mrn8

That's actually a pretty odd issue for that Canon. Is it less than 1 year old? If so, it should still be under Canon's warranty. As for the 3 there, I'd probably chose the SX100IS for myself, but it really depends on what you'll use it for. You can look at all 3 camera's specs in detail, here: http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/compare_post.asp?method=sidebyside&cameras=canon_a720is%2Ccanon_sx100is%2Cpanasonic_dmcfz8&show=all I haven't used a Panasonic, but I know that there are a couple of members here that swear by them. I believe Keebelf and outnumbered both have that model or a similar one.

The charger you linked is for the car. It plugs into a cigarette lighter plug. Do you have a Sam's Club membership? They have some good Energizer chargers with batteries. Here's one of them: http://www.samsclub.com/shopping/navigate.do?dest=5&item=361537&pCatg=5739

Scarface - There are some great cameras in the price range. You definitely getter better glass, zoom range, and Image Stabilization if you are willing to spend in the $200 - $300 range. Some that I would recommend that you take a look at are: Canon A720IS Canon SX100IS Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ8K

The S3 IS is a very different camera from the other 2. How do you plan on using the camera and what features are important to you?

Keep an eye out, because it's dropping in price. Gateway had it for $153 shipped a little over a week back. If you are good at finding and posting deals, you could try to win one! GottaDeal is running a contest for an SD1000 or a Wii. Read about it here: http://forums.gottadeal.com/showthread.php?t=86202

The G5 uses the BP-511, and I know I've lent out my spares to people with XT and 20D cameras before. Is that the one that you use in your 30D and 40D?

I finally got around to looking up Sterlingtek, and I'm impressed. $12 per battery is great. I also forgot that the batteries from my Canon G5 are the same as the EOS batteries, so I've already got a spare. No worries on the camera. I don't want him to make a decision he regrets, so take your time.

Sounds great, I can't wait to see what they've got going! It is time to upgrade out home computer's motherboard / processor / video, so I'll be looking.

Great info, LM. I never know which battery companies are good and which are potentially harmful for the camera.

RAW is basically a full (uncompressed) image. The frames that you are talking about are how many of the RAW images the camera can store in the buffer while in continuous mode. This means that the XT can store 4 full images while the camera is writing to the card, while the XTi can store 10 full images. A fast card (Sandisk Extreme II / III cards) is a good investment for a DSLR camera.

Which store are you talking about? Most of them have the best deals right away in the morning, and then lesser sales after 10am or noon.

Welcome to the site, Hangtime! GottaDeal is a great community and there are a lot of us who stick around here year-round. BF is a great time to score some deals, but if you stick around here throughout the year, you'll find that there are deals to be had just about any time you are looking!

The extras would cost you about $250 from a shop like B&H Photo or Adorama. Honestly, it's a decent deal, and allows you to get pretty much everything you need all at once. I'd also add a UV filter for each lens to protect the glass, but you could pick up 2 of those for less than $10.

The choice between and XT and XTi should depend on what you use the camera for. There are small differences between them, but if you like to take shots in continuous mode, the XTi is for you. The processor on the XTi is a lot faster and can store more during the write time, so there's less lag time before your camera is ready to go again. The advantages that the XTi has over the XT is: 2.5" LCD vs 1.8" LCD, 9-point focus (Eos 30D AF) vs 7-point focus (Eos 30 AF), faster continuous drive, 10mp vs 8mp. I think the reason that most people preferred the XT is that is had a slightly larger hand grip, which I agree is a good feature on an SLR. The biggest thing that will improve SLR shots (besides learning how to use the camera) will be the glass. Both cameras are capable of great photos, even with a beginner using it, but as you really start to learn the camera, the addition of some purpose-specific lenses will really allow the cameras to shine. Either one will be excellent and as a first SLR camera, the XT is perfect. Here's a side-by-side comparison of the 2 cameras: http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/compare_post.asp?method=sidebyside&cameras=canon_eos350d%2Ccanon_eos400d&show=all

If that one drops under $150, I'll probably be buying it for my wife. It's a great camera and it won't take up much space in her purse. As for the BF cameras that are ultra-compact and still decent, the 7.2mp Casio Exilim cameras that Sears and Circuit City will have for $139.99 would both be good buys. They are very small, but still turn out a good quality photo.

katiesmommy - I don't see why you shouldn't buy it. You like it and if it suits your needs, it's a good fit. I've purchased the Canon A series cameras for my Grandparents, Parents, MIL, and sister and they have all been more than pleased with them. They are a great line of cameras and are simple for anyone to use.

Welcome to GottaDeal, Jim! For $200, I would much rather recommend to you a camera that has an optical zoom. The digital only zoom cameras will soon disappoint you, since anything that you zoom in on will not have great quality. For ultra-compact cameras under $200, I don't think you can go wrong with a Canon SD1000 or a Sony DSC-W80. Take a look at them (www.dpreview.com is a good place to start) and see what you think. You should be able to walk into any electronics department and handle those cameras, too, so that you can compare them physically.

Kathy - I think the SLR package from Best Buy would be great for you, but I think you'd have to get there pretty early to get a ticket for that item. The only reason I recommend this is because you say that you are tired of wasting money on cameras. With a DSLR setup, you can get the lenses that suit your needs and not have to learn a new camera. However, as far as functionality goes, it sounds like the S3 IS or S5 IS from Canon would both suit your needs. They have a great zoom (better than a stock DSLR kit lens), it can take 1.5 shots per second if you have it on continuous drive, and they have image stabiliztion, so you can get those shots free-handed. Both cameras also have a "sports" mode, to help you capture action shots.

DaFees - The Canon A560 is currently $127 shipped from Amazon.com, and that's a better camera and better deal than I've seen in the BF ads for entry-level digital cameras. If I were her, I'd jump on that one and free up a shopping item on BF. http://www.amazon.com/Canon-PowerShot-A560-Digital-Optical/dp/B000NK3NBA/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&s=photo&qid=1194636258&sr=1-3

That camera isn't all that useful. It lacks an optical zoom, so everything that you try to zoom is digital. The more you zoom, the more quality you will lose on your pictures. You will need to buy a SD memory card for it, too, but anything over 256mb would hold more than 100 pictures for that camera. Here's the specs of the camera, if you are interested: http://www.polaroid.com/global/detail.jsp?PRODUCT%3C%3Eprd_id=845524441765054&FOLDER%3C%3Efolder_id=2534374302029037&bmUID=1194635940834&bmLocale=en_US

I'm guessing at that price, they are actually selling the XTi, then. The standard lens with the 40D would be a 28-135mm lens. I don't see why they would give your the XT / XTi lens with the 40D. Edit - Yeah, after reading the new posts, my heart rate has slowed a bit.

Do you have a copy of that ad? If that's a Canon 40D for that price, I'd be there in a heartbeat.

We're spending less due to saving for our first home, but not due to the economy. Well, I guess the economy is bringing housing prices down, which is influencing our decision to actively look for a home, so I guess you could look at it that way!

PM me with what you've got. I'm actively looking for a DSLR right now.

I was hoping for a Canon 30D or 40D package deal, but I guess that's a bit over the typical consumer level. Oh well. I may just try to pick up a used 30D if I don't find anything soon. Of the package deals from BB and CC, I'd say that the Rebel XT package is probably the best value. Plus, Best Buy will have the 2GB Extreme II CF card for a reasonable price ($24.99), which is a good match for a DSLR camera.