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Best? Anonymous
I'm going to be purchasing a camera shortly.

Right now the running is between the following models from Canon:

Canon PowerShot S3 IS
Canon PowerShot SD700 IS Digital ELPH
Canon PowerShot A710 IS

They are all in a very comparable price range, and all have Image Stabilization. The S3 has a huge 12x optical zoom, but is not crucial for my decision. Not necessarily looking for a compact camera, but would probably choose compact if image quality is the same as the S3.

Which is the best choice for someone who wants to start taking semi-professional looking photos, and is looking for maximum quality under $360 or so. Learning curve is also no consideration, as I'm dating a photo major.

Thanks for the advice.
>> Anonymous
Photo majors are faggots. Don't bother with PnS... Save your money and get a DSLR. Oh, but if you take my advice you'll just come back and make another thread like this asking what DSLR to get. So just close your eyes and pick one out by randomly pointing your finger at your post.
>> Anonymous
>>32068
Lol, I agree with this blunt anonymous on most parts.

But if you don't have the money to spend on a DSLR then the S3 IS, or the A710 is probably the way to go. DSLR's other than bulk blow away any P&S though, so its hard not to recommend them.
>> Anonymous
PnS cameras are great for something convienence and portability. However, I don't think might be a little restricted if you don't know what sort of semi-professional shots you're going to take. Landscape shots... portraits? Find a camera that is more suited for you this way. I'm not saying you can't take great pictures with a PnS camera, but there are some issues. Usually I find red eye to be a problem with most PnS cameras and it's quite difficult to really get exactly what you want. Then again, you could mess around in post processing.

Just get a camera that's a good match for you whether it's PnS or not. I think that your significant other will be happy that you're taking interest in his/her hobby as well. But if you really don't find it your cup of tea, well, it's not worth spending so much money on an dSLR,lenses and filters. If you wanted SLR quality, buy just that, a mechanical SLR. Sure you'll have to process the film and stuff, but it's way cheaper than a dSLR, though... lenses can vary in price. I still think you can get a 50mm lens and a zoom lens with body for under $400 USD.