I received a Christmas catalog in the mail the other day. Never mind that my daughter is still running around in her swimsuit and we just polished off the last pieces of pie made from fresh summer berries. The holidays are coming and there’s nothing any of us can do about it.
Soon I’ll be packing away the swimwear and sifting through photos to send in our Christmas card. And then there’s all the holiday shopping… and the reason for this blog. In my previous post I mentioned that the holidays are a great opportunity to jump on the digital photography bandwagon and ask for a new digital camera.
I’ve given you the details on my favorite standard camera, now here are my choices for some outstanding digital cameras. These are great for amateur shooters who are looking for an everyday camera that will help document life’s memorable moments.
Canon PowerShot A400. Yes, another Canon. What can I say? I just have really found that this brand consistently provides great pictures. This particular camera is very compact and the price is almost as small. If you are concerned with aesthetics this cute and colorful (it comes in four colors: blue, lime green, gold and silver) Canon will put a smile on your face. I consider it the perfect party cam (perfect for the teen who keeps bugging you to buy her a digital camera). It fits easily into a pocket or purse and it includes some noteworthy features, including a 2.2x optical zoom, 1.5-inch LCD, and 3.2MP. It also shoots video clips. All for the low price of $160. Check it out here.
SONY Cyber-shot W1. I have always trusted the SONY name and this camera doesn’t disappoint. It is one of the most versatile and easy to use point-and-shoot cameras on the market. It features a large 2.5-inch LCD, which lets you see your pics immediately and the 3X optical zoom gives you the ability to capture a shot from across the room. The camera also allows you to make quality prints up to 8.5×11. And one of my favorite features about this little camera is that two AA rechargeable batteries power it so you never have to worry about running out of power on vacation. Cost of the SONY Cyber-shot is $349. Check it out here.
Nikon D70. If you are looking for a digital camera with more bells and whistles, consider splurging on this high tech toy. (Okay, at $1300 it’s more like digging deep than splurging.) But don’t be intimidated by the high price. It’s still easy to use, though it features offerings most standard digital cameras don’t. The D70 comes with 6MP resolution, fast auto-focus, a three frame per second burst mode, and almost instant startup time. It also comes with a ton of automated functions (great for amateur photographers) and uses interchangeable lenses. If the price tag is a bit too steep consider getting the Nikon D40. This week Target is offering it for less than $600 and throwing in a free gift card to boot.