Camera Question - please?

I know that many of you have recently researched buying a digital camera...so I would like to pick your great brains: My sons' birthday is coming up and I would like to buy him a camera (so I can see my grandaughter grow up!!)... but I cannot see spending tons of money on a camera that will only be used for family stuff...something, say, under $200. Any suggestions? I say this because if there is a way to break a camera, he will find it...sort of the bull-in-a-chinashop syndrome.

Any help is greatly appreciated!!!! Need a point-and-shoot uncomplicated but good.

Carol

Canon Powershot A620 is a great camera. Don't remember what it cost, but it was a lot less than the one I finally bought!

Christina

I would definitely recommend going with one the boxier ones, and staying away from the really slim types. I also find the Canon Powershot A540 takes just a little more abuse than the Nikon Coolpix ..um... I forget the model but it's the equivalent - similar shape and price. The Nikon may not be around anymore, even though I bought it only a year ago. I recently checked out the Panasonics because they have leica lenses, but I found the casing very flimsy.

One major complaint I have with the Canon is that it turns purple flowers blue. (The Nikon turned blue flowers purple, which was somewhat less offensive for some reason.) You probably don't care about that though.

As long as it doesn't turn my Grandbaby purple!! Can't you correct the blue/red balance in a photo manipulation program?

the problem is that it's only the color of the purple flower that gets skewed. Everything else would look fine. Yes, it can be corrected using photoshop but it's waaaaay too much work to select just the flower for correction. Plus I don't usually remember the correct color by the time I get home and sort through the photos...

Carol I just ordered the same one Ann S. has but with 8 pix.............Costco has them for $199.00 that is the price after you get $100.00 off.i think Anns pics speak for the camera----And it has a point and shoot setting..

What's the name of the camera, Sandy?

Olympus SP-350.....item # 955529 at Costco.com..........................Let me know if you want me to get it for you !!! I do think that the stores also have the same one..............Sandy

Oh, yeah ... that little Olympus rocks!!!
Ann

Thanks, guys!!! All of you have been a big help!!!

the color issue may not have anything to do with the camera, and everything to do with your monitor. I work in the graphics industry (we make t-shirts), and I have seen time and time again how off a monitor can skew a color. every monitor (and printer) is going to show a slightly different color than the next. even using Photoshop isn't always the answer. I had one customer question a color we were going to use for her screenprinted t-shirts and embroidery. she had given me a Pantone color (this is the universal chart of colors) that her graphic artist had the design set in. well, when I showed her the color, she replied, "but that isn't the color". well, it was. it turns out that the color on her graphic artist's monitor showed a dark royal blue color when the color was really a light blue. when I explained this to her she said, "so that's why our business cards came out that color!"

and now you know the nightmare that is my job