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What camera around $100-200 takes the best pictures?
DPReview actually did a great review last year around the Holidays addressing this very question - Best Budget Cameras.
I would take a look at these models and their predecessors for this year. Here is another discussion addressing this question - Are there any good $200 P&S's now? (http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/readflat.asp?forum=1010&message=33159900&changemod e=1 - broken link)
As someone said already, at the $100-$200 range many of them are very similar, though a few might have slightly different features (more or less optical zoom, etc). I'm not sure I agree with the "it's the photographer and not the camera" bit, though. Sure, someone with talent can take excellent creative shots with a $100 (or less) camera, but I've always been under the thought that it takes someone with talent AND a halfway decent camera together to crank out the best stuff. imo.
There are tons to recommend, but if you want a small one, this pushes your budget to the dime, but it's a good one for the price: Canon - PowerShot 12.1-Megapixel Digital ELPH Camera - Black - SD780 IS (http://www.bestbuy.com/site/Canon+-+PowerShot+12.1-Megapixel+Digital+ELPH+Camera+-+Black/9230539.p?id=1218063557398&skuId=9230539 - broken link)
This day and age its hard to find a camera in the 150-200 range that is crappy... in fact i have a first generation coolpix camera , i think 3 megapixels that with the right settings blows people away...
i usually use a nikon d300 but when im to lazy to bring it i use a cannon point and shoot or if my wife beats me to it ill use our first generation nikon...
to tell you the truth my 35 year old nikon fe with velvia 50 beats them all...
these were done with the little cannon sd880 point and shoot, its all about matching the settings to the lighting of the day...
had i let the camera just set itself they look nothing like this.
This day and age its hard to find a camera in the 150-200 range that is crappy... in fact i have a first generation coolpix camera , i think 3 megapixels that with the right settings blows people away...
i usually use a nikon d300 but when im to lazy to bring it i use a cannon point and shoot or if my wife beats me to it ill use our first generation nikon...
to tell you the truth my 35 year old nikon fe with velvia 50 beats them all...
these were done with the little cannon sd880 point and shoot, its all about matching the settings to the lighting of the day...
had i let the camera just set itself they look nothing like this.
I think what you are demonstrating is that Skill is Highly Underestimated. And that good pictures can be taken with modest modern p&s cameras which have some degree of manual controls. I have taught my 7 y/o to shoot in manual mode on his point and shoot for example. And his pictures look very good actually. But his older p&s didn't have such controls. Hence it was the limiting factor.
This also doesn't mean that a professional or serious hobbiest wouldn't chose a higher end camera to achieve certain results which lower cameras are incapable of producing. Otherwise everyone would simply use a $200 point and shoot including the pros and be done with it.
So in the end I think both matter. And yes, skill is the most important factor which no amount of fancy gear can replace. And lousy photos can be taken with $10,000 gear very easily. But there is a reason someone pays $1000+ for a lens. It can mean the difference in making the shot they want to achieve or not once the skill level which is necessary is attained.
I like all the cannon point and shoots ... i find more and more for decent lighting and objects not moving fast its just fine...
of course for larger prints its not as good as my d300 and nikon pro lenses and for poor lighting its no contest ...
my wife and i both shoot and last time we took the point and shoot into manhattan with us we both fought over it so i think for xmas ill get the new cannon s90 for myself...
My wife, daughter, grand daughter and I have been happy with the Cannon Powershots, the A560 and "A570 IS". Unfortunately they do not appear to produce them anymore. There are plenty of cameras in the price range, it's just a matter of what you want. Right now I am looking at the "Canon PowerShot A1100 IS" as a family gift. If they don't like it, I'll take it.
Rich
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