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Reuben
05-12-2005, 07:32 PM
Background
I haven't had a lot of experience with photography, did a rudimentry course while at university, but that was years ago. I am certainly interested in learning more though.
I own a non-digital point-and-shoot Pentax which is great, but I want to buy a digital to use for my freelance web design. I think that it will also replace the Pentax, since being able to see pics as we take them, and not having to wait to develop is a big draw-card for both myself and my wife. Thus pocket size will be an advantage.

Budget
I'd prefer to spend around $300-$400, but I could go as high as $600

Size
Something to fit in a jacket pocket would be advantageous, though willing to sacrifice on size if I need to.

Features
Somewhere between 5 - 7 megapixels.
Something over 3x zoom I think.

Do you care for manual controls?
I don't really need them so much at my level, though I could certainly grow into them.

General Usage
I need something that can take extreme closeups, as well as very distant shots. I'll work a lot in low-light conditions. People/landscape/still-life. So pretty much everything. :-/

Will you be making big prints of your photos or not?
Probably. While most of my work is web design, I do anticipate making large prints from time to time.

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

Will you be shooting sports and/or action photos?
Yes.

Are there particular brands you like or hate?
I love Pentax and Nikon. I'm also partial to Sony, Panasonic and Canon.

Are there particular models you already have in mind?
I've been looking around only for a short while. But the guys that have caught my attention thus far are the Sony Cybershot DSC-P150, and the Pentax Optio 750Z.

All and any and every piece of advice is welcome. Thanks in advance!

PhilR.
05-12-2005, 07:39 PM
Since you will be shooting a lot of indoor and low light pics, the Pentax would be the better choice. It's flash range is 50% more than that of the Sony.

PhiR.

Reuben
05-12-2005, 07:50 PM
Thanks Phil, I'll keep that in mind.

Just read the review on the Panasonic Lumix DMC-LZ1/LZ2. Was particularly impressed by the image stabilisation.

I hear that camera shake is emphasized on the cybershots due to the physical design. I was attracted to them because of the great reviews, but if the flash is not so good and shake is big, should I forget about em?

Rex914
05-12-2005, 08:10 PM
I would double check several reviews on the 750Z (the one on this site, DP Review, etc.). Despite the fact that it has an AF assist lamp and the hybrid autofocus sensor, Jeff specifically noted that it had trouble focusing in low light.

dman081
05-13-2005, 07:51 AM
I had trouble with a Cybershot P100 in keeping it still for low light pics. Could have been a combination of things, but I'd bet the camera shape/design was a leading cause.

Reuben
05-14-2005, 12:12 PM
Thanks guys. Rex, I guess I'll just have to avoid low-light as much as possible...

As far as my research has shown, there will always be something wrong with every camera I look at. So I'm going to bite the bullet and buy something, too impatient to start snapping!

:)

Anybody want to add anything before I run down to the store and test drive these two cameras?
(Sony Cybershot DSC-P200 and Pentax Optio 750Z)