Can't go wrong with Canon. I have a PowerShot A40 and an EOS 10D. I'd never owned Canon before this time last year.

Go here

Imaging Resource

and use the selection panel on the left hand side of the page. That will show you what's available and it might also include a few fairly extensive reviews if you're lucky.

Screwballs, thanks for finding that camera! On my recent trip to Costa Rica, I found the necessity for a zoom lens!

Ok, after getting my hands on them and talking to more people about it I figure the Fuji S5000 is the camera for me.

So I now need to get the Fuji S5000 from somewhere online. I would get it at home but it costs about twice the price! If I get it from America like for example from the link below, is that a smart option?

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=48534&item=3814769051&tc=photo

The other option is to go for an english shop like this one: http://www.7dayshop.com/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=777_4_409_40903&products_id=91360

Now I know if I go for the American option 1) the plugs won't work in Europe and 2) those opteka lens and stuff look dodgy as heck.

But the difference in price, including shipping is a heck of a lot. Mainly because of all the stuff you get with the american option. But on the other hand the english option would be with a fuji telephoto lens, fuji XD card and fuji bag.

If you were me, what would you go for?

Thanks for your help,

Screwballs

i bought a Kodak Easyshare DX4530 5mp digicamera. its got a 3x optical zoom on it, and with the digital zoom, the total is 10x. its a great camera for me, and it works well. i got the camera, bundled with the dock at Sams Club for $325.

Don't use digital zoom. It is a scam, it only stretches the picture and loses quality of the image.

Screwballs - are you in the UK? If so, I think it would be easier to get it from the UK shops. If you get it from the States, you'll have to pay import taxes which will probably wipe out your savings, and if you have any problems, you'll have to send it back to the States for a warranty repair.

Just curious, what put you off the Canon? It sure has some impressive features.

If the english deal comes with the original teleconverter, bag and card, then I'd take that over non-brand any day.

Amen to that!! Digital zoom is for emergencies only and IMHO, doesn't count as zoom at all.

I know, the S5000 has 10X optical zoom as well. The reason I changed was because mainly its cheaper by a fair bit, and I think the black colour makes it look better. The bonus of the Canon was the LCD and image-stabilisation mode. But I dont think they are worth €100 price difference. And as the guy in the shop said the Canon is a 3 mega-pixel camera for the price of a 6 mega-pixel.

I'd say I'll probably go with the english shops, just don't think its worth the hassle of the trans-atlantic dealings really.

I'll let you know how it falls together!

Screwballs

One thing you'll love about the S5000 is the black rubber coating.

Combine that with the ergonomic handle and general design, and you have a camera that just falls into your hands as if it was meant for that.

When I got mine I had my eye on Nikon, Minolta and Olympus. I hadn't even known that Fuji made Digis. But once holding that thing it felt as if taylor-made me for me.