Hey guys I need some suggestions. My camera broke and I want to replace it with something that can take decent pictures as well as HD video.

Most people tell me to just get a smart phone, but I love my current phone and don't want something that will require an obscene monthly bill.

I've been told to look into GoPro's, smartphones, etc...but I'm a total newb as this ****.

 

Only downside, no video. But video is so 2001.

 

Why would use use washer fluid you pay for to flush out gunk? Why not just run a hose in the tank and cycle the motor untill it was clean again, and THEN add methanol?

 

After reading a bunch of reviews, I decided on
The reviews are right. It's awesome at taking automatic shots, but if you want to change settings then get another camera because it's a pain in the ***. But for a quick point-n-shoot it's great, A+++++++ would recommend.

 

1. Cheap
2. Good stills
3. Good video

Pick any two of the above. The GoPro checks 1 and 3 and most pocket-point-and-shoots will check 1 and 2. To get 2 and 3 together, you will likely need to forego 1.

Then again, you did say "decent" stills and HD video. The GoPro might fit that bill.

 

Yeah the Powershots are supposed to be pretty legit, pretty much any similar camera nowadays is decent enough.

here's a good review of an early model powershot: Canon SD980 IS

 

My brother just gave me his Parrot AR Drone 2.0 quad copter... now I can be as cool as full tilt.

 

I (actually the wife) bought an Cannon ELPH before we went to Disney. I like it and tend to use it more than our other camera, simply because it is easy to stuff in a pocket. Light, compact, good size screen. Ours is a 16MP model, but I don't think it's even set to the highest resolution. Battery life is excellent, lasting an entire day with no problems. Extra battery and charger plus a carry case was included in the package deal.

All in all, a very capable point & shoot. Good choice.

 

A gift to myself. Enjoying!

 

/\ Bad ***. How long have you been playing?

 

About 2 days... I used to "play" a little back when I was in high school. Went all of the years since without even touching a guitar. Starting over on what little I used to know. It's coming back to me pretty quickly though.

 

Meg and I spent the better part of today researching point & shoots, even went to BJs and bestbuy.

B&H tends to be ~$10 cheaper than Amazon, both with free shipping.

Why not this one for less $ with more optical zoom and wifi (520 HS)? Less MP that big of a deal?
Canon PowerShot ELPH 520 HS Digital Camera (Black) 6169B001 B&H

The 320HS has more MP than the 300 with wifi for less $, but a hit or miss touchscreen according to the reviews?
Canon PowerShot ELPH 320 HS Digital Camera (Black) 6024B001 B&H

We also have some Sony's on our list. Can't decide. Damnit.

 

I highly recommend the Canon S90 (or S95, or whatever number they're up to now.)

It is nearly as thin and light as the cheaper ultralights, however it has a reasonably good piece of glass in the front of it, and also offers SLR-style exposure controls (full manual, shutter priority, aperture priority, etc.)

These features are worth it. Without manual shutter control, you simply can't force the camera to take a non-blurry shot in low light. It will insist on going to some ludicrously slow shutter speed in order to give you "proper" exposure, when in reality, all you want it to do is give you a picture that, while under-exposed, is not shaky and blurry. You can fix exposure in post- you can't fix blur.

Once you learn how to use it (and it's not hard), Tv is your friend. It's the difference between being able to grab a usable shot from a school play / nighttime soccer game / etc., and not being able to.

 

I highly recommend not spending more than $200, our arbitrary limit pulled from my ***. Our use: replacing our 2006 sony DSC W50 which has survived 1 honeymoon, 2 times thru the washer, once thru the dryer, once thru the toaster oven, many drops and kicks across the dance floor, years at the beach, dropped into the bay, etc. But the damn shutter button broke off 2 weeks ago and is not easily fixable. I use a scribe to operate the shutter switch, not exactly ideal (although a properly ground down thumb tack may be perfect). Meg would rather me not buy another parts camera off ebay. And my kid is just about to take his first unsupported step.

So it's more like, do we want to pay extra for 1080p, wifi, touchscreen, whatever. Even the $80 cameras are 'better' than what I am fine with/used to using.

quick amazon search to see what you're talking about...

S95: $596.
S100: $310.

Manual/Av/Tv would be nice though.

 

WTF?

There is no way I paid $500 for my S90. It's been a couple of years, but I'm a cheapskate and I can guarantee I didn't pay an absurd amount for it...

On the other hand, which is better: A $300 camera that allows you to get the photo you want, or a $200 camera that frustrates the hell out of you because it insists on selecting slow shutter speeds in low light and cannot be overridden?


Sidebar:

The toaster oven? Seriously? How do you even...

 

that's because S95 is no longer made.

nor is the S100. but it's recent so it's discounted.

but the S110 is. And it's $399 like you'd expect.

 

Ah, yes. Here we go.

Canon 6351B001 - Powershot S110 - Canon Point and Shoot - 12.1 Megapixel Digital Camera Black

$310.

Buy that.

 

Thanks guys.

Thoughts on just getting a smartphone? My gripe is the monthly bill. I've heard anywhere from $50 to $120 a month.

 

They are pricey. New camera would be much cheaper. My wife and Grandson have smart phones. I have a dumb phone. I won't use anything that is smarter than I am.

 

HTC makes a BAMF smart phone, that has a 16MP camera with a carl zeiss lens, and shoots HD video, of which you can crank up the shutter speed, and shoot in super smooth slow mo. its on their website if you wanna check it out.