Know The Best Digital Camera 5MP and above

AWOL_2

Can anyone reccomend the best 5MP digital camera?

Or where or what i should look for in a 5 mega pixel camera.

My requirements are as follows.

3x optical zoom
SD card
USB

least 1.5" screen.

what else should i look for ?? etc

EvilMonkey

What you need to look for depends on what you want to take pics of....

For instance, if you see it as a cam to take out to clubs / pubs to take pics of your mates - you need a good flash

like a bit of nature and looking for photo's of the birds at your bird table? - A longer zoom than 3x

So have a think about the kind of shots \ uses you want to get out of it and post back.....

Also why SD? Not that there's an issue with it just curious?

AWOL_2

Evil Monkey -

I want it to use for general pictures. eg holidays .. birthdays.. maybe the odd night out here and there. Yes a Flash it important.

I want to know where i can get a decent maybe cheap 5MP Camera from!!

Reason i said SD card is that i already use SD cards in other devices so be handy to have SD or MMC.

SO can u reccomend me a decent 5MP or above camera.

Was looking at Kodak any good?

Grobbendonk

Check out the Casio Elixim P600. I've just bought one - its fantastic.
Did loads of research and almost all owners are blown away by it.
Search around all the camera websites - you will find it for about £235.
Its a 6MP, 4 x optical zoom, good batt life, uses SD card, remote control,
loads of features, manual override, 20+ preset modes to choose from.

Claretsumo

I can highly recommend the canon ixus 500. an excellent camera, had one since May and it's fab. Got it on ebuyer

chillipepper_3

s7000 fuji warehouseexpress.com 6.1 million pixels, prosumer model, lots of creative options. under £300.
Ive had mine since xmas. This is probably the bedst value camera you can buy for under £300. nuff said.

MINCER_2

I was looking for the same thing just after Christmas (but I knew I wanted a small format). After many hours trawling through reviews/shopbots I decided that a 1.5" screen is just too small. Went for the the Casio EX-Z50 (Pentax lens, 2" screen) and can't fault it. The bonus is that it comes with it's own recharge/usb docking station (which many suppliers neglect to mention).

Managed to get it for £207.48 from Currys (2 discount codes and Egg cashback). However if I had the money I'd have gone for the Z55 with the 2.5" screen.
I've noticed it's in the new Argos Catalogue @ £329.99 which is full RRP (looks suspiciously like they aim to discount it later in the year).

timmo44

I have the older Optio S4 which is basically the same but only 4MP instead of 5 on the S5i. This is a fantastic camera which is so small you can easily fit into your shirt pocket. The face of the camera is almost exactly the size of a credit card. It's that small. This was specifically what I liked about it because with previous cameras owned, I never took them out because they were too cumbersome. This one fits into my pocket easily.

It has 3 x optical zoom and 4 x digital, takes SD or MMC and has a 1.8" screen. The thing I like most about it is the Macro capabilites. You can take real close up photos. Here's one I took of a frog in Thailand and you can get even closer than that!

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v288/ronmanager/IMGP0448.jpg

You can pick it up for less than £200 for example here:

http://www.internetcamerasdirect.co.uk/pentax-optio-s5i-digital-camera-deals.htm

It feels quality too, small but reassuringly weighty and made of solid feeling aluminium. It truly is a thing of beauty.

andrebryant

ebuyer are doing it(Pentax Optio S5i) for under £180 inc vat.

http://www.ebuyer.com/customer/products/index.html?action=c2hvd19wcm9kdWN0X292ZXJ2aWV3&product_uid=77738&_LOC=UK

condyk

Dunno about your budget, but I would go for the Panasonic FZ20 with 12x optical Leica zoom and 5MP. Awesome camera and superb reviews. Cost around £320-400 if you shop around.

iF YOU WANT SMALLER BUT SAME mp'S AND LENS QUALITY THEN THE NEW pANASONIC (oops, sorry!) FZ5 is palm sized, but will only be released April. I'd expect it cost around £280.

Remember, MP's is only an important issue when you want large sized prints. I would therefore go for the Panasonic FZ3 ... check out the thread on the Grabbit board. Lots of happy buyers at amazing price of £199.99! Takes SD. Is 3MP's but very high quality optics in lens. High MP's and rubbish optics will disappoint. It is only so cheap as it will soon be replaced by FZ4 and 5, but it actually has a slightly better lens than them on paper. Costs £349 at Jessops so bargain of the year if you want a tiny, quality, do it all camera! Check out thread at:

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=28321

Most of the sub £200 cameras are toys :-) but some certainly do a fair job. Other super zoom cameras below £300 don't normally have a image stabilizer on the zoom either and so very likely to suffer camera shake. Check this out before parting with cash. You'll be amazed at what an image stabilized super zoom can do for your day to day photography.

zacspeed_2

I found http://www.steves-digicams.com/ a mine of information when I was looking for a new camera recently.
It's a US site so obviously there's an American bias to it, but most of the products listed are available to UK.