What is a great quality brand (and model) digital camera that isn't extremely expensive?

Question

I'm looking for a digital camera that takes excellent quality photos (first priority). I'm mainly going to be putting the photos on the computer/internet in My Space and eBay. I am an eBay seller and I need my photos to be of high quality.

I need the photos to be very clear, even when I zoom in (or zoom out). Everything else is not much of a priority... but picture stabalization, small size, quick capture, temperature resistance, sturdiness to resist damage if the camera is dropped, high memory, etc. etc. are all plusses (I may have missed some, can't think of any more at the moment).

I don't really need video capturing capabilities, as I already have a camcorder. If the camera comes with that feature anyway, no biggie; I know most of them do these days.

The last digital camera that I had (which was a Nikkon) took good quality pictures, but it was EXTREMELY fragile. I payed around 250 dollars for it, but it slipped from my hand one day and fell about 2 feet onto a carpeted surface. The camera was broken, and I could not get it to work after that. I would have had to pay about 100 dollars or so to get it fixed, so I just decided instead to start looking for another digital camera.

I would like to stay away from Nikkon brands if at all possible. Also, I don't want to spend any more than 400 dollars; less is obviously better, but I want the best quality possible. Thanks.

Answer 1

my suggestion

go to yahoo shopping

digital cameras

digital camera GUIDE

be sure to check titles on the left side

the guide should answer your questions  

Answer 2

Canon PowerShot cameras are great.  I've had one since 2005 and when I was in Washington, I dropped it on cement.  Minus a few dings to the case, it works fine.  Their customer service is great too; my lens wasn't opening properly after I got it, and they repaired it quickly.  When I buy a new camera, it will definitely be Canon.  Prices are around $250.

Avoid Kodak; I have had two of their cameras, and both of them were junk.

Answer 3

Canon PowerShot ftw.

Answer 4

Olympus have a few compacts built and designed to be shockproof if dropped but I can't comment on the picture quality though I would imagine it would compare with the Canon and Nikons. Best to pop into a shop and try the models out, take some test shots etc

Answer 5

It sounds to me that the CANON G9 is type of camera you're looking for.  I have purchased many different cameras and have never been as happy as I am with the G9.  It fits in my pocket, great battery life, it has a viewfinder, did I mention 12 megapixels??!!!  and as CNET put it, "it's built like a tank."

Hope this helps.  Happy hunting.

Answer 6

Well, its too bad you want to stay away from Nikkons because they're one of the better cameras out there.  Any Camera now adays if you drop it, it's toast.  My Aunt had a Canon A590 and dropped it, useless.  My Dad even has a Pentax Digital SLR, he dropped it, and bam toast... so if your reasoning to not get a nikkon is that you found it too fragile, then whatever camera you buy make sure you hold onto for dear life and wrap in bubble wrap otherwise you'll run out of brands if you drop them.

For less than $400, sadly you wont get anything spectacular.   There are a few cameras around the $250-350 mark that may be decent such as the Canon Powershot G9.  But there are many other factors you need to consider.

are you going to be printing photos larger than 8x10?

Are you looking for a camera with fast shutter speeds

Do you want AA batteries or a rechargeable batt pack

which media (SD, xD, mem stick)

Is this camera being used indoor and outdoor?

do you want an optical view finder

how large of a zoom do you want?