What type of Digital Camera to Buy

[wilderness01]

I am in the market for another digital camera. I really want to buy a small one, like the size of a deck of cards.

We are interested in a high MP and a short delay. That is one thing I was very unhappy with on my last digital camera. The delay was so long that I missed the shot. I would prefer to just take my digital camera down to WDW and not have to take my 35mm. I am willing to spend $ to get the right one. Thank you.

I have gone to some of the links and find them a bit confusing.

We had a Nikon in the past and I wasn't so thrilled with that.

 

[Greg K.]

Reputedly, one of the best in that class right now is the Canon Powershot A620, with 7 mp and a 4x optical zoom (rare for that size of camera). I have its older cousin, the A95, which is 5 mp. It takes excellent pictures with very little or no lag. This little wonder also comes with a wealth of features.
Check this out for more info, a review, and sample snapshots:

http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/canona620/

As the reviewer notes:

"The PowerShot A95 was one of the most successful 5MP compacts due to its compelling combination of features, image quality and value for money. But it was not a camera without problems - mainly performance and speed issues, most of which we - and all the people who bought it - put down to the inevitable compromise involved in getting so many features at such a keen price. The PowerShot A620, though externally pretty similar, is a very different kettle of fish. Not only does it boast a much better sensor, but the use of the latest DIGIC II processor means it's a lot, lot faster in operation too. There is very little here to suggest a 'budget' model at all; image quality is excellent, it's very well built, it handles well and it has a real wealth of photographic features that make it suitable for everyone from the absolute beginner to the more experienced photographer wanting lots of control over the picture taking process. And like the A95 it's a great first camera for anyone wanting to learn the craft of photography, being both affordable and well-specified enough to grow with you as your knowledge and experience increases."

 

[Kelly Grannell]

I have the A95, the predecessor of the A620. Other than shutter lag, I absolutely love this camera. The ISO400 performance is the cleanest compared to other cameras in this price range.

Maybe they've fixed the shutter lag issue on the new camera?

 

[wilderness01]

Is this camera small? I was looking for a flat camera the size of a deck of cards. I was looking to spend not more than $600 but will go higher if I have to. Thanks.

 

[Kelly Grannell]

not that thin, about as thick as 1.5 deck of cards. If you're looking for a thinner camera, sorry can't help you there. Haven't seen a single one that's acceptable for my taste yet.

 

[ndelaware]

It's this big:

 

[Kelly Grannell]

Thanks, ndelaware!

And here's the dimension: 105 x 66 x 49 mm (4.1 x 2.6 x 1.9 in)

 

[ndelaware]

This one is smaller:

It's 90 x 57 x 27 mm (3.5 x 2.2 x 1.1in)


Highlights: 7.1 megapixel CCD
2.5-inch color wide viewing angle TFT monitor
37-111mm (equiv.) F2.8 - 4.9, 3x optical zoom
640 x 480 movies at 30fps
Fast frame rate movies (320x240 pixels @ 60fps)
Print/Share button
Custom white balance
Spot, center-weighted and evaluative metering
DIGIC II and iSAPS
9-point AiAF
Nine scene modes

 

[Kelly Grannell]

This one is even smaller, but it sucks! (I actually own one of these POS)

 

[Greg K.]

But it's all a matter of taste. Also, the 620 has the groovy swivel screen that can give you an interesting perspective, and protect the screen when not in use.

But here's the poop on the 550, from the www.dpreview.com review:

Okay, so the SD550 hardly breaks new ground, and - coming only six or seven months after the SD500 it replaces - I'd have been surprised if it was. In most respects this is good news; the SD500 was a little gem of a camera (and the best IXUS / ELPH yet), and the SD550 is just that little bit better. Image quality is excellent (for a camera in this class), it's fast, responsive and reliable, and it is one of the few cameras on the market today that has a true 'luxury' feel to it, such is the quality of its build and materials.

Of course it's not all good news - there are still a few image quality issues that pixel peepers will baulk at; the slight corner softness, the purple fringing and the slightly muddy low contrast detail, but the smooth, clean, bright and punchy images will delight the typical user more interested in printing their pictures than zooming into them on-screen and looking for problems. I was disappointed with the new 2.5-inch screen, which has a woefully low resolution (though it's still nice to use for those of us who like to hold the camera at arm's length), and the battery life (when using the screen) could still be better, but overall this is a camera it's hard not to like, and a camera that encourages you to take it everywhere and actually use the thing.

 

[ndelaware]

I have one of these:

It will fit in an Altoids box! It takes very good but not great pictures. But it sure is small and we take it everywhere.