Is there much difference in the quality and features of these in this price range? (I doubt if I find a Lumix that cheap.) I want IS and AA batteries and easy operation so my mom can use it.

Forget about AA battries, get a cam with a propriety battery, they are usually smaller and much longer lived. Lots of after market Lithium-ion for propriety cameras.

AA bats are so last century!

Here ya go:
[www.buydig.com]

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Quote
DaviDC
Here ya go:
[www.buydig.com]

Buy.com has the same camera for $99 if you checkout using PayPal.


Buy.com

AA batteries = yuck

OK. Scratch the AAs.

I don't know much about cameras in that price range. The Lumix I've looked at are great. I don't think you can go all that wrong these days. They're all going to give better exposed, more in-focus images than any 35mm point-n-shoot did.

AA batteries may have their shortcomings, but rechargeable NiMHs are dirt cheap. Even cheaper than most after-market proprietary batteries. I carry 2 or 3 sets with me and in a pinch, if your rechargeables are spent, you can always throw in some alkalines. I just bought the A590 Canon. It takes two AA batteries, and it is a comfortable size and fairly light. The reviews I've read say you should get up to 450 shots on a single charge on 2500 mAh NiMH batteries.

AA batteries = yuck

BS.

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I've been to the edge of the map, and there be monsters.

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all who would be called good
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An armed society is a polite society.
And hope is a lousy defense.

You make me pull, I'll put you down.

I *love* SIGs. It's Glocks I hate.

I'm also in the camp that prefers AA batteries. I just bought the Canon A590 for my girlfriend. When comparing various models, I marked AAs as a plus not a minus. It helps that I already have remotes, an MP3 player, and two wireless mouse that take AAs. No need to buy more just yet.

I have no real experience with the A590, but I have played with it at the store and done a decent amount of research online. Seems like a good camera. Bought it from pcconnection.com for $99.99 shipped. May have been a one day special, but I think Amazon.com has it for about $110.00 pretty much every day without any paypal or other hijinks.

Nathan

I can't manage to keep up with charging the proprietary batteries, so AAs are a plus. I've also had bad luck with aftermarket replacement lithium batteries of the proprietary type. The Canon A590 falls in your range.

I use the Canon A630 for its swivel viewer, and recently bought a perfect used one on eBay for $100.

I am not sure, however, that these cameras work with all rechargeable AAs. They refuse to recognize some of mine.

Both cameras can be updated to shoot RAW, if you want lots to fiddle with, and to get a live battery-life indicator. Search CHDK.

I purchased a Nikon S210 at this price point from Newegg

Works great and fits in your pocket

David Pogue's camera roundup prefers the Canon series

I have to admit, the Canon's poimt and shoot models take great pictures. I have had 3 different models starting with the original digital elph series

I purchased the Nikon because it was smaller than the equivalent Canon

Just be sure the camera has a good image stabilization feature

From the boards, some implement this better than others (canon is good, Olympus not so much)

I prefer AAs but the camera really needs to accept four instead of two since they will deplete very quickly with only two. You can get AAs anywhere if you ever run into a situation where you need more.

Dennis,

I'm in the camp that prefers AA batteries. Yes, my Nikon Coolpix S210 doesn't use them but I received the camera as a gift. It's a great camera despite the proprietary battery. Given the choice, I would've gone with a model that uses plain ol' off the shelf AA batteries.

My reasoning is simple. They are work well. Several types are readily available at just about any store, i.e. Alkaline, NiMH, Lithium, etc. Run out of juice? No need to try and find a proprietary battery. Just grab whatever kind of AA batteries you have handy.

Robert

I own an A570is, and we have a bunch of them here at work, as well as a bunch of Nikons. Whenever anyone needs to borrow a camera, they always grab a canon, unless they are all gone.

I like the AA batteries in the A series. In the middle of nowhere, you can get AA batteries. Suppose you go on a trip, and forget your proprietary charger? I have a tiny bag for my A570is that I store it in, with an extra card, a small 2 slot overnight battery charger and a spare pair of AA NiMH batteries. They have NiMH batteries that are close to 3 AH these days. And you can get the low discharge formula ones like the Eneeloops or the new Energizers. Those proprietary ones don't have this formulation. I was always having to charge my battery in my Nikon P/S before I could use it.

I talked 3 co-workers into buying A590is cameras as gifts this Christmas already. When the company photographer talks, they listen.

"AA bats are so last century!"
What a load of crap!

Startup time is a major factor to consider with any digital camera & the Canons come to life very quickly when turned on.

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I'll take AA's any day over an overpriced Propriety battery. One reason I
bought the Nikon L18 was because it uses AA's. Let's see you buy a
propriety battery at some place like Disney World when you need to take
a just a few more shots.

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Grateful11