What camera to buy under $500???

[Russ]

I want a good camera but don't want to spend my kiddos college fund doing so. I'd like to stay around $500 for every thing. I like a smaller size camera, not the big bulky ones. Also a good optical zoom is important to me as well. What does the TBH braintrust suggest???

[Bill M]

Can't beat this for under $500. Read the features. Several here are using this one.

Oly E520 kit

[Russ]

Can't beat this for under $500. Read the features. Several here are using this one.

Oly E520 kit

Thanks.

Does any one else have some thing that compares to this bad boy? Or maybe something cheaper so I can see if its worth spending the extra money for this one.

[maglite]

Thanks.

Does any one else have some thing that compares to this bad boy? Or maybe something cheaper so I can see if its worth spending the extra money for this one.

SPEND the cash MONEYBAGS!!!!!!!!

[Russ]

SPEND the cash MONEYBAGS!!!!!!!!

You need to stay away from my post!!! LOL

[cabo390]

I had an Oly evolt 500 with the 2 lens kit, and it was a good camera. I upgraded to a Nikon D200 with the 18-200 vr lens, and it is head and shoulders above the oly. I would look for a nice used Nikon D on ebay or craigslist.

[SanAngeloBowman]

Thanks.

Does any one else have some thing that compares to this bad boy? Or maybe something cheaper so I can see if its worth spending the extra money for this one.

CANON POWER SHOT G10

I read about this little power house of a rig in a camera review awhile back and found it in a outdoor magazine. Here's what they had to say about it:

*the BEST point and shoot out there
* 14.7 megapixels w/ quality enough for a mag cover shot
*takes TRUE wide angel shoots
*28mm-140mm lens
*ISO range of 80-1600
*Great low light shots
*Aperature range of f/2.8 - f/4.5
*Ability to shoot in RAW format and jpeg. RAW files allow major adjustments to exposure, color enhancements, sharpness in post editing.
l* built in flash
*weighs 12oz and 2" thick
* as close to a DSLR camera as a point and shoot gets.

These were independent findings and not something that was taken from a website.

[Hillary]

Just got this one for my momma, and it is AMAZING.

[scotty]

Hillary, are you going to get the underwater housing for it? That way you could borrow your mom's Nikon when you went diving.

[AtTheWall]

Any Canon, Nikon or Olympus Digital 35 will do you well. Shop around for a good used camera and save the bucks. Folks upgrade all the time and I've spotted some decent deals on Craigslist with literally hundreds off the original purchase price. Any camera built from 2007 to now is feature rich from the 3 listed vendors above.

You mentioned kids college fund....thats enough justification to me to buy a very good camera. We only have so many years with them before they become memories at home.

[SanAngeloBowman]

So which one did ya end up buying Russ?