Looking for a new camera....which one is best?

[maggithemagpie]

I am so ready to buy myself my second digital camera, but there are so many choices and I still know very little about digitals and what's good or not, so here is a rundown of what I am looking for along with one that I found that I'd like your opinions on.

I'd like something with:
Good zoom (4x or higher)
Quick shutter and/or flash recharge
Takes AA batteries
High ISO
The LCD doesn't wash out in sunlight
Has video with sound
Is light and not bulky
Something that takes good nighttime photos
Not more than $400-$500 (my original price limit was $250 but if I find a camera worthy of more money, I'll get it. I'd rather pay a lot and get a good camera than pay little and get something that stinks)


Here is one cameras I have considered. Maybe you can tell me if it's any good or not:
Canon Powershot A700 (I love the 6x zoom, the ISO of 800, and the fact that it takes black and white pictures and has video with sound. The only thing I don't like about it is that the LCD washes out in bright sunlight)
Also:
What would be considered a fast shutter speed?


Right now I have a crappy Vivicam 3715. It was my very first digital and I knew nothing about digital cameras when I bought it. It stinks. The pictures itself aren't too bad, but the flash takes forever to recharge not to mention the fact that it seems to take forever to actually flash. The battery life is horrendous. You can take a couple of pictures and all of a sudden the battery dies. At first I thought I was buying rechargeable batteries that weren't any good. But I am just realizing that it's the camera not the batteries. I took the camera to a reunion this past weekend and it died when it came time to take the group picture. Grrr….that's when I decided to invest some money into a decent camera. I now have a gazillion rechargeable batteries which is why I want something that takes AA's.

I want a camera for mainly taking pictures of family/friends, but if I ever go on vacation sometime, I want something that will take good scenery shots. I'd like a camera that I can use at concerts, but its not a must have. Surprisingly, my Vivitar actually took some really good shots at a concert I went to last year but then again, I was in the 7[sup]th[/sup] row. Still, I was actually amazed at some of the pictures I got. I go to concerts a lot but sometimes you aren't even allowed to take pictures so if I get a camera that does take good concert photos then great and if not, that's okay too.
I know its gonna be hard to find a camera that has everything that I want on it, but I'd like to get as close to one as possible. Things like nighttime and concert photos aren't a huge necessity. I'm mainly interested in the ISO, shutter and flash speed, video, zoom and of course, picture quality.

Thanks guys!

[Dirt Rider]

Might also want to check out the CanonA620. It's a lot like the A700 but it only has 4X zoom, and the ISO is only good up to 200 ( goes up to 400) (I don't use it at all). But I haven't had any problems with the LCD screen washing out in the sun. Also, the A620 is called a "bulky"camera ( it isn't any bigger than a standard 35mm cam); so this might not be the one you're looking for, just figured I would through it there.

[ron519098]

I would concur. Try the A620.

[flippedgazelle]

ron519098 wrote:

I would concur. Try the A620.

If you want good low-light performance, DCResource.com has a very favorable review of the Fuji F30.



I like my A620 a lot.

[mtclimber]

The Fuji F-30, IMHO is an excellent choice. The images are very sharp and you can use ISO settings up to ISO 3200. I am very pleased with mine. Here is a sample photo.

MT

[nightstorm]

I Have the Powershot A610, because I couldn't afford the A620. Except for the resolution, they are pretty much identical. It takes great pictures, has excellent battery life, and lots of manual settings. Be prepared to buy an extra memory card for it though, The one supplied is too small to take more than a few pictures at high resolutions. I took this with mine the other night.

[flippedgazelle]

That's a super picture!