camera suggestions?

My wife and I each take a Panasonic DMC-ZS1. It has excellent lenses, very good telephoto and comes with its own battery charger and cords. When we return we select about a tenth of the pictures we have taken for printing to 8 1/2 by 11. and these realy turn out well. This is an easy to use for someone like me who isn't very conversant in photography. You will probably get quite a few responses. Others have favorite cameras too.

I love my Canon PowerShot SD1200 IS Digital Elph. I just printed up some pictures at 8x8 in a photo book and they look great. Takes good shots in low light and is easily set to automatic and no flash (my usual settings), and also takes short videos. Well under $200 when I got it 3 years ago, and small enough to fit in a pocket.

First off, most camera do not take quality night pictures. If you are doing much night photography you need specialized equipment, especially a tripod. That being said, you sound like a Point and Shoot type of camera person. Hit the library and check the Consumer Report on digit cameras. Any of their recommended P&S cameras would work for you. Because of damage to my prior camera, I recently purchased a Canon PowerShot SX160 IS. On line it was $149. It is a step up from a P&S with excellent performance. However, a primary reason for that particular model was the battery arrangement. It takes standard AA batteries so you don't have to worry about charger, cords, special batteries etc. It is a bit bulkier because of the battery arrangement but still fits in a pocket. I will accept that trade off for the convenience of the batteries. On our most recent trip in May with our son he forgot to bring the charging cord for his camera. It was Canon but required a specialized battery and charger. Each thought that the other (girl friend) had put the cord and extra battery in their luggage. So after four days of careful battery management, their camera died. That is why I like my AA batteries. Buy them anywhere in the world. Buy it soon so you can get used to using it. Even the simplest of P&S cameras have a learning curve. The old days of the Kodak Brownie are long gone.

I do some professional photography and I would definitely recommend either the canon powershot series or the panasonic. If you have a camera store in your area, do a bit of reading (excellent suggestion!) and then visit the camera store where you can look at the camera, see how it feels, etc. P and S cameras have come quite a long way in recent years and you can get great results with them. I recently added a canon G15 (prob. more camera than you need/want) to my collection and it's now my travel camera - unless the trip is for work or photo oriented, I leave my big DSLR and lenses at home these days. But as the other posters have said, get the camera ASAP so you have a chance to play with it. Word of advice - don't read the manual from front to back - it will only frustrate and confuse you. Focus (pardon the pun!) on 1 thing you want to learn how to do (like take photos in low light) and then use the manual to figure that out. With digital, it's so easy to practice - instant results and if you don't like the shot, just delete it! Speaking of which, learn how to view your shots on the screen - it's not hard and will definitely come in handy on your trip!
Have a fabulous time!!!

Thanks for the suggestions! I think I am going to head out to the store to peruse now. I had completely forgotten about the charger/battery part. Thanks for mentioning that because now that I think about it, I feel like my camera takes way too long to charge. So something else for me to consider.

Hello Kristen. For you I recommend buying a CANON Powershot camera. It is a small "point and shoot" digital camera. The price is $ 160. or less. When I looked at that kind of camera, in a photography store that has a vast array of digital cameras, I was informed that a CANON Powershot digital camera (I do not remember the model number) produces better photographs (better colors, and better photographs in low light) than a NIKON digital camera that is approximately the same price. I recommend that you buy the camera at a good photography store where a sales person can teach you how to use the camera.

Kristin, I've just gone through the same process. It sounds like we have similar skill levels with cameras. My main interest is something with good zoom and good indoors/nonflash capabilities (museums, cathedrals, etc). I settled on the Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS15, for around $220. This is a older model, but the reviews indicate better image resolution than the current ZS25. It has 16x optical zoom, and several features/modes to help with low light conditions (to the extent that any point and shoot can). I've had other Lumix point and shoot cameras before (because of the zoom) and have been happy. The one thing that bothered me was a white-balance problem in the first model I bought, but they seem to have addressed that. This one seems good so far. I almost got a Canon; don't remember the whole number, but it ended in "160", is the current model, has 20x optical zoom, and was around $300 at Best Buy (probably cheaper on-line). Seems like a great camera with good professional reviews, but there were a large number of very recent reviews on Amazon reporting the same software bug regarding battery lockup with video, and that it sometimes disables the camera. Canon recently issued a firmware update (which I didn't want to hassle with installing, since it doesn't sound simple and requires special hardware), but Amazon reviews indicate the problem persists after the update is installed. Thought I'd pass this info along, in case it helps you.

Kristen, Given your criteria, my suggestion would be to look at one of the newer travel cameras with extended zoom range and image stabilizers. Two models that come to mind are the Panasonic ZS-30 and the Canon SX-280. Both are slightly above your price range but if this is a long term investment they'll be worth the cost. I normally travel with a DSLR & associated kit, but that doesn't fit your situation, and is more than you need. There's a learning curve with DSLR's and you won't have time to become comfortable with it before you leave. Due to some "issues" with my main Camera when I was in Europe recently, I needed to buy another Camera and narrowed my search to the two listed above. I had a coffee and Gelato and read some reviews online before making my decision, and it was a difficult choice as both are very close in features. However, the camera store clerk and I both leaned towards the Panasonic so that's the one I chose. It also has a slight learning curve, which was more of a challenge as the manual was in Italian. I've been very impressed with the quality of the pictures so far! If you were to get the Panasonic, be sure to get an extra battery and a good case. Charging is done in-camera rather than with an external charger. That's not a problem but does require some "adjustment" for those that are used to having a separate Charger. You will of course need a Plug Adaptor for the Charger. The ZS-30 has a built-in GPS and I'd suggest leaving that switched "off" unless needed, as it operates even when the Camera is off, and drains the battery quickly. I'll try to add more information when I have a "normal" keyboard and a larger screen. Good luck with your decision!

