Off Topic - Camera

[Guest re-reatta]

Looking for a small digital camera that I can take along while riding bicycle. Any thoughts or recommendations?? Looking to spend less than $100.

[Bushwack]

Just a thought...Can your cell phone provide the pictures you want to take? My Blackberry has a 5 MP camera that works well. I think the iPhone is at 8 MP.

[Ronnie]

Checkout the Samsung SL605. I have one and like it. It's in your price range at Amazon.com.

[Guest re-reatta]

Thanks for the input. I don't carry a cell, sometimes a hassle but more often than not, a blessing. I'll check out the Samsung. I did find a Kodak at Radio Shack for what seems to be a good deal. I'll be checking that out tomorrow.

[matthewlawe]

Although I am a fan, a buyer and good customer of Radio Shack for

40 some years, you just may find a better deal and camera if you

Google digital cameras. Camera prices have fallen dramatically

since the introduction of all of those other devices that take

pictures.

I also suggest you look at Tigerdirect.com and Dealnews.com.

Many stores this Christmas offer free shipping.

[Guest re-reatta]

Thanks, Matthewlawe. I'll check them out.

[padgett]

Might look at Big Lots if you have one near. They often have ones so cheap as to be disposable.

[Guest Double M]

Best Buy. Go for an Olympus. Probably get one on sale for $99 or less.

Been using mine for years now, as a paid photograher too and it even gets to ride on my Scooter...

[Thriller]

I'll echo the comments on Olympus. I've been very happy with the ones I've had (and still have and use) and they have a number of compact cameras that would be in the price range.

Now that the sales pitch is over, here's a few things to think about. Would you rather have a camera made by camera folks who now add electronics, or would you rather buy a camera made by an electronics firm? The camera folks will tend to have better optics and you can't go wrong with good optics.

Think about the sort of photos you intend to take. If you want to use a zoom, get the most optical zoom you can. Digital zoom is just software attempts to fill in the blanks. If you want to do close-up shots, check out the macro features.

I don't recall the name of the site, but there was a web site that did comparisons of digital cameras that you could plug in a few criteria and get some results to compare.

[NCReatta]

I've lost faith in Kodak... they're not what they used to be.

I'm a Canon guy. They have a good reputation for the best point and shoots on the market.

While Olympus isn't bad, I agree with Thriller about the whole camera people making electronics, vs. electronics people making cameras. I'd pick the camera people.

[padgett]

I have had several Canons begining in 1969. The digitals take better pictures. Have also had a couple of Vivitars including a plastic $40 one I keep as a spare & rugged (Canon's extrude a lens body that is easy to damage, Vivitar doesn't).