascom]

"(concerned about the A710's "red eye" problem.)"

I'd say wait for an S4 or A720 that will have red-eye removal.

[chamlin]

"(concerned about the A710's "red eye" problem.)"

I'd say wait for an S4 or A720 that will have red-eye removal.
That's what I'm thinking. The more we play with the A710 the more we realize that more zoom would be nice.

Is there word out on when either of those will hit? It looks like the S3 came out 2/06 and the A700 (2/06), A710 (8/06).