I am in need of a new camera, DS dropped mine in the ocean while on vacation & the salt water killed the lens. I want a Nikon, but don't know which one. I had a Nikon Coolpix L6, but lost it at Disney. Got a L15 for Christmas, which I liked, but it did not take great shots from across the room, i.e. if I zoomed in when sitting in a pew during a school program the pics were fuzzy. Anyone out there who cna recommend a good Nikon in the $175 range?

Thanks for asking this question! I need a good camera too and have been wanting some input. Can't wait to see what others say!

Linz

I don't have a Nikon but I have the Canon A560 and love it. The pictures look so crisp! It was about $150.

I have read bad reports on the Cannons about the lens getting stuck.

I think I am going to get Nikon Coolpix S550
Item Description
This stylish, ultra-compact model offers high resolution, a bright 2.5-inch LCD monitor and a 5x Nikkor zoom lens. Electronic VR Image Stabilization and extended light sensitivity settings up to ISO 2000 furnish sharper images, especially in low light conditions or when capturing moving subjects. Nikon's Face-Priority AF automatically finds and focuses on up to 12 faces within one frame. Smile mode automatically fires the shutter when the subject smiles and can provide a Blink Warning if the subject has blinked. In-Camera Red-Eye Fix automatically detects and corrects red eye. D-Lighting corrects excessive backlight or insufficient flash.




Key Features & Benefits:

10 megapixel resolution

Delivers detailed pictures that can be enlarged up to 16" x 20"

Nikkor 5x optical zoom lens and 4x digital zoom

Allow you to bring your subjects closer for better composition

2.5-inch color LCD screen

Lets you compose and review your pictures with ease

Electronic Vibration Reduction image stabilization

Minimizes the effects of inadvertent camera shake for clearer results

Face-priority auto focus, Smile mode and Blink Warning

Ensure perfect results for up to 12 people in your photo

11 scene modes

Provides just the right settings for everything from sports to sunsets

Movie mode

Captures video with sound

52 MB internal memory and SD card slot

Stores images in the camera or lets you use optional SD or SDHC memory cards (internal memory is limited so an additional memory card [not included] is highly recommended)

It seems to have everything I wnat & I found it online for $188 where it is over $200 at Bestbuy or Walmart.

I just got a cannon a590 on amazon (cheapest price around) for $148. I will let you know what i think about it.

My daughter has an Olympus FE280 which takes great pictures for a digital camera.

I have the Canon A550 & it has been a great little camera. I worked a combo deal & sold off the FAR photo printer to get mine really cheap.

The Canon lens problem should have been fixed by now. It was primarily an issue on the subcompacts (SD series) that were really thin & used special batteries. The A series cameras use AA batts & are larger so they had more room to put in a better mechanism. Haven't heard anything about problems in that series.

I would recommend against Sony DSC series. I had a DSC600 that I sold because it focused poorly indoors in lower light situations. Shutter lag was terrible on that camera series. I'm sure the Nikons are good cameras as well but I've never owned one......

We just had a Nikon Coolpix 5600 die on us. I HATED that camera. I missed so many shots because the camera delay- DD's kindergarten graduation for example. I would actually yell at it "I HATE YOU!" because it pissed me off so much. I think it took all of my yelling personally and decided to die this past weekend and hold three weeks of photos hostage to boot. You don't have the last laugh, evil camera- I can just take the memory card to Walgreens and print the pictures. Good riddance!!!

If you took a picture, the screen would go black and you couldn't take another picture while it was saving the old one. It seemed to take forever to save and the meantime you were missing whatever action was going on. And also if you turned the camera on before the action started, by the time you wanted to take a picture, it has shut itself off and you had to turn it back on and wait for it to be ready. Did I tell you I am glad it is dead??? My hubby actually took it apart to see if he could fix it--- I wish he had let me smash it into a million pieces instead.

I have the Canon Power Shot SD1000. It's a great little camera but it wasn't turning on for me after only 7 months of having it.

Well, the good news is that is was under warranty and Canon fixed it and returned it to me free of charge in 8 days.

I'm happy again!

i hated to switch from my 35 mil (it cost 1500 a long long time ago professional quailty) but i finally gave it up for a kodak easyshare z712is and it takes great pictures and does not have that huge delay i got it at circuit city for 200 so very good price for the quality

PS - I just went to Kmart after dinner tonight & my location had the SD1000 on clearance for $100 down from $200 along with several others. YMMV on local stock but they seem to be clearancing alot of stuff. If I remember properly, the SD1000 is 10MP & 3X optical zoom.