<p>Looking for a gift for a family member. They have a more expensive, digital camera with changeable lenses but looking for something less expensive for them to take when they travel where they don;t have to worry about theft, conditions that might damage an expensive camera. She has always favored Canon. </p>
<p>I’ve read good things about the Canon Powershot SX260 HS which I can buy for $199. Does anyone have experience with it or have other recommendations?</p>
<p>I have a Sony Cybershot, and I love it. Easy to use, small, lightweight.</p>
<p>Canon point and shoots are awesome. I was actually just looking at the camera you mentioned the other day because of the 20x optical zoom.</p>
<p>Great camera and a great price for it.</p>
<p>I have several framed 10x13’s that I took with my Canon point and shoot camera and I always get compliments on them and everybody asks what kind of camera I took them with. They are amazed that it’s a point and shoot and not an SLR. I’ve been thinking of complimenting it with another point and shoot with more Zoom potential which is what led me to the above camera.</p>
<p>I bought the Canon SX260 a couple of months ago, and so far am happy with it. It’s very lightweight and quick action, with a zillion cool features that I will never learn to use! I paid $249 at Abt which included a memory card. It was a featured camera of the day at the store but I had already researched and had it on my short list. I have bought an extra battery (which I probably will need) and extra memory card (which I might not need).</p>
<p>We had an Olympus 550 that is several years old. I wanted a smaller camera with more MP’s, long zoom including wide angle, quick shutter action, and decent video.</p>
<p>If they’re the type of person that likes to play with camera settings in a small package, try the Canon S100 or the newer and more expensive S110 (I have the S100 and it just slips into a shirt or pants pocket)</p>
<p>I love my Canon Powershot. I have the Elph 310HS. It takes great pictures, it fits in my pocket and is easy to use. I use to have Nikon Cool Pix and did not like it. I got many blurry pictures. I was very frustrated with that camera.</p>
<p>I agree - i had a Nikon prior to my Canon and it was way too blurry and absolutely horrible at night.</p>
<p>I love my Panasonic Lumix. Takes great pictures and also very good video. You can also adjust focal length and shutter speed manually.</p>
<p>My Husband loves his Canon…I think it is a 110. It takes as good of pictures as my more expensive (large) digital camera with interchangeable lenses. We had many Nikon Coolpix point and shoots in the family but all agree the pictures from the Canon are superior.</p>
<p>I voted for Canon.</p>
<p>Another vote for Sony Cybershot. I got one that let’s you do panorama shots, and it’s a cool blue color.</p>
<p>My Sony is a cool red color!</p>
<p>Another vote for the Canon SX260. I have purchased three of these lately - one for each D and H is getting one for Christmas. The photos D has taken are beautiful and the 20 zoom is amazing. This deal at Amazon gets you the camera, an extra battery, larger card, and a ton of other accessories for $239 and free shipping!</p>
<p>[Amazon.com:</a> Canon PowerShot SX260 HS 12.1 MP CMOS Digital Camera with 20x Image Stabilized Zoom 28mm Wide-Angle Lens and 1080p Full-HD Video (Black) Super Bundle With 16GB Secure Digital High-Capacity Memory Card, DigPro Deluxe Case, Reader, NB-6L Ba](<a href=“http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B007HNCYRK/ref=oh_details_o02_s00_i00]Amazon.com:”>http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B007HNCYRK/ref=oh_details_o02_s00_i00)</p>
<p>I thought cell phones have basically done in the point and shoot market. With the ability to upload to FB, email, etc. do people still want to carry a standalone device that is not high end?</p>
<p>Point and shoots can now take pictures as well as a slr. Cell phones don’t come close. I would guess that point and shoots are intruding as much or more on the slr market as the cell phone is to the point and shoot.</p>
<p>My cell phone has an 8 mp camera and it is far away in quality to my point and shoot camera. Especially motion shots and pictures at night time. Day time stills usually come out great. I only take quick pictures on it when i don’t really care about the quality of them. Any vacation, trip or party i take my camera.</p>
<p>That’s actually the one thing holding me back from buying the new canon. My current camera is 12.1 mp also so really the only upgrade to it is the zoom and I’m not sure if i can justify the cost just for that. But i have a big vacation planned in the spring and i think the extra zoom would be great… I’m just spending so much on my trip that is hard to drop another two hundred dollars. Maybe it Will go on sale.</p>
<p>Sent from my DROID BIONIC using CC</p>
<p>I don’t doubt the resolution of point and shoots are as good as you need for normal sized images, but the main advantage I find in higher end cameras is the amount of control and overrides. If I use a DSLR as a point and shoot, the pictures could very well look the same.</p>
<p>I like to control depth of field a lot, as often to throw the background out of focus as to keep more of the image in focus, and many simpler cameras simply don’t have the ability to set the aperture to accomplish this. Similarly, for some action shots (or nature shots with flowing water) I do the reverse and use a slower shutter speed and pan or zoom during the exposure and the none of the point and shoots I’ve bothered to check can do things like this. I also like having an external flash that can be bounced if necessary.</p>
<p>I like my Canon PowerShot SD1300IS. There is probably a new model that is similar. It’s very small, fits in my purse, and is always with me. Easy to change from photo mode to movie mode. Previously had a Nikon CoolPix point and shoot, but the skin tones were rather orangy/pinky, the autofocus took a long time/could be blurry and the time between shots was long.</p>
<p>We have both nikon and canon DSLRs which are closer in quality to each other, but the canon is easier to operate without looking at an instruction manual (more intuitive) !!</p>
<p>Dad<em>of</em>3 brings up an interesting point. In my case, where she has a high end camera already, this purchase would be for a secondary camera where she wouldn’t/shouldn’t bring an expensive camera due to fears of loss, damage, or just heft. She has an iphone 4s - fine for snapshots but that’s about it. Will the Canon Powershot take substantially better photos than the iphone?</p>
<p>Also, does anyone have opinions about this product? [GoPro</a> Official Website: The World’s Most Versatile Camera](<a href=“http://gopro.com/]GoPro”>http://gopro.com/) go pro hero 3</p>
<p>I didn’t notice if you said you had a price point you were trying to hit…but something to consider is the mirrorless Nikon. The prices have come down tremendously this past year. B&H has the Nikon 1 V1 with the 10-30 lens for $300 until 12/31 or they sell out. Sadly, it is only in black for that price. Amazon has it in other fun colors for another $100. I am a DSLR user so completely understand what you are looking for. If I do not have my DSLR gear with me, I don’t bother taking a photo. I should probably buy a V1!</p>
<p>And, if you are not familiar with B&H, they are a very reputable dealer in NYC. Have been there forever and to be fully trusted.</p>
<p>I just got the Canon PowerShot SX500 IS. I am totally in love with this camera. I do a lot of out door photography. I don’t have the money for a real SLR, but the shots I am getting with this are incredible. It has a 30X zoom, and I think 16 megapixels. Unbelievable detail. I think you can do all kinds of manual things with the settings, but I just got it and have not played with them yet. But I can, just by where I center the focus, get really great depth of field effects. It does take some practice with the focusing and the telephoto, but totally worth it. </p>
<p>(the next time I see a bald eagle on an osprey nest, I’m going to take a picture that is more than a tiny white dot surrounded by reeds.)</p>
<p>My usual camera is a waterproof/shockresistant Olympus. Very little zoom, and less pixels. Still have taken great shots with it. I can throw it into my PFD pocket while kayaking without a care. I will have to be more careful with the new one, but it’s worth the risk.</p>
<p>The Canon cost me 250 including bag and card from Amazon. I wholeheartedly recommend it.</p>