Yeah... So, I'm thinking about getting a digital camera or something, but I don't know what to look for (or even where to look, really), so I figured I'd ask here.

I don't need it to be very good quality, and the cheaper it is, the better. The only things I need would be portability, decent storage space, and video recording (which most come with anyway). I'll take whatever I can get, but those are the only things that would be essential.

So, yeah, like I said I really have no idea what to look for, or where to look for it, so I'd appreciate any suggestions you guys have

I hear the Olympus µ is a decent compact.

Most fuji cameras are decent and theres some really good cheap ones

The most important thing is to get OPTICAL zoom, and not digital zoom.

All digital zoom does is zoom in on the image file and pixelate it.



Kodak Easyshares are pretty cheap. They're also REALLY well built, and take GREAT pictures.

Use websites to look over the cameras specs:

http://www.dpreview.com/
http://www.steves-digicams.com/

those are two taht I used alot when I was looking for my camera.

Well, I did a quick (five minute) search of newegg, and found this http://link-depot.com/VC3240.html for $87... It doesn't have optical zoom, but it seems to do everything I'd want it to (but like I said, I don't need it to be very good quality, so I think I could deal with digital zoom)

There isn't any reviews for it on either of those sites, though... Should I go with it, or look for something else?

Digital zoom is nothing more that resizing the picture in Photoshop, if that. Don't bother with it.

I gathered that much from Rob's post, but since I don't need anything high quality in the first place, will it make much of a difference?

If you use zoom, it will be like going from HL2 graphics to Atari 2600 graphics. Muhaha..?

If you zoom in at all, it makes a huge difference.

Good lord, yes. I've had my camera for a couple of years now, it only has digital zoom on it. I took it to Paris shortly afterwards and took a bunch of photos, I ended up deleting every zoomed picture and never used the zoom function again. I plan on getting a new camera this year, maybe something higher end like a Nikon.

Nikon D70.....

*drools*

Yes, I was reading up on those the other day. Definately an option I'd consider, even at the six to seven hundred quid price range.