I know that this will be a very open ended question but I need some help and advise. I am looking to purchase a good digital camera and my requirements and desires are listed below. I would appreciate some advise on the too numerous to list camera's available.

- Gadget and toy freak - Personal use only - all types of photography use (inside, outside, macro, landscape, etc) - small unit, convenient for travel - reliable - good quality for printing, in all environments (inside shots, close-ups, distance shots) - $500-$750 range

In general I just want an overall good solid performing camera that my wife and I will enjoy (using and reviewing the outcome!). I have been looking at the Kodak 210+, the Olympus 340 and 400 but I'm afraid that I may be missing some good options. Suggestions? Opinions?

Thanks for the responses!!

-- Tom Barnes (tom.barnes@harbinger.com), February 25, 1999

Answers

The big problem with your requirements is "good for printing". If your primary use of the cam is for printouts, not viewing on a monitor, posting to the web, or editing, you might reconsider going digital...

The cameras that are better for printouts usually aren't the compact ones (like Oly 620). You really want max resolution for printouts. Don't get your hopes up for sharp 8 X 10's, 5 X 7's might look good. For compacts, Oly 400 sounds good. I really like what i see of the minolta 1500, i think the price recently fell in your range, it sure is compact also. I think fuji/toshiba have a new 3x zoom/usb model with about 1.5 megapixels, its pretty tiny if I remember right. And we're all drooling over the forthcoming oly 2000 & nikon 950 (around may).

-- Benoit (foo@bar.com), February 25, 1999.

Hard to go wrong with the Oly 400, for the use you described: Compact size, great image quality, sliding lens cover to protect it during travel, optical zoom, etc. Although lacking a true optical zoom lens, the Fuji MX-700 is also super-compact, and does pretty well in the image-quality department (although we never got to test it). The MX-700s are starting to show up on sale, as Fuji and their retailers make way for the forthcoming 2700. Another option, also lacking the optical zoom lens, but very cheap for excellent quality is the Toshiba PDR-M1/Fuji MX-500 (very similar, based on same guts, by Fuji). Getting harder to find, but super-cheap in closeout sales.

-- Dave Etchells (hotnews@imaging-resource.com), March 05, 1999.

You have many choices within price range you stated. Nikon coolpix 900S is a good one but ultimately I recommend the Sony Mavica FD81. I have been using digital camera for a few years, and I like the ease of photo transfer that Sony offers via standard 3.5" floppy disk. Resolution is good, inside photos with or without flash are good, outdoor is excellant. The disk access time has been doubled. You will be happy with Sony FD81. It is a quality built & solid product.

-- Fred (tabarrok@ariver.com), March 05, 1999.