Going to buy a digital camera

[Canuckkev]

If you think this belongs more in Computers, move it, but I put it here because I don't think digital cameras are all that computer related.

Anyways, I was very interested in the Cannon S200 (http://www.futureshop.ca/catalog/proddetail.asp?sku_id=0665000FS10014579&catid=10129&logon=&langid=EN&dept=14&WLBS=fs%2Dweb1&biasid=9D69B5516C0449C6843F18B43AD2B488). But I went to a store to check it out, and it was a little too tiny for my big hands. I had to hold it with my fingertips to take a picture. Also, the 2X zoom didn't seem like much.

So now I think I will get the Cannon A40 (http://www.futureshop.ca/catalog/proddetail.asp?logon=&langid=EN&dept=14&WLBS=fs%2Dweb1&biasid=9D69B5516C0449C6843F18B43AD2B488&sku_id=0665000FS10013775&catid=&newdeptid=14). It seems it is pretty much the same, but with a 3X optical zoom rather than 2, and a little bigger. It's made of plastic, but that's probably okay because it's big enough that I can actually hold it, and probably won't drop it.

Anyways, if anyone has any experience with digital cameras, could you tell me if the A40 looks very good? 2 megapixels is good enough for my needs. What I am looking for is a camera that will take pictures with good colours. I know digital cameras aren't great for this, but I can always touch it up a bit with Photoshop.

[Ben]

Just get a nice Minolta 35mm and a scanner ;)

[Dusty]

I'll have to agree you, Ben. I bought a new Minolta SLR 35mm camera not too long ago myself. I'd take real film over that digital crap any day. However, Canuckkev did explicitly ask for advice on digital cameras and, judging by his last paragraph, he seems to already understand their limitations, so I fear this discussion is going no where but off topic.

Though my advice isn't worth much here, if I were given the choice of those two cameras, I'd take the Canon A40 for no better reason than it can focus closer (I really didn't notice much else different between the two, other than the zoom, which you mentioned).