I did a search cause I thought this had come up recently, but found zilch. I'm currently in the market for a new prosumer level digital camera. Anyone have any suggestions? I'm looking in the $600-$800 range and want an 8 megapixel model. These are my choices in order so far:

• Nikon Coolpix 8700
• Olympus C-8080 WL
• Canon Pro 1

If you saved a bit longer you could get a New Canon Rebel XT/350D ($999 with Body and Lens). Then as your skill grew you could buy new lenses, an off camera flash, etc. It you get a 8mpx with out SLR capability, you can only shoot what the lens that's mounted on the camera permanently allows. The features on these cameras are limiting to basically P&S.

In the price point you listed, you could buy a 6mpx Canon Digital Rebel SLR. I have one, and have near 4000 exposures since early last year. Being able to buy a portrait geared lens, or super wide angle is a huge advantage. Not to mention with a D (Digital) SLR, you have features that are far and away more suited to someone wanting a Prosumer Camera, such as, more control over exposure and aperture, greater choices of ISO (film Speed), the ability to shoot in the RAW camera format, some programmability with parameters, etc etc.

Check this out before buying a camera, you will love this site.
http://www.dpreview.com

Were I to choose one of the above, I'd go with the Nikon 8700. I've got a 3-year old Nikon 995 and I love it, aside from the obvious 3-megapixel limitations and slow auto-focusing. The pictures it takes are beautiful and it has the best macro out there (if you're into macro - I can get about a half-inch away from something and get a clean shot. This is so important to me as a graphic artist that I will likely stick with cameras that can do this, and that's mostly Nikon products.) Slow focus, however, is a serious Nikon Coolpix problem and if you're going to be using the camera for action, I would steer you away from it.

I would suggest checking out http://www.dpreview.com/ and http://www.dcresource.com/ to get an idea of the pros and cons of each. But definitely do go to Best Buy/etc. and actually hold these things. If it doesn't feel good in your hand you won't enjoy using it. One will likely stick out after seeing them in person.

Or you could spend $1800 on the Canon D30(i think) which is the new 8.2 megapixel camera and it's badass. The Nikon version is a little cheaper right now, but it's gonna have more options as a user than the ones you mentioned. To me it's worth it to save longer and get it. The quality is undeniable.

SLR is definitely the way to go if you want the utmost in quality but you have to be prepared that what you get in the box will not suffice for long. Be prepared to spend several hundred more on a lens that will do the camera justice. Most SLRs that come with lenses are packed with a pretty inferior ones, which, of course, is a ploy by the company to suck you in with a relatively low price, then hook your wallet with the upgrade lenses. And ys, they really do make that big of a difference. Good glass will turn the quality of the images from merely "really nice vacation pics" to "near pro-level shots" (of course, having "an eye" for photography has nothing to do with the camera, so they might still be crappy pictures - they'll just look real nice.)

This is the Canon 20D not D30. $1499 gets you the 20D body and the Canon "Kit Lens" 18-55mm EFS lens. A good starter lens for the money. This 20D is a step up in features from the Canon Rebel XT/350D. If juice were looking for very advanced features, I would suggest this, but since he/she was looking at P&S fixed lens cameras, the 20D isn't a viable option.

Both the Canon 20D and Rebel XT/350D are 8mg px. Both feature instant on for no down time, faster continuious shooting blah blah. The 20D is bigger and heavier as well. Not worth the extra $500.

i'm loving my nikon D70.

Yeah, for your price range I'd go with either an older 300D OR the newer 350D. The 300 is in your range while the 350 would only be about $200 over your limit. The 18-55 EF-S kit lens is a good wide angle for the money. I have two L series lenses (17-40 F4 and 70-200 F4) and definetly wouldn't sell it. I've shot nearly 30,000 exposures on my 300 since picking it up last January and have had no problems - though I'm sure I'll start to get wary of the shutter mechanism around 40,000. I'm in several camera groups up here in TO and as far as digital SLRs go, just about everyone is shooting Canon. It's nice, if I want to borrow someone's 17-40 f2.8, or fisheye, or macro lens it's no problem as it's all the same lens mount. Ultimately, your best to go into a shop or join a camera club, try as many different cameras as possible and pick up whatever feels most comfortable in your hands and has the features you want. Keep in mind that quite a few P&S cameras are a bitch to shoot manual with if you want to start to control your shots. ALSO - Keep in mind that photography is just as addicting and costly as music!

yes. the 20D. that's it. thank you.

I suppose it depends really on what you're wanting to do. I would never choose a fixed lens camera over an SLR. It just seems like there are so many more options with an SLR. You have so much more control over what your photo looks like you know?

I appreciate all of the feedback. The only reason I hadn't listed an SLR is because of the price difference. I love the looks of the Nikon D70 as well as the Canons mentioned. I've been swayed to hold off until I can afford an SLR, because I am looking to have the most options available to me.

but - the 300D is in your price range.

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/control ... 501&is=REG

thanks for the head's up, i was thinking that was just the price for the body. I didn't realize it came with a lens at that pricepoint.

forgot what mine is, but i thought i lost it this weekend. i purposefully bought one of the better ones for my 48state trip in 2002. i think it's a canon 4megapix.

Heya Juice, if you decide to go this route, get at least a 1gb CF card. Anything smaller and you will be changing cards too often, especially if you intend to shoot in RAW format. A 1gb CF card holds roughly 120 RAW photos at 6mpx. If you opt for the Rebel XT/20D or next variant of the Nikon D70, which will most likely be around 8mp, you will fit even less than 100 photos per CF card.

I really suggest you read the dpreview site we all listed above. There are tons of very knowledgeable people, resources and guides for the offing. I haunt their forums regularly.

Good Luck

a friend just bought this tricked out, slick new Canon digital camera that cost him like $1200. He gave me his old hp photosmart 318 for a few weeks to see if i'd like to buy it.

I just took a picture of myself on the shitter here at work with it.

What an age we live in.