Ok...I need a little bit of help. I've been looking around on Amazon for almost two hours trying to find a digital camera that would suit my needs.

I thought I recently found a camera that would suit my needs, the Olympus D-560 (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B00008IOEJ/qid=1070537404/sr=8-1/ref=sr_8_1/104-2937975-8274348?v=glance&s=photo&n=507846), but now that I have used it for a while I have noticed that it sucks the life out of batteries, and it will refuses to take a single decently focused photo in low-light levels.

So I'm hoping somebody out there has some advice for me. I would like to keep the cost in the $400-500 range. It must be able to take good quality photos indoors, as well as outdoors and at night. I would like at least 3x optical zoom, digital zoom is not a factor. It should also be built for easy portability, as I would be keeping it in a belt-pack when I intend to use it for trips to the park and such. Also, the ability to set conditions manually when I want would be a bonus.

Anybody know of a camera that fits that description?

I have a nice digital camera that does most of that...with the exception that it does have a tendency to eat batteries. However, if I buy the lithium AA batteries that are available, I get about 4x the life out of those than I do regular ones.

I don't have the camera model and make here, as I am at work. When I get home tonight I will hop on and post the info.

I DO know that it's a 3 megapixel camera, and it uses Smartmedia cards for storage. I have been able to set just about every setting there is on it manually, and have taken some great low-light pics with it.

-Demigod
(wishes he could remember the darned thing...)

Based on advice here I purchased a Cannon Powershot S30. Not Afraid and Cemeinke have the S30 and the S50. The S30 has 3.0 megapixels and the S50 has 5.0 megapixels. The cameras use compact flash memory. I have noticed my origional battery is not lasting as long as it used to, however I was able to find one really cheap on ebay (gotta love ebay). The battery is recharagable and does last a long time.

There are a few threads about this with a TON of helpful information. Heres (http://mousepad.mouseplanet.com/search.php?s=&action=showresults&searchid=271529&sortby=lastpost&sortorder=descending) the link to some of them and heres (http://mousepad.mouseplanet.com/search.php?s=&action=showresults&searchid=271532&sortby=lastpost&sortorder=descending) a link to two more. :)

I love my S30, and it got pretty good reviews on Amazon as well.

AHA - Found it!

Mine is a Olympus Camedia C-3000ZOOM.

Here is a link (http://www.bizrate.com/marketplace/product_info/details__cat_id--402,prod_id--5138226.html) to the specs for it.

I am very satisfied with this camera - I've taken some beautiful shots with it!

-Demigod

What Tigs said. We LOVE our Canon s30 and s50. I would seriously take a look at these models. Wonderful cameras!

Originally posted by Not Afraid
What Tigs said. We LOVE our Canon s30 and s50. I would seriously take a look at these models. Wonderful cameras!

I have the Canon s50. And I must agree, they truly are wonderful cameras :)