Camera Choosing Help.

[SimonLIU]

Alright, this is going to be my first digital camera and I want to get something that will fit my taste. I'm going to list what I would like in a camera.

Size/Weight: Compact/Ultra-Compact (exilim, sd20)
MegaPixel: 4.0+
LCD: BIG
Price: 200-400
Battery Life: Decent/enough for a day
Picture Quality: Very nice
Movie quality: Very nice
Look of the Camera: Flashy, eye candy, head turner.

I've been looking @ a few camerasm the Exilim Ex-55, Power Shot SD300, SD20,
Panasonic DMC-FX7K. Which one is the Best of those, and also can you tell me if there are better ones out there for me?

[Thon]

You can try the Stylus Verve. Very flashy little unit (many color options) with big LCD but only so-so movies. The Pentax Optio S-series are also flashy flat ones. And the Panasonic FX7 too has a nice LCD too. The Canon SDs have good movies and pics capability, but they are boring and rectangular.

However, before you proceed, what is your main aim?

If being an attention-whore is part of your game, then I'll say get the biggest baddest looking camera out there, not a small one. Try the Panasonic FZs. But if they are too big, then some of the small technicoloured ones are for you. They should be the best flashy eye-candy head turners (FECHTs)that you'll get.

However if taking good pictures is a main priority, then look at the compacts. Once again the Panasonic FZs has some of the best that money can buy, but they are big. Or you can go conventional, and look for the run-of-the-mill silver/gold cameras that takes good everything but they are not the FECHTs types, everyone has them. The Canon A-series is a good example and my C770UZ is also another good example (oh yes, some cameras are available in black too, and they are really very FECHT, and makes you look really really prof.....). And they have better flashes than the ultra-compact FECHTs you listed.

Anyway, that's my opinion and if I were you, I'll have a look at the Canon SDs on your list.

[SimonLIU]

I've come to a conclusion.

It's either the Sony T1, Casil Exilim 55 or the Panasonic 7K.