Girlfriend wants a digital camera. She likes the Sony cyber shot but when on their website there's so many! We have looked at these models so far:

1) WX300

2) WX80

 

Any opinions? She will be using it to take basic pictures nothing like Howard takes lol, but she still wants good looking pictures.

 

Her requests:

Good quality pics

Charging system for battery

Able to do recording and that be decent

NOT pink! If she had to pick color teal, otherwise black lol

 

Any help I appreciate!

This seems to be a good deal with all the features that you're looking for but it is a Canon. In my opinion, you pay for the Sony name.

 

http://www.amazon.com/Canon-PowerShot-A2500-Stabilized-Black/dp/B00B5HE1SY/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1385934930&sr=8-1&keywords=a2500

.... She will be using it to take basic pictures nothing like Howard takes lol, but she still wants good looking pictures.

 

....

So I can't take basic pictures   Guess I have been slammed

 

But seriously, a bad photographer can take crap with an expensive camera while a good one can do quite well with a very basic camera.  I visited Niagara Falls two summers ago and wile I took a good camera with me I also searched through the junk closet to find an old Kodak Easyshare camera.  I was not about to risk a good camera taking pictures on the Maid of the Mist, the boat that goes right up to the falls where you wear rain gear because of all the spray and splashing.  I got some great pictures with it.  That said,

 

I would urge her to think if she even needs a camera.  What I mean by that is some of the cell phones today take great pictures and you can even add lenses to them.  My daughter bought me a kit (under $100) that had a telephoto, wide-angle and macro lens for my iPhone.  Here is an article that might help the thought process some: http://digital-photography-school.com/does-a-point-shoot-camera-still-make-sense-for-you

 

Aside from that I am not familiar enough with the thousands of point-and-shoot cameras out there.  If she has aspirations of getting more advanced I would suggest one that lets her capture raw images not just jpeg as you can get a lot more out of the camera that way.

 

 

Oh wait, two more points.  Don't pay too much attention to megapixels - that is a marketing ploy.  Actually once you go beyond a point on these small sensors you actually end up with worse image quality with more pixels crammed into the little sensor.  Also forget about digital zoom - it is worthless and offers nothing that you can't do better on the computer after the fact.  The lens is the most important part of the camera, so look for one with a quality lens.  I am sure there are reviews out there.

Yea she does want a camera. She ha a iPhone but hates having to use that she said. She would rather just have a camera and snap photos.

 

Oh wait, two more points.  Don't pay too much attention to megapixels - that is a marketing ploy.  Actually once you go beyond a point on these small sensors you actually end up with worse image quality with more pixels crammed into the little sensor.  Also forget about digital zoom - it is worthless and offers nothing that you can't do better on the computer after the fact.  The lens is the most important part of the camera, so look for one with a quality lens.  I am sure there are reviews out there.

 

+1 to this. 8 - 10 is usually good enough for most prints that the average person would print. (8x10, 8.5x11) You really don't need 500 OMGbrazillion megapixels. And digital zoom... avoid using it. It increases pixelation and destroys sharpness. 

 

While I'm a Nikon DSLR guy... Canon's point and shoots are really good stuff. I really like the S110 and S120, but for bang for your buck... the latest Elphs are great. Have a look at the Elph 130 IS and the Elph 330 HS.

I don't know anything about the Elph, but just got an email from J&R (JR.COM) that they are selling the Elph 330 HS for $129 cyber Monday - I thought I would pass this on, but you might find it even cheaper elsewhere.

I don't know anything about the Elph, but just got an email from J&R (JR.COM) that they are selling the Elph 330 HS for $129 cyber Monday - I thought I would pass this on, but you might find it even cheaper elsewhere.

If it's this one then it looks pretty decent.

http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2417693,00.asp

 

I'm a big fan of Canon's line of cameras.  I shoot with a Rebel T3i and have used many of their ELPH point & shoots...

That is the one.  The only thing I don't like about it from reading the pcmag review above is that it does not have full manual controls.  This maybe a non-issue for your wife, but I really like to have the ability to go into full manual mode when the lighting requires such.  For most users this will likely not be an issue, but just want you to be aware of it.

 

On a side note she will probably love the integrated wifi to be able to post pictures from the camera.

For what it's worth... I always believe that point and shoots were just that. If you want more control over focus, exposure, ISO etc.... you're outgrowing the intent.

 

Usually for the "bells and whistles" on a P&S, you have to step up to the higher dollar range, and at that point you might want to rethink what you want you really want your camera for and how much you're spending... at that point entry-level DSLRs and micro 4/3rds start to look much more attractive since the prices start to converge.

 

(Full disclosure... I'm not sure how I feel about the Micro 4/3rds format. With a DSLR, the 2 things that make them better is the (physically) larger image sensor and the suite of lenses. In the M4/3... the image sensor is smallish... like a P&S.... and while you get the ability to change lenses, you still have to carry them around like you would with a DSLR. The size savings almost becomes moot, since you're carrying around accessories anyway.)

Valid points.  I just like manual as I don't like to figure out what the little scene mode icons are trying to tell me   You are right though that most people that use a P&S will never go into manual mode, but why not offer it as the camera already does all that stuff.  That is what I liked about the old Kodak Easyshare camera I took to the falls - it let me take full control.

 

Bottom line the camera in question sounds like a good value and I am sure it can provide good images.

Good recording too?

The video is good. It's not cinema quality or anything... but almost everything now shoots in some form of HD (720, 1080) and it's certainly adequate enough for most of my needs. 

 

Howard... you're 100% correct. Some of the "older" cameras did allow for more manual control, and even some of the DSLRs and falling into the same trap... presets out the wazoo! To be fair... most of these P&S cameras at least allow you to play with the more important functions (ISO, Exposure to some degree, etc.), though they may make you dig deep into the menus to get there.

 

Re: scene modes... I hate them too! But... now the manufacturers would rather just assume that their primary audience knows nothing about cameras/photography and they make the choices for you. (Boo!) 

 

I just remembered this website I used to frequent in the past.... TONS of information and reviews...

Digital Photography Review: http://www.dpreview.com/

Yup Dpreview is a good source of info.  The other thing I hate with almost all these cameras is you have to sight everything through the digital screen on the back, they lack a viewfinder.  Call me a dinosaur, but I like to use a viewfinder.  I almost never use Liveview on any of my cameras either.

Bring back the viewfinder!  Should we start a campaign? 

 

It always cracked me up how on most Micro 4/3rds cameras... you can add a viewfinder using the hot shoe. If you know that people are gonna want the viewfinder... build it into the body!  (Too much engineer/designer input, and not enough actual "photographer" input.)