Camera for a beginner?

[jumper]

Hey all,
I'm going to Europe next April/May and don't have a digital camera.
I need some help on which one would be a good camera to take with me. Any suggestions?
I don't want one that is too big, just something I could maybe carry around in my daybag. I also don't want something to expensive - somewhere between $1-250.

Plus can you fill me in on memory cards, would I need to upgrade and get a big one for the amount of pics I'll be taking? What about batteries and charging it?
I know this will cost extra as well, but I figure whats a few more dollars to spend when I will have the memories that are going to be priceless.

Any info would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
JR

[Eagle]

jumper, first of all, welcome to the Board! With regard to your Digital Camera questions, it's difficult to recommend a specific Camera as everyone's preferences are different. You would probably be able to obtain a lot of good information by reading some of the previous posts in this section of the Board.

IMHO you might have to budget a bit more for your Camera purchase, as you'll need to buy Memory Cards, extra Batteries and a reasonably good Case is advisable as well. I'm most familiar with the Canon line of Cameras, so that's what I tend to recommend.

It would help to know what type of Camera you're considering? From the brief description in your Post, it sounds like you might want a small "point & shoot" model, something like the Canon S-60/70/80, SD-550, A-XXX series or whatever. A Camera such as the S2-IS provides a lot more capability in a small package, but it's well above the budget amount you wanted to spend. Most of these have a somewhat limited 3x optical zoom (often with some degree of digital zoom which is a bit of a gimmick). The exception to this is the S2-IS which has a 12x optical zoom, with image stabiization! Some have a good range of both auto and manual controls as well. As you become more familiar with the Camera, you might appreciate having a greater range of controls to change aperture, shutter or exposure settings.

As far as battery charging, most of the Canon models are provided with a "world charger" which operates on 100-240 VAC, 50/60 Hz, so you won't have a problem using this in Europe. You will need Plug Adapters though (very inexpensive, check your local Radio Shack store). When you buy the Camera, you will have to verify that the Charger has this capability. Don't be too concerned about which type of batteries are used in the Camera. They will either be rechargeable AA batteries or the "proprietary" Lithium-Ion. My Camera uses Li-Ion and these have worked well so far.

You might want to start by visiting your local Camera / Electronic stores and look at the various Cameras. Don't be in a hurry to buy, and don't be "badgered" into buying a Camera until you've had time to evaluate the different models. Keep in mind that some of the "sales associates" are on commission, and they don't really care if you get the best Camera for your needs - they just want the sale! Once you've narrowed down a few models that might be suitable, check the reviews and forums at www.dpreview.com or www.steves-digicams.com to find out how the Cameras you're considering have fared under professional scrutiny.

The small P&S Cameras are easy to carry, but they do have limitations, so give that some thought. Whichever Camera you buy, make sure you become thoroughly familiar with it BEFORE you leave on your trip. There is a bit of a learning curve - read the Manual! Also, give some thought on how you're going to store the images once your Memory Cards are full (again, lots of information has already been posted here on that topic).

Hope this has been some help. Good luck with your Camera purchase (BTW, Christmas is coming - maybe you can convince family members to give you an extravagant gift, or at least some of the accessories for the Camera).

Cheers!!!

[Jules80]

i have a preference for nikons, but that's just me. everyone likes different things. i would recommend going with a camera brand for your digital and not something else (hp, kodak etc). also, a 7 megapixel camera is fairly unnecessary. 3 or 4 megs will be plenty for what you want to do (and these tend to be less expensive). also the higher the megs, the less pics will fit on a memory card. i have 2.2 meg nikon (which is old now but i love cause it takes amazing pics) and so a 512mg card was enough. but it all depends on how picture-happy you are and what resolution your pics are and how long you go for.
hope this helps
jules

[jumper]

Eagle and Jules -
Thanks for you info. I still have some research to do. I'm going to visit some camera stores so I can get a first hand look at some. I plan on taking quite a bit of pictures - I want to have many memories from this trip so I might look at getting a higher meg card.
But thanks again for your help. I am going to take a look at the cannon cameras as well as some others.
I'll let you guys know once I come to a decision.

Jumper

[dumbdiety]

I've had good luck with the HP Cameras. Pretty cheap, fast start up time. Just make sure to get some memory cards for it! Get enough, no need to dump them somewhere!