Digi idiot needs yr help!!!

[agave]

Hi, I'm a first timer here! I love taking photos, and would want to print all good ones to at least normal photo size!

Budget

* What budget have you allocated for buying this camera? Please be as specific as possible.

Up to about $450 Australian dollars which is abt US$375

Size

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

Not too huge but I don't need something teeny either

Features

How many megapixels will suffice for you?

3-4-5

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

I want a decent zoom but won't be doing things like bird watching. I'd say about 8-10x

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

Most important for sure. I'd say 9-10

Do you care for manual controls?

Some degree of manual-ness , but mainly for experimenting.

General Usage

* What will you generally use the camera for?

Indoor, outdoor, night-time, kids in action, scenery

* Will you be making big prints of your photos or not?

Good shots may be printed up to A4 size

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

Probably yes

Will you be shooting sports and/or action photos?

Kiddie action only

Miscellaneous

Are there particular brands you like or hate?

I'm leaning towards an Olympus

Are there particular models you already have in mind?

Olympus C760/765 but concerned about low light issue.

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

Don't need but will accept!

Thank you SO much to anyone who can advise!!!!

[ProblemSolver]

I would recommend the Canon Powershot S1 IS. It has 3.2 megapixels, 10x optical zoom and has image stabilization.

[agave]

Thanx for the hint ;) . I have had a quick read of the reviews which seem very positive.

A question though if I can...this camera seems to have a bit of the same issue as the Oly C765 etc about focusing in low light situations. Do you have a view on how much of a problem this is, and how low light are we talking IYKWIM?!

Thanx again

[DiJ]

Its very diffficult to have everything for this price. If you want a fast camera with fast focus, shutter, shot to shot. Get a sony. The W5 is quite fast. If image quality is important to you I would recommend a canon. Most of them are quite noise free and detailed for their megapixel count. S1IS is a good choice You should be aware that the pictures are a little softer than most other canons (As are most long zooms at this price range). Printing sharp A4 would be stretching it a little. I have no experience with C760/C765. You can check out the reviews and samples here or at steves-digicams.com you be the judge.

If you can settle for a lesser zoom,(For the type of photography you will be doing, a lesser zoom should be fine) take a look at Canon A95 or A80 if you can still get one. They have full range of manual control, custom modes and takes very good quality photos for the price. Also take a look at G6, G5, pro1 they offer longer zoom, better resolution, similar picture quality. You can also see some of the pictures I taken in the link below. Good luck!

[Digideb]

I'm still just a newbie, but I've been on this forum for a couple of months. I bought my 2nd digicam through this site, an Olympus C-60. I looked at the C-765 & was tempted, but wanted the sliding lens cover for sturdiness & outdoor use. A friend of mine is just learning to use her C-765 & likes it so far.
I'm still learning & I haven't tried out other cameras, but from what I've been reading on this forum, I get the impression that problems with low-light performance is somewhat inherent in digicams of all kinds. Maybe someone with more experience will reply & elaborate on that.
Even though my 1st digicam was also an Oly (D-390) I strongly considered a Sony W-1 & Canon S60 in my final decision. One thing to bear in mind while reading opinions on cameras is that many people are fiercely "brand loyal". So, you have to "read between the lines" & decide what digicam is best for your needs. ;)