Another one of those "what should I buy?" threads

[andrgo]

Hey everyone,

My name is Andrew and I am 18. I have been into digital photography now since I was about 13. Unfortunately I lost about 2,000 photos when some 'moron' (for lack of profane words) decided to hack into my computer.

The most recent camera I use is a Sony P52 that I got in October 2003. It's been a great camera and I have taken great care of it but it's no longer giving me the same results everyone else has.

Here's an example of the quality it takes (and I have the settings maxed out):
Link

The Sony P52 also has no up-close or 'macro' mode. Besides digital photography, I am also a coin collector, it really bugs me that I can't get a nice picture of a coin up close, the camera just can't focus like that.

I guess I want a camera that's $400 or less (preferably less since I'm on a budget) but I also want something from a reliable name brand: Canon, Sony, Nikon. Not some random brand that no one's ever heard of.

I want to be able to take high-resolution photos (1600x1200+) that will still be quality, not blurry or kind of distorted looking. I think my camera has fallen into the 'obsolete' category, I need advice on something new.

Thank you in advance,
Andrew

[zrfraser]

The Sony H2 just recently had a small price drop. I have seen it as low as 329.00 from reputable stores. I'm pretty sure it has a macro mode, and it also have a very nice zoom, and super steady shot. You can also get a Canon S2 IS for about the same price. The sony just has 1 more megapixel which is the only real difference. I believe either one of these will work great for you.

Z

[andrgo]

What do you think about the H5? Will I gain much by moving to the H5 instead of getting the H2?