Which digital camera to buy?

I am looking for at least a 6MP/7MP camera with standard features like digital and optical zoom, image stabilizer, etc. I heard that the Canon Powershot A540 is a great camera to begin with for amatuers like me. What do you suggest? Should I buy this one or any other?

My budget is within INR 15k with perhaps a memory stick (512MB/1GB???).

Any suggestion will be greatly appreciated, thanks.

go for that camera with 1GB memory stick
or a Sony Cybershot

whats your budget ??

He already mentioned 15K in the first post

go for sony cybershot w70

canon a540 i own it, its the best in that price category. there is a new launch by canon A570IS dunno its available here in india or not. its also a good one.

Go for the Canon PowerShot A460. Specs: 5 megapixels; Movie mode with sound; JPEG file format; 4x optical zoom / 4x digital zoom; Autofocus; Auto and manual exposure; ISO 80-400; 2.0-inch LCD; Secure Digital memory (16MB card included)

sysfilez said:
canon a540 i own it, its the best in that price category. there is a new launch by canon A570IS dunno its available here in india or not. its also a good one.

What is the price of A570IS?

280$
so that must be arnd 12K

So for the A540, what about the zoom? If I zoom in too much, will the clarity reduce?

I might also think of the A570IS, if it's available. It seems a good bet. Thanks.

Any other ideas?

i Own a Canon PowerShot A710 IS 7.1 MP, got it from alpha market with 2GB mem stick @15000 with 6 batteries and a battery charger.. it was 3 months ago and the camera is running in top gear without ne complain...

well a570IS is not available in kolkata market, its a new launch by canon during the month of march07. dont look for digital zoom wen buying. A540 is very very good and if A570IS is available nothing better at that price.

^^ My quoted price is without warranty... so buyers should keep that in mind

I would recommend the Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ3. I myself am on the look-out for a digital camera right now and this one seems to be the best bet.

Here's a feature-by-feature comparison of the Panasonic with all the other cameras mentioned above. The Panasonic has the best features among these. It is the costliest though, but it fits in your budget.

Give that chart a look. It is a 7.1 MP camera that offers a widescreen aspect ratio and has 10x optical zoom, the highest on any compact camera. It captures videos in the huge widescreen resolution of 848 x 480 at 30 frames per second, another first. It also has a 3-inch LCD screen. I think it is the best.

Do read this review to know all about this camera.

^^ price

@ digitized
hey buddy why dont u vist this site dpreview.com one of the best sites for digital cameras.
u can compare side by side every model.

I have used that site only for the comparison.

@47shailesh, the price is $349.99 which, on direct conversion, amounts to Rs. 15,181.48. I haven't yet enqired the about the price from any Indian dealer.

47shailesh said:
^^ price

Ya, what's the price? And is it available?

aryayush said:
I have used that site only for the comparison.

@47shailesh, the price is $349.99 which, on direct conversion, amounts to Rs. 15,181.48. I haven't yet enqired the about the price from any Indian dealer.

dude there is a wide diff in price when compared in India and abroad

Yeah, certainly seems so.

Morever, there is a scarcity of Panasonic dealers in India.

@ digitized, I think you can safely strike this camera off your list. It would be way out of your budget.

So I think the best bet would be either A540 or the A710IS. What do you think? Just tell me the price of the A710IS and I will enquire about it's price and availability too.

@digitized...all of the professionals use either nikon or canon...forget the others, hasselblad etc is out of question...so if ya r buying a camera stick to these two brands...canon or nikon, at ur price range go for Canon A540, best bet...also check out this site www.dpreview.com

Thank you everyone. I am going to buy the A540 in 1-2 days.

made a good choice buddy....congratulations

hey saiki, digitized kolkata rox, have fun with ur new camera.
digitized do me a favor wen u go out to buy pls find out if any of the shops r selling camera without bill. and yes dont forget to bargain. dont forget to bring it in the meet.

Thanks to everyone, I got a Canon Powershot A540 with 512MB SD card and carry case free alongwith 2 years warranty from Capital Electronics Chowringhee for Rs.13200. I also got 4 rechargeable batteries for Rs.700. Bought the whole stuff after 7:30PM yesterday after returning from office.8)

^^ congrats dude.

congratulations once again...mate