[dogfish]

Hello,
I've got a Coolpix 4500 but I'm looking for a digital camera for my wife, who isn't a birder/digiscoper. It should have a good macro function but needn't have masses of pixels. Perhaps about £200, maybe less? Any recommendations gratefully received.

Sean

[Jasonbirder]

I just bought my daughter a Nikon Coolpix 3200 for £149.99 from my local camera store for her birthday and she seems quite pleased with it - its a 3megapixels jobbie and has a reasonable macro function (I got an OK snap of a Lunar Underwing when I was messing about...)

[christineredgate]

A used Fuji S 602 .A brilliant camera.

[Richard D]

I've just ordered a refurbished Coolpix 3400 for £150 - it comes with a years guarantee and should do okay as a general compact and for digiscoping.

[RAH]

I may be the only one who cares about this, but one of the factors in my decision about a camera is that it take AA batteries. This gives you much more (and cheaper) flexibility than all those proprietary batteries the manufacturers are forcing people to buy. Especially with simple point-and-shot digicams, where there is such a HUGE selection, I think this is a factor to use to narrow your search. Canon Powershot A70 and A75 have gotten great reviews and take AAs.

[Nina P]

I have been very happy with my HP 735 and that comes in at around £150 in some places, but you need to shop around, it is the easiest idiot-proof digital with 3X optical and 15times digital zoom, if I can use it and get decent pictures, then in the hands of a pro, the sky's the limit!

[Adey Baker]

Sony W1 - £220.00 at Park Cameras, for instance - 5Mp, easy to use, big screen, macro good esp. with lens at 'wide' setting and 'centre' auto-focus setting. Much quicker on start-up, etc. - but most of the latest cameras will also leave the 4500 (and it's contemporaries) behind in speed of use. Small enough to carry in trouser pocket! Given mine to my son to use at college - won't get it back!

[Edward woodwood]

got a sec hand 990 for 150 plus all the digi-ing gubbins

[bill lord]

I have an Olympus C750 UZ which has good macro facilities and a 10x optical zoom, plus lots of possible maual adjustments. Personally I've never had to use it other than as a simple point and shoot camera, and it still gives good results. I've attached a picture of a dipper I took with it last week, I was about 20 feet away from the bird and the only thing I have done to the image is crop it to size. Mind you if you ever tried to use it for digiscoping it's just about useless.

[Adey Baker]

Sean,

One thing you'll need to consider is that most of today's compact digicams, especially within your price range, will not use the Compact Flash memory cards that your 4500 does, so you'll need to factor-in the cost of a decent size Memory-stick/SD/MM/XD card as well.

[dogfish]

Many thanks for replies everyone... but I think I'll just have to toss a coin.... several times

Sean

[normjackson]

Sean, could have a look at :
http://www.imaging-resource.com/INDEX.HTM
On left side there is link to "Dave's Picks" which has recommendations for a set of different categories (including macro). Alternatively, there's a "Find the best camera for you" app. there.
Probably less useful to you (but maybe of use if insist on a particular battery type or card type, say) these can help produce a shortlist for you :
http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/compare.asp
http://www.dcresource.com/reviews/cameraList.php
Just hope the coin lands the right way up for you...