Good easy camera for beginners

[Kris]

Although I have had experience with SLR. I have no idea what digital camera to buy. I will be shooting pictures for a website, so don't need to print anything. I just need a no-brainer / point and shoot.... that will take great thumbnails and enlarge to sharp images online.
I recently bought a Pentax Optio30 but don't understand the manual and it eats batteries.... so it's going back. My price range is under $200 for a decent beginners digital camera. Any advise would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks

[PhilR.]

The Optio 30 is about as beginner as it gets, and is in fact designed with the beginner in mind. Therefore, if you don't understand the manual, then you will most likely not be able to understand the manual of any other digital camera. You should consider going through some of the online digital photography tutorials before taking it back.

As for eating batteries - that is why they make rechargeables......

PhilR.

[Newbie]

I can't say anything about the Optio 30 since I have no knowledge whatsoever about it, so I will believe Phil and won't suggest a camera until you give that camera another try.

As for the batteries, I suggest you buy rechargeable NiMH batteries, the higher the mAh rating, the better, but don't spend A LOT for 100 more mAh, its not worth it(it is worth it if u spend a bit tho)... I'd suggest something like 2300mAh and higher, but as long as its 2000 mAh it should be okay. As for the charger, I'd suggest you get either the Maha C204W, Maha C401FS or the Lightning Pack 4000N. All these 3 chargers are known to be excellent, I personally own the C204W with Powerex 2300mAh batteries and while the alkaline batteries that came with my A95 lasted only 40-50 shots, the NiMH batteries last over 300 shots!!!

[D70FAN]

Although I have had experience with SLR. I have no idea what digital camera to buy. I will be shooting pictures for a website, so don't need to print anything. I just need a no-brainer / point and shoot.... that will take great thumbnails and enlarge to sharp images online.
I recently bought a Pentax Optio30 but don't understand the manual and it eats batteries.... so it's going back. My price range is under $200 for a decent beginners digital camera. Any advise would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks

You might find the Canon A75 more to your liking. Even if you keep the Optio 30, you definately need to invest in some NiMH rechagable batteries and a charger, as it sounds like you are using AA alkalines. Not a good idea.

[Kris]

Thanks Phil. While I agree that the camera is for beginners - it also has allot of features that I simply don't get and that for me, are confusing in that they are complicating my needing to learn the basic "point and shoot" operations of the camera. Although learning about digital photography is absolutely a great idea that will likely clarify some things (and I do plan on doing just that) I feel that despite how the camera is positioned and advertised in the market - it's not what I expected in terms of novice understandabilty. My husband, who is a bit more technically saavy than I am, is having difficulty wading through the various menus and features - and says the manual is horrendous in its layout and explanation. I think the point of well, a point and shoot camera, in part has to be its intuitiveness and the Optio just doesn't seem to be very intuitive. Maybe we're both missing something. My husband said he was going to give the manual one more try (to search for an auto mode that may override all the bells and whistles). Finally - although I do disagree with you about the manual - good technical documentation is an art and for it's beginner status - Pentax missed the boat - I do appreciate your quick response and help. ...And if you know how to set the camera on "all auto" - or know of an even easier camera to use - please feel free to let me know :)

[Newbie]

Excuse me for my ignore of your camera, but what George said is very true... I personally own the A95 which is very similar to the A75 and its VERY easy to just set the camera to start taking pictures.

You set the camera to Auto and all you have to do is zoom and press the shutter. Or you can go into P mode and set the ISO, zoom and press the shutter. Of course you can also set the white balance, the size of the picture and many other things, but as a beginer you can just learn slowly and still take great pictures. That's what I love so much of this camera, its so easy to use for a total beginer and it has many manual controls for a more experienced photograph.

[D70FAN]

Thanks Phil. While I agree that the camera is for beginners - it also has allot of features that I simply don't get and that for me, are confusing in that they are complicating my needing to learn the basic "point and shoot" operations of the camera. Although learning about digital photography is absolutely a great idea that will likely clarify some things (and I do plan on doing just that) I feel that despite how the camera is positioned and advertised in the market - it's not what I expected in terms of novice understandabilty. My husband, who is a bit more technically saavy than I am, is having difficulty wading through the various menus and features - and says the manual is horrendous in its layout and explanation. I think the point of well, a point and shoot camera, in part has to be its intuitiveness and the Optio just doesn't seem to be very intuitive. Maybe we're both missing something. My husband said he was going to give the manual one more try (to search for an auto mode that may override all the bells and whistles). Finally - although I do disagree with you about the manual - good technical documentation is an art and for it's beginner status - Pentax missed the boat - I do appreciate your quick response and help. ...And if you know how to set the camera on "all auto" - or know of an even easier camera to use - please feel free to let me know :)

You may find this review handy, as it details the controls better than the manual:

http://www.steves-digicams.com/2004_reviews/optio30.html

This is true for Jeffs reviews on this site as well, but Jeff didn't review the Optio 30.

[s5pitfire]

I highly recommend the Powershot A75. I got mine at wal-mart for $189, so it's not very expensive compared to other good cameras. it is a point and shoot, and also has lots of manual features for when you get more advanced. i was going to get a kodak easyshare instead of this but those reek.