what makes a camera better than the other? i just want to buy the best one for the best price not something i will regreat. something along the lines of 150-200
Megapixels should be the last thing you look at. A 5MP shot printed at 16x24 is pretty much indistinguishable to a 13MP 16x24 print.
We can't just tell you what the best camera is in that range. There are ultra-compacts that are very good or maybe you need more zoom. Who knows? Nobody until you give us an idea of what things you are looking for in a camera.
At this price range below $200, you are basically looking at compacts (PS cameras), more megapixels do not equate better photos or a better camera, sometimes on the contrary. Compacts today have loads of functions with many bells and whistles, but they all suffer in low light performance especially in this category. Main reason is the small sensors and small lenses, packing more pixels in a small sensor will decrease dynamic range and increase noise. The advance in image processing engines of these cameras is supposed to improve photo quality and performance, but the manufacturers inevitably cannot resist to keep up with the Jones and squeeze in more MP, thus wiping out whatever gain one may get from the new processing engine. Having more MP will help you if you crop your photos a lot, but make sure you take the photos in low ISO. At high ISO, the photos may look quite horrible with cropping. To visibily see a difference in large print closeup, you need a lot more MP and a much larger sensor, not to mention at a budget that is beyond most nonpro's reach. So I will actually pick a lower MP camera. To me, a better camera should be judged by its ability to capture details, low noise, short lag time, color accuracy, as little aberations as possible. Presence of image stabilization is useful. One of my friend has a Canon PowerShot A590 IS and he has been happy with it. You should go to the CNET best compact camera reviews and try the www.dpreview.com to look and compare the different cameras, to see which one fits your needs.
Excellent advice. With that being said, I don't know what my needs are except that I would like a compact digital camera that takes great shots which I can crop and/or enlarge. I am not a photographer, just a mom who wants to have lots of memories of family and friends. I guess I like knowing that the camera has all those other extras which just about all cameras come with too, without spending more than $300. Any suggestions?
Thank you.
There are some brand new models that are just hitting the shelves or coming that we don't know much/anything about, but this should help you, because big jumps aren't made from the current to the coming cameras.
If you need a large focal range(lots of zoom) then here's a comparison of the best ones.
http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/Q109superzoomgroup/page16.asp
Here's another one, but of the ultra-compact cameras.
http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/Q408premiumgroup/
If you go with any of the top cameras from the comparisons then you'll do just fine.
You must first decide your objective for the camera accomplish. Next, how much money do you want to spend?
Give me some info, and I will be happy to asist you. I'm a retired professional.
Thank you for all the replies.
I was recently shopping for a camera. I take pics of dogs so I wanted something that would take a pic without blurring. I found that the higher meagapixel the better the pic. Most come with a built in flash which is good for inside shots. Go to a store and shop around with a pen and paper to see what they have and compare prices. If you are not in a hurry you can then order one on line. Have fun.Christy
If you want to spend less then $200 then you will short change yourself. You don't need a pro system but you should get a camera that will give you flexability. First, you need nothing more in megapixels then 6. Anything more is only needed if you want huge pictures (50x60 inches). What you do need is a camera with a stability system that will cut down on blurring. You should always have a built in telephoto of at least 6X and better if there is a 10X system. A good flash (built in) is important. A shutter speed of at least 1/500 should exist. Try to get a camera with a viewfinder as well as a LCD screen. Sunlight makes it hard to view an LCD. Also for covenience a camera small enough to fit in your pocket is great. What you need should cost around $350. But you will be happy with this camera for a number of years. Names of such cameras include Canon, Nixon, Panasonic, Toshiba, and Fuji.
John Cip
I have a entry level 6mp digital SLR and I have a 7mp compact camera. The 6mp camera takes far better pictures then the 7mp camera. You may have to pay as much as $450 for the digital SLR, but you would never regret it.
Megapixels is not an issue today, everything above 4 MP is good. I'd go for a compact model that you can slip in your pocket without it bothering you.
But you might also consider if you want to record some occasional video, there are still quality differences for image and sound.
Here is a link to wikipedia. My impression is that the sensor size of a digital camera is more important than the number of pixels:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image_sensor_format
The short explaination is that:
"Because of their larger sensors, DSLRs can generally take high-quality pictures at ISO 1600, 3200, or even higher speeds, while compact cameras tend to produce grainy images even at ISO 400. This problem is exacerbated by pixel count; doubling the number of pixels on the sensor means that each pixel is half the size, and hence noisier."
The larger the sensor size, the closer you get to a 35 millimeter negative size...
Paul
In the sub-$200 level, you are looking at small sensors compacts. As explained previously, more megapixels will lower dynamic range and increase noise at higher ISO. The main advantage for more megapixel is to allow larger print or cropping.
No one will probably listen even though I've had 30 years experience but here goes. You need nothing more then a a 6mgp unit. But what you do NEED to do a great job includes:
Antishake system- to keep the pictures sharp
Telephoto of 10x or better- to get close to your subject
Now if you want a few more things that will make the camera perfect includes, face recognition and a dual viewing system (LCD and viewfinder).
This may cost a bit more but this system will do the job for years. Oh, most of the companies (Canon, Nixon, Fuji, etc.) are great but only if you get what you need.
John Cip
Hi there. I got the Nikon D40 which only has 6MP. I didn't realize that until after I got it. But I suppose I'll be fine with just 6mp. It only has a 3X zoom so I need another lense. I was told to get the 70-300 I believe. I've seen different brands and the price difference is amazing. I can't afford $500+ for a lense so would getting one of the other brands for $200 be a waste? I'm a beginner with SLR's so wanted some input. I do like that I can zoom in further after I've taken the photo, but I can't help think how much more zoom I would have if the lense had more power.
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