Digital Camera - recommendations?

[radfringe]

We are contemplating purchasing a digital camera.

For the most part we plan on using it for snapshots/family photos - but we would also like zoom/close-up capability (with/without additional lens) and AVI with sound recordability

price range: Ideally under $200, but would consider paying a bit more for the 'right product'

don't need a "photo printer" to go along with it (we have a good printer and software)

our photo skills are a bit higher than a "point and shoot" level, but not at what I would call a "professional level" -- call us "skilled amatures"

We're also involved with a greyhound rescue organization, and when new dogs arrive, we take their photos (for our records/website) - ideally the camera should be able to take photos quickly if the dogs moves around.

suggestions?

[KitchenWitch]

1. In general

buy a digital camera from a classic camera vendor (Pentax, Canon, etc) rather than a computer company (Hewlett Packard, etc). They will have better optics, and lenses.

It all depends upon how large you want the prints to be. If 4x6 is sufficient, you will not likely be needing more resolution than ~3 megapixel. 5 megapixel resolution will output a fairly decent 8x10 but if you want larger go 8+ megapixel.

I have a 5 megapixel Kodak. I did have a 3 megapixel Olympus but we lost it in an airport. My current camera, although it has more megapixels, is geared more toward the absolute beginner. The one really nice thing about it though is that it has a 10x optical zoom.

As far as zoom lenses go, pay no attention when they talk about digital zoom. All digital zoom does is crop your photo. I think our camera (the Kodak 5MP 10x zoom) cost about $300 by itself. You will want to add a memory card, because the ones that come with the cameras are woefully insufficient. Add rechargeable batteries and a battery charger as well.

[Oeditpus Rex]

2. Addendum

Great advice, KW — but when digital zoom crops an image, it increases the pixel size to do it, so you get the same result you would by blowing up a saved image in Photoshop or whatever — it'll pixellate like hell.

Here's a good guide to choosing a digital camera: http://photography.about.com/library/weekly/aa030303a.htm

[Cruzan]

3. You might want to check out the Fujifilm F10

It only has a 3X optical zoom but can also do movies and is in your price range. Its key feature is a 'workable' 1600 ISO capability which for a compact camera is really your only hope of getting any kind of consistent quality for indoor snapshots, family photos, and moving dogs. Without this, as a general rule, compact digital cameras suck for indoor/lowlight photography unless you're just a few feet from your subject. By their very nature their sensor has neither the light gathering ability nor is the built-in flash powerful enough, so that sometimes you get great shots but more than half the time the subject is not quite in focus and/or not well lit. Anyway, I don't own this camera but I've heard some good things about it:

http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/fujifilmf10zoom/

BTW, I use an Olympus C-7000 which has the limitations I describe (ISO only up to 400) but when on a tripod or outdoors the pictures it takes are stunning ('SLR-like' I've heard others say).