Just before leaving for Europe last summer my P&S camera died. I did not want to take my SLR camera (too heavy and cumbersome) so I asked family and friends and did some research and went to the camera store and checked them all out. I settled on the Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS8 and I am so happy with it. It takes wonderful pictures (I even got some good night shots of the ET and the bridges all lit up). I would get another one in a snap. It does use a special camera battery (not AAs) but it's pretty small and the charger does not have a cord, it's just a small box that plugs directly into the socket and it charges up quickly and holds a charge for a long time. I was able to take 300+ photos w/o running the battery down. I can't say enough about the Panasonic, best P&S I've ever owned.

I determined what I wanted to have: a view finder as well as the screen (in bright light I just cannot see anything on the screen displays), as much zoom as I could afford, and as many megapixels as I could afford. It also had to fit in my fanny pack and not trash my back, nor wrench my neck when toting it around all day on the neck strap. Mine is a Lumix FZ60, by Panasonic. It is easy to operate. If you do not want to use any special features, just leave it on the full auto setting. On our most recent trip (Alaska cruise) I took many shots just as the sun was about to drop behind islands in the inner passage. They were great. So your night shots should be good too. I have learned to use some of the features for special shots--close-up for flowers, panoramic scenes, and the 24X zoom is great for those shots of wildlife in the distance, or the top of the Sagrada Familia in Barcelona. My spouse is a pro and even he likes many of the shots. That says a great deal to me about the wisdom of my choice. Good luck and have a great trip!
Joseph

Another vote for Canon Powershot cameras. A couple of hundred should get you the Canon Powershot 4000. Stellar images both night and day. When you buy it you get a battery and battery charger in the kit. Take a couple of San Disks and you'll be ready to point and shot. A simple trick is to NOT use the flash. The light meters in these cameras will allow you to photograph without using it and still get a great pic. enjoy your trip to the UK. Much fun, especially London.

Kristen, You could also look at some of the newer micro 4/3 Cameras, which are both compact and have interchangeable Lenses. I didn't suggest these earlier as they will likely be way above your budget range, especially if you need to need to buy additional lenses to cover a specific range. The travel zooms I suggested earlier provide a lot of features in one package. Whichever Camera you choose, I'd suggest having a look at the reviews on these sites before you actually put any cash down on the counter: > www.dpreview.com/ > www.steves-digicams.com/ > www.cameralabs.com/ > www.imaging-resource.com/ Don't forget to buy adequate Memory Cards. If you're planning to take video as well, at least two 8 GB cards would be advisable. Memory is cheap at the moment, so that shouldn't be a big problem. Cheers!

I like Nancy's G15 although it is bigger than what I like to carry in my pocket. I have a Canon S95 which has been replaced by the S110. Probably more camera and more money ($350.)than most here want to spend but it has a larger sensor (it's NOT all about how many megapixels) than any other camera mentioned and is small and light but capable of professional quality. Just another option to consider.

Hi Kristen, June 2010 I used a Canon Powershot SD780IS. It's a lovely little camera, but I will admit to some "camera envy" of a tour member who was using a Canon G9 (the G series at the time). However, that would have needed to go into my purse and the 780 fits my pants pocket, so it's all determining priorities. I've never had a camera last long with AA batteries versus cord/charger. These posts are personal opinions, so just offering that one. Last trip I put all the cords and chargers in a zip lock with a checklist written in perm. ink on the bag, so I could count and check before tossing said bag into my travel bag. More personal opinion: the recommendation for a spare SD card or two is a good one. I love all the point-and-shoot Canons that I've used, but a recommendation I recently received for the Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS10 and seeing Sherry's for the Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS15 has me looking at those two models. With some tech I have found an update isn't always an automatic "better," so I don't mind considering what is not the latest model. Cheers.

I used to say you can't go wrong with a small Nikon or Canon. I had a Nikon and my wife had a Canon. I liked her little power shot elph so much, I now have one as well. Her's was a little smaller, a little quicker on the shutter, and amazing in low light. They aren't expensive (you should be able to find something under $200), they're lightweight, and after a quick read of the manual, you should have it figured out enough to get some great photos. http://www.amazon.com/Canon-PowerShot-Stabilized-Wide-Angle-Recording/dp/B006UMM15O/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1376225069&sr=8-1&keywords=canon+elph

I'm a recent convert to the Canon PowerShot. I found that the low light shots were better with it than the Nikon which I had been using. I also use a Canon DSLR so I was a bit used to it. Prior to the Nikon, I'd been an Olympus point and shoot fan due to the lens. But I think I'm now all Canon. : ) I would recommend going to a good Camera Store that carries all the brands and have them talk you through the choices as well. Pam

We have a Panasonic Lumix DMC FH20 I think we bought this at least 4 years ago at Costco, talked with a fellow shopper who happened to be a Professional photographer and he told me to go with the Panasonic. Haven't had any issues and the pictures are good quality, fairly easy to use too. Happy travels!
Holly