Canon SD300 or Canon Powershot A85

[CameraNewbie]

SD300 is sooooooooo tiny, omg! That is the biggest asset it has, and if I get that, it would be the size!!!

But what are the pros and cons of each the SD300 and A85, which would you choose and why.

THanks

[Thalas'shaya]

for me, a person who self-admittedly can lose her keys in the parking lot while walking from her car to her office door, AA batteries are an ABSOLUTE requirement. i don't want to land in maui ready to take pictures, only to find that i forgot my spare proprietary li-ion battery, or my camera charger thingy, which is also proprietary, either of which requires a trip to a big-box store and carries around a $50 price tag. my lifestyle and (dis)organization scheme are such that i have to have a camera that uses AA batteries i can pick up at any kwik-e-mart anywhere in the world.

second, tiny size is actually a "con" for me, rather than a "pro". i'm a big person, i have big hands, and big fingers. i need to be able to conveniently get to all the buttons without accidentally hitting the wrong thing, and i need a larger LCD screen so i can clearely see what i've selected in menus. the other reason super-compact doesn't work for me is that i would very easily put it in my pants pocket (how convenient!) then promptly forget it was there, sit on it, and break it. so i needed a camera that was large enough to demand respectful treatment from me, and large enough to remind me that it was there. :)

obviously, these are my personal considerations, and your mileage may vary. i firmly recommend you go into a store and pick up both cameras and see how they feel in your hand. if all other features are about equal, that can help you make a decision, even if you don't buy from the store you browse in.

[CameraNewbie]

I like the S300 all metal body vs the A85 plastic.

I like the big screen of the S300 over A85.

I like how A85 uses batteries, but again how needed is this really when you will be charging everynight. Plus its not like AA batteries are all that cheap these days. That is why the SD300 was able to be made so small, cuz of the inability to use AA's. If you will never use AA's, it is just extra luggage in the size compartment not needed. But again the high price tag for the compact size of Sd300.