Olympus CAMEDIA C-4000 Zoom

This camera, while hailed as a great value for the hobbyist photographer, is even perfect for those who know nothing about what they are doing. Being my first digital camera, I was pleasantly surprised by the ease of using it. For those who are technically inept, one can simply turn the camera on and take quality pictures from the default settings. However, for those who know a bit about what they're doing or are willing to read the instructions, one can save settings (picture quality, self-portrait/landscape/motion, flash, etc), record short movies, and enjoy the many other technical aspects of the camera. While the menus are technical, they are also easy to navigate and clear, so I knew what to tinker with and what not to tinker with. The LCD screen is very nice, and flashes what one took a picture of briefly after the picture is taken, without having to go to the Preview. My only problem is that the viewfinder is not accurate, so I have to use the LCD view, which uses more battery, but it may be my camera only. Some may get overwhelmed by the technical options, but I would advise to just ignore them until you are more comfortable with the camera. However, as I am not an expert, I cannot rate the more advanced features, but I have read in many reviews that it is the best value for its price for the hobbyist.

While the camera is not as small as others, it is relatively light weight, and has a nice form perfect for holding comfortably.