Tell me how much you love your camera!

[My<3BelongsToMickey]

Because I hate mine!

Hi everyone! I am in the market for a new camera... I'm not looking to get too fancy, I'm really just looking for a quality point and shoot. I was debating whether or not to just invest in a larger, higher quality DSLR camera and start making it more of a hobby, but I'm not sure I'm ready to take the leap yet. And in the mean time, I just need a good camera.

Currently, I have Canon PowerShot SD750, from 2008 I believe. It had excellent consumer reviews at the time, but I hate it. It takes awful night-time photos (I realize this is a phenomenon that not everyone/ camera can master, and I admit I am no camera genius, but I'm no novice either.) And it also has begun to take blurry pictures, despite my steady, 23-year old hand.

I feel like just about everyone swears by Canon, and if you are one of those people, convince me not to jump ship and head to Nikon or something.

Even better, if you have any models you would suggest, I'd appreciate it!

 

[graceesmom]

For a pocket size point and shoot, I love my Panasonic Lumix. I purchased it after a recommendation from a professional photograher. Per the expert, it has the best lens of any small point and shoot. Since the, my father, my neighbor, my neighbor's mom and 2 co-workers have also purchased it. It takes great pictures (including night time portraits).

The key to a night time landscape picture though is a tri-pod. No camera, even with stability control can take a great night time picture unless you either put the camera on a tripod or place it on something steady. The shutter stays open for a long time on a night time landscape picture. The human hand just has too much shake.

I purchased the Canon Rebel T1i during the last year and have started trying to learn more and more. I love this camerea too, but it is a much bigger investment than the Panasonic.

If you want something in between Nikon makes a good SLR alternative. It's the Nikon Coolpix L120. If they've come out with a newer one it would still be in that series, like L122 or L130 or something like that.

 

[Jacquaman]

We have a Power Shot S95 and a Rebel XS. With all of the adjustments of the XS available on the S95, it does a great job at believing that it is a DSLR. You can be as creavite as you like. And it has a great lens for a point and shoot (6.0 (W)-22.5mm (T) f/2.0-4.9), so it can use a relatively fast appeture. This will help with the blurry pictures a bit. The fact that the camera is small in size will continue to work against you however. One last bit is that the camera feels in you hand a bit like a prize from a box of Super Golden Crisp. For the price, I woul have added some lead weights to give it some heft. But I do often lose it in my pocket as it is light weight never reminds me that it is there.

As to the DSLR, I got the XS bas model to try it out and I love it! But these cameras are all about the lens (glass in photog parlence) so that's where my money goes for now. My current fav is a 50mm f/1.4, which is rather quick. I'd just renting a body and a lens or two for the weekend (there are a few sites that do this) and see how you like it. You might convert yourself!