Novice photographer needs help picking a camera.

[Whyspermoon]

Hi!

For the past 3 (yes, 3) weeks I've been researching cameras. Needless to say it has been SO overwhelming and the process has confused me more than before I even started researching that I finally thought that getting some recommendations on a forum would be the best idea. Hopefully this will help me out!

I currently own a P&S Kodak Easyshare.

I've had it since 2008. I have never been completely satisfied with it. The pictures are grainy and not as sharp as I'd have liked. Especially in low light and indoor photos which I do a lot of. I'm looking to upgrade to a better performing camera.

I really want a camera that will help ease me into photography. At first I thought I was looking for a basic point and shoot, but I really want something with a little more ability to use modes. So I guess one up from a P&S? However, I'm not looking for a SLR or DSLR. They are way to big for me. I'm a new mom and I don't need another pound or more to carry around. I want something that I can still stick in my diaper bag. Below is a list of what I'm looking for in a camera.

-Less than $300
-Less than a pound.
- A camera with several modes for photo customization. However, a nice auto would be good as well for "quick" shots of my baby.
- Quick shutter time. Again, baby issue.
-Face detection
- HD Video. 720 or 1080 is fine.
- At least a 2.5 inch screen.
- Rechargeable battery.
- Least 10 MPs. I'd prefer 12 though.
-Decent, if not good/great for indoor and artificial light photos

Originally, I really liked the Canon PowerShot SX210IS, but the mega pixels and picture taking time really turned me off. It seems to be a really slow camera. However, from the reviews it sounds great. Just not for me. Same goes for the Canon S95. Then I looked at Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX5V for the fast shutter speed, amongst other features, but the picture quality doesn't seem to be as sharp and detailed as I'm looking for. Lastly, I ran across the Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS7 and Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS5, but by then I was totally lost and overwhelmed.

I think I want to go with either a Nikon or Canon since I know they are known for their wonderful cameras, but I didn't come across any that seemed like they would be a good fit for me? I would appreciate any and all help on this issue. Thank you in advance for it!

[eyalg]

I understand your being overwhelmed by the huge number of different models to choose from.

The ZS7 is comparable with the SX210. They are roughly at the same level and provide
the same features (yes, the ZS7 has a GPS, but that's not a key feature).
Your judging of the S95 for its slow responsiveness is accurate.
It's Canon's best camera in terms of image quality, especially in low light situations,
but its shot to shot times are nothing to right home about.

Another good Canon option for low light situations is the SD4000.
It has a short zoom (x4) but delivers in other areas, has 720p and costs $249.
For $300 you can also get Panasonic's touch-screen FX700 or Sony's WX5.
Both the FX700 and WX5 have 1080i videos and 10 frames per second.
All three of them have a larger maximum aperture value than most compact cameras,
allowing more light through the lens, thus allowing higher shutter speeds or lower sensitivities in low light scenes.

[GB1]

I recently looked around at cameras for a friend. He doesn't have the bucks for a full SLR setup, nor the intense desire to learn the domain, but he may want to play around with settings. I looked at the Nikon, I think, L100 and L110. The 110 was totally unimpressive to me ergonomically. The 100 seems overpriced for what you get.

In the end I recommended this one. I have no clue if this is really a good camera, but the reviews were OK:

GE X5 Black Digital Camera 14.1MP 15x Optical 5.7x Digital

[Whyspermoon]

Another good Canon option for low light situations is the SD4000.
It has a short zoom (x4) but delivers in other areas, has 720p and costs $249.
For $300 you can also get Panasonic's touch-screen FX700 or Sony's WX5.
Both the FX700 and WX5 have 1080i videos and 10 frames per second.
All three of them have a larger maximum aperture value than most compact cameras,
allowing more light through the lens, thus allowing higher shutter speeds or lower sensitivities in low light scenes.

Thank you so much for those new recommendations. I'm going to check those out as well. I guess I'll also revisit the Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS7. It seems like a better camera speed wise when compared to Canon's SX210.