THere are TONS of good cameras out there right now at decent prices.
That definitely is the truth. I found that fact out when I was recently searching for one to compliment another hobby I enjoy. I ended up with the Casio Exilim EX Z1000. Superb little camera. Price at Circuit City is right at $340 and for what it offers it defintely is a steal. Check out the specs below......
EX-Z1000 FEATURES
Superior performance, amazing image quality, and functionality for beautiful photographs
[ul][*]10.1 million effective pixels.[*]A high dynamic range, 1/1.8 inch CCD, which delivers low-noise imaging.[*]The ability to zoom between 4.3x and 17.1x*1 with no reduction in image quality.[*]BEST SHOT function with high sensitivity shooting mode, up to a maximum of ISO 3200.[*]Anti Shake DSP, which is built into the EXILIM Engine image processor, reduces blurring due to unsteady hands or moving subjects.[*]Rapid Flash function enables up to three shots per second, enabling high speed flash photography.[*]Fast power-on function, so the first shot can be taken just 1.3 seconds*2 after switching on.[*]Shutter release lag time of only approximately 0.002 seconds,*3 allowing the shot to be captured practically instantaneously with the push of the shutter button.[*]High-speed picture playback of approximately 0.1 second interval.[*]Super Life Battery allows up to 360 shots*4 to be taken, measured by CIPA standards. [/ul]
Large, wide-format LCD display built for ease of viewing
[ul][*]Large, 2.8 inch, wide format LCD monitor lets users enjoy high-impact images of their shots.[*]High resolution, 230,400 pixel display presents clear, detailed images and data.[*]Wide and bright display (brightness:1200cd/m2 *5) makes viewing in bright outdoor light easier than ever before.[*]Display button can be used to change display formats with just one touch.[*]Display utilizes a vertical stripe pixel array, ensuring that the menus are clear and easy to read.[*]Right edge of the display shows operational icons, enabling easy operation and quick review of settings.[*]Multi-image function can display 12 images on a single screen. [/ul]
Photographic functions designed to take advantage of the camera’s high resolution
[ul][*]The revolutionary Zoom Continuous Shutter mode allows the user to compare a wide angle and a telephoto shot in the same display and to take both shots simultaneously with only one press of the shutter button.[*]Revive Shot refreshes the faded colours of old photos, bringing them back to life in digital format.[*]Quick Zoom feature enables instant switch to a preset zoom ratio with just one touch of a button.[*]37 different types of BEST SHOT sample images. Users can choose one of these samples to make sure their photos come out just right.[*]Movies can be taken in VGA size (640x480 pixels) at 25 frames per second (Motion JPEG). [/ul]
Other functions for intuitively easy operation
[ul][*]Quick Shutter function allows for fast focusing, reducing focusing error.[*]Auto Macro mode allows for automatic switching between auto focus mode and macro mode.[*]9-Point Multi AF function clearly shows areas of auto focus when photographing subjects with multiple focus points.[*]Direct On function allows users to press a single button to quickly start the camera in either shooting or playback mode.[*]Multi-function cradle can be used to recharge the battery, connect to a PC to download images, and connect to audiovisual equipment. The cradle also has as a photostand function, allowing users to view an image slideshow. [/ul]
