Need help in selecting a new camera

[arlenez]

Hi:

 

We will be cruising to the Baltics and Norwegian Fjords next month and I am thinking about buying a new camera for this cruise. I presently am using a Fuji FX30 and I love the camera, but I want one with a bigger lens for better zooming. I want an easy to use (point and shoot) camera and would love some advice from anyone out there who has an easy to use camera. Does anyone own the Panasonic FZ38? I saw on another thread that someone bought one because they also wanted a bigger lens.

 

Thanks,

Arlene

[CruisingGoddess]

Try posting in the Photography & Photos board:

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?f=118

[arlenez]

Try posting in the Photography & Photos board:

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?f=118

 

Thank you.

 

Regards,

Arlene

[garycarla]

There are also boards that do nothing but talk about various cameras, reviews, etc.

[medford2]

I just bought a new camera for our upcoming Alaska cruise. I went to Consumer Reports and scoured their evaluations. I found a good, simple to use point and shoot..for the price...is a Canon A1100is. It has a 4x zoom, and all kinds of adjustments you can make...IF you want, or simply point and shoot it. I found them at Amazon and a few other places for $129 including shipping. Walmart has the same price, but is higher when you consider sales tax. As it is, before I'd ordered one, I came across one on sale at Walmart for $119. With sales tax it came to $129.41. The nice thing about Walmart is if the thing don't work, or you just don't like it, you can bring it back.

While I was buying the camera, the sales person made the usual one year replacement warranty offer for $9.88. I was about to pass it up when another lady waiting in line heavily recommended I take it. I guess Canon's one-year warranty covers repairs for faulty cameras, but you have to ship the camera back to them, and they'll either repair it, or replace it with a re-furbished camera. If you break the camera or get it wet or something, you're not covered. Walmart's warranty will replace your camera with a new one whenever it stops working whether the camera is faulty, or if you drop it off your second story balcony. No questions asked. I bought the warranty.

We used the camera this Easter, and are very happy with it. BTW...you can buy an 8GB card for it, and record video with it too.

Hope this helps.

[arlenez]

I just bought a new camera for our upcoming Alaska cruise. I went to Consumer Reports and scoured their evaluations. I found a good, simple to use point and shoot..for the price...is a Canon A1100is. It has a 4x zoom, and all kinds of adjustments you can make...IF you want, or simply point and shoot it. I found them at Amazon and a few other places for $129 including shipping. Walmart has the same price, but is higher when you consider sales tax. As it is, before I'd ordered one, I came across one on sale at Walmart for $119. With sales tax it came to $129.41. The nice thing about Walmart is if the thing don't work, or you just don't like it, you can bring it back.

While I was buying the camera, the sales person made the usual one year replacement warranty offer for $9.88. I was about to pass it up when another lady waiting in line heavily recommended I take it. I guess Canon's one-year warranty covers repairs for faulty cameras, but you have to ship the camera back to them, and they'll either repair it, or replace it with a re-furbished camera. If you break the camera or get it wet or something, you're not covered. Walmart's warranty will replace your camera with a new one whenever it stops working whether the camera is faulty, or if you drop it off your second story balcony. No questions asked. I bought the warranty.

We used the camera this Easter, and are very happy with it. BTW...you can buy an 8GB card for it, and record video with it too.

Hope this helps.

 

Thanks, but I am looking for a camera with a super zoom.

 

Regards,

Arlene

[chipmaster]

In General Canon and Panasonic have had a good track record with superzooms, here are a few reviews:

http://www.imaging-resource.com/WB/WB.HTM?view=dp_long

http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/q209grouplongzoom/

http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/Q109superzoomgroup/

 

Thanks, but I am looking for a camera with a super zoom.

 

Regards,

Arlene

[medford2]

Sorry...I still have my Consumer Reports camera reviews. They rate the Canon Powershot SX10is with a 20x zoom at $350 as "recommended", and the Canon Powershot SX110is with a 10x zoom at $210 a "best buy". Hope this helps.

[arlenez]

Thanks everyone for your help. I just purchased the Sony HX1 and I think I will be very hapy with it.

 

Regards,

Arlene

[oceanbums]

Thanks everyone for your help. I just purchased the Sony HX1 and I think I will be very hapy with it.

 

Regards,

Arlene

 

How do you like the HX1? I bought mine about a month ago and am very happy with it, although I have a lot to figure out yet-love the zoom, the battery life is great, and it's a good fit for my hands. Have fun:)

 

Sue

[arlenez]

How do you like the HX1? I bought mine about a month ago and am very happy with it, although I have a lot to figure out yet-love the zoom, the battery life is great, and it's a good fit for my hands. Have fun:)

 

Sue

 

So far I love it! Have you tried out the feature that changes someone who isn't smiling in a photo to a photo with a smile? This camera has some really great features.

 

Regards,

Arlene

[oceanbums]

No, I haven't even attempted that yet; does it work well? Do you have any samples you would like to share, I would love to see some. I have practiced a little with the 'twilight mode' and got some pretty good shots indoors at Chuckeecheeses. Some had a little blur but 5 year olds at a birthday party are hard to capture sometimes. My last camera was a Panasonic TZ5 so this was quite an upgrade for me; it will be fun learning.

[arlenez]

No, I haven't even attempted that yet; does it work well? Do you have any samples you would like to share, I would love to see some. I have practiced a little with the 'twilight mode' and got some pretty good shots indoors at Chuckeecheeses. Some had a little blur but 5 year olds at a birthday party are hard to capture sometimes. My last camera was a Panasonic TZ5 so this was quite an upgrade for me; it will be fun learning.

 

It puts a silly little smile on, but I think it will work ok when I take photos of my grandchildren when they refuse to smile. I have a lot to learn about this camera, but will probably use the auto mode most times.

 

Regards,

Arlene