Digital Camera advice

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i enjoy any kind cool camera. as long it is not to cheap and not to high price

So due to lack of resources I have decided to voice my complaint here.  I purchased a Sony Dig. camera in Dec of 2008 along with an extended service contract.  Recently it stopped working because the lens was stuck and would not open.  After calling the 1-800 # they told me I should take it to a "repair center" were in turn they would sent it to "Sony" for repair.  Now again, I still am under the 1 year warranty and I purchased the "extended warranty".  So after not receiving a call back from them three weeks later I call only to be informed that there was an "accidental internal damage" and that the cost for the repair would be $150.00.  I informed them that the camera was not dropped and that it was in my hands when it stopped working and that I had these two warranties.  Now in all fairness, they did offer a reduction in cost to $130.00.  No way was I going to pay for the repair, the camera only cost me $119.00. So after spending three days on the phone w/ sonny, sears, sears repair center, sears national customer # everyone was pointing to everyone and no one helped me.  So let this serve as a heads up to any one wanting to purchase a sony camera at sears. 

Sounds like this item is not "economical to repair".

Better get that extra warranty coverage applied to your camera...

Atleast, some sort of exchange credit.

If your looking at an SLR I'd go for a Cannon or a Nikon, but for a point and shoot I go sony every time.  The way they're built seems a bit more substantial.  Ive had mine for about 3 years and love everything about it.  Id stay away from Kodak though. Great Film, bad digital cameras.

Generic words of wisdom for buying any digital camera, point n shoot, SLR, micro four thirds, whatever:

Stick with a company who has made cameras and their optics for years, not a company who is great at electronics. After all, the most important part of the camera is its lenses - the megapixels dont matter if your lens isnt up to snuff.

That said, i'd tell anyone looking at cameras to buy from these companies first and foremost (in no particular order):

Olypmus
Canon
Nikon
Pentax
Leica

In a pinch, i do find that Kodak's offerings are a good deal better then GE, Sony, Samsung, etc. especially around the $100 range - but you can probably do better from one of the companies mentioned above if you can stomache an extra jefferson or two.

In regards to StaceyW's post:
Sony's cameras with Carl Zeiss lenses are solid, but at their price i think you can do way better from the competition. (you know, spend less for the same features) Then again, thats always my opinion on Sony - everything they sell is overpriced, and i can't figure out why.

I would stay away from any camera that uses a proprietary memory card like the Sony MemoryStick, or the Olympus/Fuji xD Picture Card. Stick with the standard SD or SDHC memory cards that are cheaper and readily available. I think Olympus may have finally seen the light and switched over to SD. There are so many types of Sony MemorySticks that are incompatible with each other it gets confusing.

Oh, and I've been using my little Kodak EasyShare C360 point and shoot since 2005, and it's never let me down. It has an optical glass Retinar lens that is very sharp. The plastic lenses are not as good. Real glass lenses get a name like Retinar or Schneider while plastic lenses don't.

I'm a strong believer in Murphy (as in Murphy's Law), that anything that can go wrong, will go wrong.

So, my little digitational camera uses AA batteries.

I like the freedom of using either rechargeable, Lithium-Ion or Alkaline (in a pinch) batteries in the same camera.

Also, when I take pictures, they're often one shot (vacation, stages of restoration, chance opportunities) and firmly believe that a built in rechargeable camera battery will - ala Murphy - choose that exact snapshot to die on me.

I too, own a KODAK Easyshare digimital camera deal.

Once I learn about most of its buttons, I might, someday, fork over some more cash.

But, first, I need to become a more edumacated digimital camera user.

I think my camera "can do" 10.1 megapixels.

But, I dumb it down to around 1 something, for Internet postings.

Print the pictures?

That's for them film camera deals...

Right?

:)

i don't how fancy you want it...but have been satisfied with my Kodak Easyshare since the day I bought it three years ago. It has a recorder on it, too.

I agree AdamO... 

For certain, we get in life three things for sure:

1) Death

2) Taxes

3) Murphy's law...

I find Kodak Cameras too....lightweight?  Maybe is the word?  What I'd like to know.  If there is any serious photographers out there....If I was going to buy a new DSLR what would be the way to go.  Im thinking the Canon, because I already have some of the EOS lenses from my 35mm, and they're universal.   Or should I go for a Nikon?

I am not a big Nikon fan so I would recommend the Canon Rebel over it.

The sd450 is a point and shoot....if you want to spend up to $300 you can essentially get any point and shoot on the market. You could jump to an SLR for that price too....it all depends on if you want more zoom and more options, or a more compact size.

My personal favorites are the Nikon s220 and 230 and the Canon SD1200, both have decent zooms and pixels but lithium batteries and compact size.