Is now a good time to buy a digital camera?

I was thinking of buying a digital camera right now. Maybe a Casio or Sony or Canon for about 200 or 250. Are there going to be newer and better cameras out in the following weeks or are most of the ones at stores now new. I want a camera with good pixels and several options like action shots, just overall good pictures. any suggestions for a certain kind? wait or buy one now?

New compact digital cameras are introduced all the time, so any camera you buy will be outdated within a year (unless you buy a dSLR which are updated every 1.5 to 2 years). So don't think of it this way when you're in the market for a new camera. Just buy something that you are happy with and you'll be find. Most cameras nowadays are pretty good. Make sure to read reviews on dpreview.net and other review sites.

Since I prefer Nikons, I want to plug Nikon's Coolpix P50 or P5100. Check them out and see how they compare to some of those that you already had in mind. These are great cameras and produce very high quality images, and their prices aren't that bad.

Yes, is a great time to by a digital camera. No, it's a terribly time. It's both, really :) There will always be better, cheaper cameras in the not too distant future, as with many electronics these days. All you can do is decide your budget, compare it to your needs, and start shopping. I personally like Fujifilm Finepix cameras, but Google on reviews to check out anything you like. Sony isn't a bad brand, but as with most their stuff they have a proprietary memory card format that won't likely ever be used on any non-Sony things. May or may not be concerned.

All in all, if you need a camera now, buy a camera now. Otherwise you'll be doing the "something better in a week" dance forever :)

Every time you turn around, there are new cameras out there. MAJOR upgrades are appearing for products after only 6-8 months on the market. You can either buy the latest and greatest for top dollar or buy the camera it is replacing for quite a bit less. Don't forget that only 6 months prior, the one that is now being closed out was the latest and greatest.

Two cameras worth considering in your price bracket are the Canon Powershots - A570-IS and SD1000. The SD1000 is really small, but it is an excellent camera. The A570-IS is a bit bigger, but it has real image stabilization and that is a worthy feature.

Both were introduced in February 2007, so they are not too out of date yet. Neither one would be an embarrassment among your friends if they want to compare who has the newest camera.

Canon A570-IS: http://www.steves-digicams.com/2007_revi...

Canon SD1000 (IXUS 70): http://www.steves-digicams.com/2007_revi...
- Also: http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/specs/Ca... Go there and click on "Read Owner Opinions."

If you keep waiting, you'll never get your camera. My sister was waiting until video cameras "improved" before buying one. As a consequence, she didn't get to video her daughter's first steps.

One option might be to buy from a place that has a low price guarantee. That way, if the price of your camera comes out because of a newer one within a two week period, or so, you can get the difference back.

You might look at it this way. Should you wait until you're a better photographer before getting a digital camera? My only suggestion might be holding off, if you could, until the Christmas sales come. That's also the time many manufacturers release their newest products.

Hope this is helpful.