Need advice please

[amybell]

Budget

* What budget have you allocated for buying this camera? Please be as specific as possible.
As close to $200 as possible

Size

* What size camera are you looking for? Or does size not matter at all to you?
Doesn’t matter

Features

How many megapixels will suffice for you?
10

* What optical zoom will you need? (None, Standard = 3x-4x, Ultrazoom = 10x-12x, Other - Specify)
ultrazoom

* How important is “image quality” to you? (Rate using a scale of 1-10)
10

Do you care for manual controls?
I like easy but I am willing to learn

General Usage

* What will you generally use the camera for?
Family, kids playing football, basketball etc. (clear close shots from the stands)

* Will you be making big prints of your photos or not?
no

Will you be shooting a lot of indoor photos or low light photos?
Yes

Will you be shooting sports and/or action photos?
yes

Miscellaneous

Are there particular brands you like or hate?
I'm open to anything

Are there particular models you already have in mind?
Canon SX110-IS
Panasonic TZ5
I do not want to have to wait a long time between shots

(If applicable) Do you need any of the following special features? (Wide Angle, Image Stabilization, Weatherproof, Hotshoe, Rotating LCD)
Image stabilization for sure

[jekostas]

You need to change your expectations. The camera you want doesn't exist.
Ultrazooms are notoriously bad low-light cameras, and compact ultrazoom cameras are going to be worse, much less finding one for less than $200.


For your requirements, you really need a dSLR. Action shots in low-light areas (gymnasiums) are some of the most challenging shots for a camera, and budget compacts simply aren't going to cut it.

[Dark Cobra]

I'd have to echo what jekostas said as well. There are no $200 big zoom, excellent image quality, fast action, low light compacts. Unless you're willing to migrate to a used DSLR or you're willing to raise your budget and consider two cameras (compacts) instead of one, you are just not going to accomplish what you are trying to accomplish.

The DSLR compromise will be size and weight for sure which may limit how often you carry it around. Perhaps a Fuji compact for a low light and a Pany TZ5 compact for more zoom work. Even at that there will be compromises. Either way $200 isn't going to get you much I'm afraid but you should start somewhere and for that amount a camera meeting some of your goals can be achieved for a start.

Many of us have more than one camera for different missions. You are trying to find one ring to rule all others and sadly all that gets you is a single camera stretched in compromises that do none of what you are looking for particularly well.

[AndyfromVA]

I agree with what's been said by the others. The key is to prioritize your needs and go for the camera that meets your highest priority needs.