Searching for a new camera...

[broksgurl717]

Budget

I'd really only like to spend up to $800 for a new camera, but if it's something that'll last me for a long time I'd spend more.

Size

the size of it doesn't really matter

Features

I want something that's 7 megapixels or more with good quality as well as fairly decent zoom (without loosing too much quality while using zoom).


General Usage

The next time I'll need use of the camera for a specific purpose is for a Convention that I'll be going to. The lighting usually isn't the greatest in the convention center and sometimes there's too much light on the people on stage. A lot of the time we're seated at a decent distance from the stage, so I'd like to be able to have something with a zoom that can get good shots from some distance.

I also travel a lot, and I'd like something that's good with action shots as well. While you're traveling along in a bus or car it's sometimes difficult to get decent shots of things as you go by.

Miscellaneous
I've been looking and comparing quite a few different cameras, but I'm still uncertain as to what I should get. Right now I have a few different Kodak camera's. One's just a simple point and shoot and the other is a z740, which I originally bought because of the zoom, but I want something that takes better quality pictures than just that one does at 5 megapixels.

[bascom]

5 mp is enough for good quality. Fuji S6000 has zoom and it's high ISO would help with low light at the Convention but it's big and heavy. The new Olympus SP500 sounds promising. Canon A630, A710, and S3 are good all-around. Sony H2 is another good ultrazoom.