Digital Camera - North Aurora,IL

I have a Panasonic (it's an older model) and I love it. It takes fabulous outdoor pictures, the indoor ones are very good also. It's very easy to use. My daughter wants a camera this year and we've done quite a bit of research, we're going with Panasonic DMC-ZS8K (which looks like the upgrade to the one I currently have).

I bought her a Nikon Coolpix (don't know model #, lower end), 2 years ago and it turned out to be a piece of junk. We did some research and found that many people were disappointed in the various models.

Canon and Sony are good brands. I had a Sony years ago and loved it. The only disadvantage is you could not use a standard memory chip and had to use the special Sony ones.

A lot will depend on your budget and usage plans. It also matters whether you want one you can put in your pocket or have to carry.

We bought the Canon SX30 IS about six months ago and love it! It had great reviews online. Big drawback is that it's one you have to carry around. However, it takes terrific pictures. It captures high speed shots and the other pics are also crystal clear. It's a higher end digital camera, just below going for a DLSR (which we didn't want ... too many lenses to mess around with).

I spent a ton of time deciding on a new camera. We decided on a point-and-shoot so I could grab it in a hurry and keep it with me.

Nikons are nice, but I don't like the software in them....not as user friendly as some of the others.

Canons and Sony's are just as nice. Those were the top three brands. I got the Sony PowerShot. I like it a lot. Took some great pictures inside a dome-type building while watching the circus. Not all the pictures came out, but most did. If they used some floor lighting, I couldn't get a good shot. I paid roughly $200.

Something to remember, not all camera's have rechargable batteries and actually require AA batteries. I'm not a fan of that. I use my camera way too much to run through the cost of AA batteries.

I love and adore the Canon PowerShot Elphs! They are small, take fantastic photos and videos, and they're very economical! I have literally worn one out over the last 7 years and am asking for a new one this year.

I have owned Olympus for awhile and not a big fan. The shutter time is horrible - meaning I go to take the picture and it finally "clicks" a couple seconds later. So I would say when searching for your camera, make sure it takes pictures quickly so you don't "lose" the shot you are trying to take!

I am starting my own photography company and just purchased a Nikon. Check online and read alot of reviews - that is how I narrowed down the right camera for my needs. Good luck!