Manbird wrote: 

Ok. Thanks!  

 swell_sailor wrote: 

I just read review (Steve's digicams) on the IS and it sounds very similar to the ELPH.  I'm not sure of the salient differences.  The review said it is smaller than deck of cards, and the review for the ELPH said it was about the size of a deck of cards????

They are both small enough.  Maybe the IS is better. .

Over-thinking.Over-thinking.Over-thinking.Over-thinking.Over-thinking.Over-thinking.Over-thinking.

 steeler wrote: 
If you want zoom, go for optical zoom as opposed to digital zoom. 

 steeler wrote: 
IS is pretty important, in my opinion, for what that's worth. You'll get a lot more keepers with IS. Ultra compact I'm not so fond of. Small buttons on small cameras are a pain. Something slightly bigger is still very small, and tends to feel better in my hands than a tiny elph-like camera.

I'm not real sure how much I would use the video, but I am assuming that most of the lower-end cameras come with that and if they don't have it,there also would be a dropoff in quality of photos —and not much benefit price-wise in dropping it?

The Canon PowerShot ELPH 100 HS 12.1 MP seems like it would work for me.  Seems like I should be able to get it for around $130.

The Canon PowerShot ELPH 300 HS 12.1 MP is thinner and has 5x zoom, compared to 4x zoom for the 100 HS, along with other upgrades, but reviews call the 100 roughtly comparable in a lot of areas.  The 300 HS would be around $190 or so. 

Just so many to choose from.  I want one that is easy to learn how to use in all aspects and is lightweight for travel. Most of my photos will be on vacations, and most would be outside, during the day. Would like ability, however, to take photos in low-light or at night.

Thanks for the help!

 steeler wrote: 
I've been looking for a budget point and shoot for my mother. The Canon A3300 IS is on my short list. It's the newer version of a camera that reviewed quite well awhile back. It's a good one for around $140. 

High ISO (ISO 3200, for example) on these small cameras is not a selling feature for me. They can go there, but image quality suffers considerably. In my opinion, most all current camera models allow for a higher ISO than what really should be used if image quality is a priority. 

 steeler wrote: 
Aw hell! Buy what you can afford and be done with it. Take the pitchers and post them. Join flickr too!

 steeler wrote: 
Go to dpreview (see Buzz' link) or steve's digicams and see what the latest version of this is. Because I just found the Canon PowerShotElph 300 blah blah blah and it's pretty similar. IS, 3200 ISO, HD video...

 steeler wrote: 
IS = image stabilization. It's terrific.

ISO = International Organization for Standardization and refers to "film" speed. You'll want to use a high ISO for indoor shooting w/o flash and/or nightime shooting. The caveat is that you'll really want to be steady with a higher ISO; that's where that GorillaPod would really, really help (besides being able to shoot a real "hands off" photo of you and yours standing in front of something. For conventional daylight, lower the ISO.

(When we used to use film, a typical outdoor setting would have been 100 on a sunny day; 400 was about as high as you could go at night or indoors.)

 steeler wrote: 
Do it! But maybe lean on them to see if they'll do an 8GB card. (It doesn't hurt to try.)

 buzz wrote: 

Ok. thanks!

One of the Canon models I posted here (in various colors) says in specs it has image stabilization, up to 3200, whatever that means. Another Canon model says it has "image stabilization, optical."  The first model does not say optical, but in some of the colors it makes reference to ISO.

 steeler wrote: 



IS = image stabilization
Spend a little extra for it. You wont regret it.

I'm at an event right now, but I will be happy to help out when I get home.

 jagdriver wrote: 

That's what I thought about the SLR.

The Canon PowerShot sounds good to me — but, then again, I have no idea what I'm talking about.

 buzz wrote: 

IS is Image Stabilization?

The Best Buy for the Canon I mentioned does not say it has that.  

It also is referred  to as Optical Image Stabilization?  

Edit:  Looked again, and the Canon I posted (in various colors) has image stabilization up to 3200?????   Another model of Canon says it has "image stabilization, optical."   

 jagdriver wrote: 

The Canon at Best Buy comes with a free case and a 4GB memory card.

 steeler wrote: 
SLR = single lens reflex, a larger camera that has many more features. Probably well beyond what you're looking for at this time.

EDIT: I have no exp. with Sony cameras, but I bought my Canon PowerShot after falling in LOVE with my daughter's unit. I have a larger SLR, too, but wanted something light for hiking and taking more casual snaps at parties and such.

 steeler wrote: 



Check out DPreview.com before buying any digital camera.

If you think you will be doing some low light/night photography, you want a camera with good high ISO capabilities and image stabilizaton. Good high ISO will probably take you out of your price range, but I believe Canon offers IS in some of its low end cameras.

I have a Canon G9 point and shoot that is a few years old. I am very happy with it. That's what I used for the beach pics I posted last week.

 steeler wrote: 
Also, consider a smallish, hard-shell case for it; it doesn't have to be from Canon. In fact, I bought such a case for my PowerShot at Best Buy; it's from Kodak and was less expensive than many other cases. Its integrated belt clip lets me easily attach the case to the chest strap on my daypack, where I can quickly and easily pull out the camera and take a quick snap.

 jagdriver wrote: 

thank you!

Those are my top criteria — easy to use and lightweight. I want to be able to take photos at night as well as day.

Best Buy is easy for me, so I'll probably be willing to pay the extra $15 or so to be able to pick it up at local store.

There is a Ritz camera store that is near me, but I assume the cameras there will be more expensive.   
Edit:  Another one Best Buy has is a Sony Cyber-shot 16.1 Megapixel Zoom Digital camera that gets good reviews but is around $150.

Double edit;  These aree point-and-shoot cameras, right?  What is a SLR camera?  I assume I wnat the point-and-shoot.