Great for a first timer!

This was my first digital camera. I bought it in the summer of 2006 and still use it very frequently. I paid around $110 at Wal-Mart, but I see them cheaper now at several different stores.


What I liked about this camera:

1. VERY simple to use. Being that this was my first digital camera purchase, I really had no idea what I was doing. I understood the basics, and that's exactly what this camera offered. No unnecessary buttons- very clean and simple menu setup. My parents could even operate it- both of whom are extremely nervous when it comes to anything electronic. The manual that came with it was also very basic and to the point, which I loved.

2. Affordable. At around $100, I feel like I've gotten every penny out of this purchase. For the person who just likes to take pictures when they go out, this does the job- without having to spend a lot of money.

3. Good pictures. For the price of the camera, it takes great photos. Of course, I've seen better- but those photos came from cameras that cost 3 times as much. The overall quality of the photos are good, and I have received inquiries and compliments on my camera several times.

4. Easy to use software. The software package that came with the camera was easy to install, simple, and still offered plenty of editing options. Pop in the CD, and it basically leads you through the install by the hand. When you are ready to upload pictures, plug in the USB, turn the camera on, and your pictures are uploaded to a photo album (and ready to be edited) within minutes.



What I didn't like about this camera:

1. Zoom. The zoom on this camera while taking pictures didn't work for me at all. It hardly zoomed in, and when it did, the picture quality was poor- very grainy. I also noticed the picture quality to be sub-par in action shots. There may be a way to adjust the shutter speed to correct this, but overall, action shots and zoom shots don't turn out the best on this camera.

2. Review. It may have just been a defect in my camera, but I had problems when I went back to review pictures I had just taken. I took a picture, went into review mode to see it, tried to zoom in on the picture, and the camera locked up for about a minute. Other times, it was fine. Sometimes I would have to turn off my camera to make it go back to the main screen. This was a fairly frequent problem with my camera- but it didn't bother me to the point of trying to return it.


Overall, this camera has many more pros than cons. I would say that this camera would work best for the novice digital camera user, or someone who just wants a basic camera for cheap. Someone who really enjoys photography or is picky about aspects of photo quality- would probably enjoy a more advanced camera. As a 22 year old college student, I enjoy having it with me to take out with friends- without feeling as though it was a financial burden. It also worked well for my parents and others who borrowed it who weren't very experienced with digital cameras.
For around $100, I've saved well over 1,000 pictures of memories in the past year- with many more to come. It still functions as well as the first day I had it.
I feel that this is the best camera for the price.