Hi all,

I am looking to replace my digital camera for something better and wondered if anybody has some good recommendations.

It must be able to take good detailed pictures of animals 'in action' but most of all I need something that is easy to carry and doesn't require a degree in rocket science to use :-D I will be using it mainly for the dogs, Chins and Degus.

I have looked at lots of recommendation websites but am slightly bamboozled by all of the technical terminology and different options, none of which I know if I need or not.

Thanks,

Jo.

Mu husband bought me for my birthday a PowerShot Canon SX10 IS 10.0 mega Pixels, 20x Wide Zoom, Optical image Stabilizer, motion Detection, face recon... its great I just live it- can zoom in and and when taking video's, has moving pics...

this is my camera http://www.dcresource.com/reviews/canon/powershot_sx10-review/ much easier then explaning lol

It comes with a strap to hang around ur neck and I don't find it to big either...

I have taken pics from far away- had a squirel up in a tree and great pics really see all the detail, even took some of sparrows in my eves troff just excellent pics you can see everything on them ...

If you have one near you, pop into a specilist camera shop and ask the guys or girls there.  They are more often then not very useful down our way and will let you handle camera's  that they feel will suit your needs.  They can also translate the terminology!

Personally my camera was easy "decent and pink" :-D

My husband is currently perusing the 'What Camera?' type magazines as I now fancy something 'fancy' - not entirely sure why :)

BUT as an ever ready easy to use camera we've had several Sony Cybershot cameras that have been great.  My current one is a DSC - H3.  If you have a look at the Sony site you'll be able to do good comparisons with their new range.

The burst-shot (mutiple pictures one after the other) is my most used feature with the dogs.  I've had some fantastic results shooting them in water and it's recorded the light reflection and water droplets well.  One of my boys has such great 'running ears' for that it's fun to get him in all his glory.  Before I discovered the burst shot feature I would take acres of green grass with just the tip of his tail left in shot...

As for zoom I was able to take some brilliant comparison shots when my kids were rock climbing on the beach below me.  In normal view they were mere coloured dots from my cliffside vantage point.  On full zoom I was not only able to see who was who but fill the screen with each of them - fantastic for such a simple camera.  The anti shake feature is also very useful.

If you want advice do go to a specialist camera shop - you really do benefit from true 'nerd' help (no offence intended but someone who actually uses a camera, rather than a shop assistant who has been on a training course, is worth their weight in gold).  Tell them the scenarios you want to photograph and the circumstances in which you use your camera (I'm the whip it out of my handbag type, rather than the 5 spare lenses, pack my sandwiches, watch for hours kind of gal).

Good luck with your shopping - shout if you need any more info about my camera.

I have a Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ5, fantastic little camera, takes excellent pictures outdoors and the flash is really good for indoors or night time pictures, nothing too confusing about it, just point and click.

I recently bought a new camera and got the Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ5 too. It's brilliant and takes great photos.

Going to a camera shop is a good way to find out what camera you like the look/feel of, and then take advantage of internet prices. Or maybe if you take proof of internet prices into shop, they might match them.

Good luck!

> Personally my camera was easy "decent and pink" :-D

Oh!  I've got one of those too!   Got it cheap because of the colour.  Went to buy a black one, and came out with a bargain!

Thanks everyone ;-)

You've given me some great ideas and I really like the look of the Sony range. Bit biased perhaps as I have a Sony camcorder that is fairly easy to use and takes some great video but the camera part of it has packed up. I have a compact Samsung but I'm finding the pictures are too grainy even after editing and the editing software isn't exactly easy!

>(I'm the whip it out of my handbag type, rather than the 5 spare lenses, pack my sandwiches, watch for hours kind of gal).

Me too! :-D I like spontaneity.

I will go into a camera shop and pick their brains, I did that last time I when I bought my camcorder. It's just finding the time to do it.

Thanks a lot once again,

Jo