Buying a Compact Digital Camera

[joel_kantrowitz]

I am in the market for a compact digital camera. I have looked at Canon SD600,

SD700 & SD710. They all look great. I am just concerned about red eye.

Anyone have any thoughts/recommendations about these or others. Looking for

approx 6 megapixels and to spend approx $300. I already have a Canon Elan film

camera with a number of L lenses so I am not looking for a deluxe or big

digital camera.

[davek57]

Image quality might be your primary concern, because red-eye can be fixed post-exposure. But you can't fix an image with chromatic aberrations or distortions. The results I got with a Canon SD400 were less satisfactory than those I got with a Kodak V550. Haven't used the newer SDX00 cameras because the Kodak works so well, and is quite a bargain. Its successor, the V603, is 6 MP and might meet your needs.<div></div>

[andy m]

<a href="http://www.kenrockwell.com/canon/a530.htm">Save some money.</a>

[mars c]

Is there a sd710?

 

But if you mean the A710 IS, the flash in that camera is not good.

 

The images when using flash with A710 IS are dark on top and bottom portion.

[pbizarro]

If you are planning to use the flash a lot, then a (super) compact camera is the wrong choice.

[michael s.]

If you do a great deal of flash photography, I doubt any of them -- Canon or otherwise -- will even remotely approach what you're getting with an EOS film camera and a flash attachment, especially given that you're accustomed to shooting with high quality lenses.

 

If you're willing to go up to different size range (definitely not pocketable), you might consider one of the Canon G-series digitals, which have a hot shoe on which an external flash can be mounted. Much better flash photography that way ... but that 's a jump in size and weight, and even considering excellent condition used gear, I don't think you'll get camera and flash for under $300.

 

These little digitals do fairly well in low light without flash. Some are better than others. One that many prefer is the Fuji F30. I don't have that camera, but if you do a quick search, you'll see that many regard it as the low-light champion of the small p & s digitals. Just a thought, Joel, and it's comfortably within your price range.