Help! Camera knowledgeable people

[Speedy Samurai]

I am looking to get a good not expensive digital camera (I already have several crappy ones).

A friend of mine had the CANON SL100IS and I played around with it and really enjoyed it. I have been wanting that camera for some time and now that I have some spare cash I started looking at it again. But of course, that camera is now 'not-so-new'.

I have been reading reviews on the CANON A1100IS and trying to compare them, however, I don't know enough about these things to determine which would be the better camera. I can get either one for about the same price.

The A1100 is 12 megapixel compared to the SL100's 8 but the SL100 has the 10X optical zoom as opposed to the 4x found on the A1100.

Does anyone have any experience with these cameras and can give a cheer or jeer on either/both? Any camera comparable in price that would be a better option?

I may go to akihabara on monday to look around but I want to know some things before I stick my head into that place.

Thanks!

 

[GilesGuthrie]

Have a look at sample images on http://www.dpreview.com. In general, pixel density makes the camera more susceptible to noise in the images, especially in low light. So the 10MP camera may well produce better low-light images than the 12MP camera.

And it's generally considered that any zoom that's more than 4x will be of lower quality than one with less range.

I'm not overly qualified to give you advice on cameras that aren't SLRs, but when you go to check them out, take your own memory card, because then you can review the images for longer post-shot, or even take them home and review at home for a later purchase decision.

Also, try to take several shots in quick succession, taking note of the shutter lag (the interval between you pressing the button and the shot being taken) and the recycling time, both with flash on and flash off. The faster camera will be the less frustrating in the long run.

Once you've considered these factors, buy the one you like best.