Not sure what camera to buy

[Groffy77]

I am looking for a new camera in the $0-350ish range. I want it to take pictures as instantly as possible after pressing the shutter button. Size doesn't matter to me and the memory card type doesn't matter either.

I want it to have manual settings for macros and shutter things.. (I don't really know much about cameras) and automatic settings for just pointing and shooting like when I am just with friends. I want features like being able to set exposure, shutter speed, and taking macros.

Does anyone have any suggestions for a camera? I have had positive experience with Sony cameras in the past but the screen on a Casio camera I had screwed up.

Thanks! =)

[crazzy88ss]

Anything from the canon SD series is great. Those are the only point and shoots I would buy. They have those requirements you're looking for, and top out at around $350-400ish, depending on where you shop.

One thing to know about shutter lag in point in shoots is to do the "half focus" trick (or what ever it's called). What you do is press the shutter button down half way to where it locks in the focus (usually you hear a beep). Keep the button pushed at this level until you're ready to snap the shot. If you do that, it takes the picture instantly almost every single time.

[Groffy77]

I went to Circuit City today and I narrowed it down to two cameras I really like. The first one is the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-H3. I really like this one because it is more compact and it felt really solid and a relatively good build quality in my hand. The other camera I really liked was the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-H7, which I couldn't really get a good grip on it.. maybe it was because of the dumb security things they put on the cameras. The quality of the H7 felt much less than the H3. I can deal with this camera physically because it doesn't bother me that much.

What I'm wondering is.. what camera should I go with? I want to go with the H3 because it is more compact with almost all the same features but it doesn't have shutter priority and aperture priority like the H7 does.

If I buy the H3 will I regret the purchase because of the two features missing on it that are on the H7? That's the only thing that is holding me back from buying the H3.

Thanks! =D

[eva]

Im looking for a camera with manual settings, too.

and what about canon's A series ?

thx