My search continues for a digital camera and its strange because the more I learn and the more I search I seem to be no better off. Until I started looking I had no idea just how flooded the digital camera market was. *Mental note* Never enter the camera business.
There still seems to be the market bastardisation that I had come to expect in which cameras which could very easily at little or no extra cost could incorporate simple features but instead the inclusion of a non digital viewfinder or a hotshoe bump the price up several hundred dollars and they give exacly the same model a different snazzy name like XS or Pro or arent we smart to get the most from you.
My slow realisation is that to get a really nice compact digital camera
you need to spend rather alot of money and when I look at what the purpose of a compact camera is and that being for me anyway a camera that I can take anywhere and one that I dont have to baby and watch every second. Compact digital cameras that offer what i want are up around $800-$900 but for this price its almost at the Digital SLR range. I think idealy I would love an SLR because the photo quality is so much better and the sensors are just far superior but also I would like a camera that I can take anywhere. I guess im trying to find middle ground but this very difficult.
So with my realisation in place I am now trying to find a compact digital camera that meets my new needs like light weight, robust, compact, and takes reasonable quality photos rather than trying to find a compact SLR. My search continues and still while this filters some of the cameras out there down there is many to search thru. Your suggestions, reviews, and help are more than welcome.