A Reader's Quest: An Easy-to-Use Digital Camera

Wed Aug 9, 2006 8:45AM EDT

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Reader Anna writes looking for advice on buying her first digital camera: Which digital camera is the most user friendly?

With so many digital cameras on the market, choosing your first digital camera can be an overwhelming deal. Before making a decision on which camera to buy, start by thinking about how and where you will use your camera most.

Here's a look at digital camera categories, but as a first-time digital camera buyer it sounds as if a point-and-shoot model or an intermediate camera would be for you.

Point-and-shoot cameras are extremely automatic and will have a modest zoom. Intermediate cameras will provide a similar zoom but a few more options and manual controls, such as close-up focusing.

Take a look at these five small cameras ranked highly by Yahoo! Tech readers as a starting point. When I posed Anna's question to Darren Rowse at the Digital Photography School, he suggested the Fujifilm FinePix F10 (pictured):

It only has a 3x Optical Zoom but ... most shops I go into still pull it out as the camera to get. It's pretty easy to use, has a large LCD, and takes stunning shots.

Check out his review here, and let us know what camera you decide to buy and how you like it.

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  • 1 Posted by macetcheese2004 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 7:02PM EDT Report Abuse

    hi there!! i am still buying one and am cofused....the k dealer says...canon is better and is in price range whihc i can afford!:) but wot r the main points in buying a camera? I am an amateur photgrapher.....but am not sure...which camera will be better investment for me.

  • 2 Posted by sweendog67@verizon.net on Thu Sep 3, 2009 9:50PM EDT Report Abuse

    I am not going to sit here and act like a know it all but I livexd through this and could offer a little advice... First of all Research. It may get a little mind numbing but in the end you will have what you want. Kodak is a great place to start. They offer some very fine cameras with some pro like features. My first digital was Kodak and yesterday I bought my second and it is also a Kodak. A very nice step up and still right at the $200 mark. Now that price was no easy find, make sure you search out the best prices. Print out these prices including shipping if any.. Now you take them with you if you would fell safer buying local.. The Circut Citys and Best Buys not only have to match these prices, they usually have to beat them by 10-15% If you get a pushy salesman or bad customer service, let the manager know and move on to the next store.. My second camera is a great starter Camera also it's just that things keep changing so fast in the tech world.. I Bought the Kodak Z710, and I love it.. They are so much fun and can make even the worst shutterbug somwhat of a photogropher.. Merry Christmas to All Billy Sweeney

  • 3 Posted by zimmyman780 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 11:00PM EDT Report Abuse

    i have found the hp 305 camera and software a very great package and has a varity of resolutions is a great first time start for anyone the down side is the shutter speed or fstop but still all in all a great starter camera

  • 4 Posted by sray65@sbcglobal.net on Thu Sep 3, 2009 9:37PM EDT Report Abuse

    I won't tell you that I'm a pro but simple is simple.The Kodak cameras are some of the easyist to use. With the docking you just put the camera in the dock and push the button to download. Try that with your Cannon (first connect the cable to the camera then to the pc usb port.OOPS!!! Make sure that battery is charged or NO WORK)this sucs. Most of us like to think we will like the Pro's but 90 % of the time we just point and shoot. The next time iI think I'll buy a nother Kodak.

  • 5 Posted by kariann1964 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 4:47PM EDT Report Abuse

    I have had my Kodak Easy Share 643C for 18 months and all of a sudden the lens cover won't open. It will cost $90 to fix. Obviously, it is not worth buying if the camera won't last several years. There have been many complaints about Kodak cameras. I still don't know which one to buy.

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