yasinsaya

I need some advice on buying a camera for my grand daughter. She wants Canon Power Shot, any recommendations for a decent camera in $250-350 range? Thank you.

Regards--Yasin Saya

davidb1879

Re: Yasin Saya: Having used one for 10 or 15 years, I suggest the Canon Power Shot SX 50. It has a 50X zoom, and the image quality is good. There is a used SX 50 being sold by Roberts camera on ebay for $164.46 rated in good condition. Roberts is very reputable. The camera comes with a six month warranty. DSLRs have better image quality. If your budget permits, I would consider the Canon EOS Rebel TZ, a new DSLR together with an 18-55 lens being sold by Amazon for $399 with a warranty. With best wishes, Davidb1789.

davidb1879

Re: Yasin Saya: One of the best bridge cameras is the Canon Power Shot SX 50. New SX50s are no longer being sold. But there is a used one being offered on Ebay by Roberts Camera, a very reputable outfit, in good condition with a six month warranty, for $164.46. Frankly, if your budget allows, a new Canon EOS Rebel TZ with an 18-55 lens being sold by Amazon for $399 is the best choice. Davidb1789.

47greyfox Loc: on the edge of the Colorado front range

If it’s a long zoom that she’d like, by all means, consider looking for a SX60 HS.The SX70 is the latest version but is about $150 above your budget. An alternate could be the SX740 but it doesn’t have a view finder and shoots only jpeg. If those aren’t issues it’s a good choice, since max zoom is 720mm (35mm equiv). The current GX line are excellent. That’s the G1x, G5x, G7x, and G9x. And if you can find one, the G3x, which is more of a bridge camera with a 24-600mm lens. All of the Gx series cameras have 1” sensors except the G1x, which is APS-C. I own the G1x iii and a G3x. They are my work horses when I don’t feel like carrying my R5. Another excellent Powershot is a G16 or G15. They are the predecessors to the Gx series. Good luck!

CHG_CANON Loc: the Windy City

I like the G-series too. Anytime I want a quality digital camera without needing to take an interchangeable-lens camera, I pop my G9X-II on to a pants / shorts pocket and shoot away.

hj Loc: Florida

Totally agree. I too use the Canon G9X-Mark II. 1" sensor good image quality and touch screen.

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47greyfox Loc: on the edge of the Colorado front range

Canon G series fan boys unite.... from my G1x iii in Boulder, CO Saturday after a little post.... and resized for upload...... The entire series are excellent cameras.

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Haydon

Here's a couple from my SX50. The only real caveat with this bridge camera is it needs good light to produce a good image.

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PHRubin Loc: Nashville TN USA

Anything new in your budget range by Canon is in the Elph group, not very advanced. It stores only jpg files. I don't know what modes it has (Auto,P,A, T, or M). You might want to consider a reconditioned camera of a higher model.

The PowerShot SX740 is popular and just above your budget. However, for myself, since I insist on a viewfinder, I chose Panasonic. While I got the ZS80, the DC-ZS70 is also a great choice. In addition to the viewfinder, it shoots RAW and has a touchscreen.

Compare here:
https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/compare/Canon_PowerShot+SX740+HS+Digital+Camera+Silver_vs_Panasonic_Lumix+DC-ZS70+Digital+Camera+Silver_vs_Canon_PowerShot+SX740+HS+Digital+Camera+Black/BHitems/1427178-REG_1328550-REG_1427176-REG

carlberg

I have a Canon SX30m SX50 and SX60 and in MHO the SX50 produces the sharpest images.

amfoto1 Loc: San Jose, Calif. USA

More information would be helpful... such as what your grand daughter wants to photograph. It would also be helpful to know her age and experience level.

Canon "PowerShot" is like asking, "My grand daughter wants a lens, what do you recommend?"

Canon has made many different PowerShots ranging from tiny point 'n' shoots to "vlogging" cameras to near pro-grade "bridge" cameras that look like small DSLRs. The primary thing all the PowerShots have in common is that they're all non-interchangeable lens cameras. Some models have large sensors and short range zooms that will give best performance in low light conditions. Others use smaller sensors and have extremely wide ranging zooms and to be able to photograph distant subjects.

Because of the many different sensor sizes used, often lenses on these types of cameras are often stated in "35mm film/full frame digital equivalent" focal lengths. These aren't the lenses' true focal lengths, but allows comparison of the cameras. I will use this "35mm film/full frame digital equivalent" to describe some of the current models.

The Canon PowerShot G1X Mark III has a 24MP APS-C format sensor similar to what's used in many DSLRs and is fitted with a 24-72mm "35mm equivalent", f/2.8-5.6 lens. If you didn't know better, looking at this camera you would think it's a mirrorless or small DSLR. It has a viewfinder, hot shoe, mode dial and many other features common to those cameras. It has an ISO range of 100 to 25600 and can shoot as fast as 9 frames/sec.

Canon PowerShot G7X Mark III takes a more compact approach, using a slightly smaller 20MP 1" sensor to have a 24-100mmm equivalent, f/1.8-2.8 lens. It has no viewfinder or hot shoe for accessory flash, an ISO range of 100 to 12600, and can shoot as fast as 20 frames/sec.

The PowerShot SX740 HS looks a lot like the G7X, but isn't. While it is also 20MP, it uses a tiny 1/2.3" sensor that allows it's zoom to act like 24 to 960mm equivalent, f/3.3-6.9 lens! It also has no viewfinder or hot shoe, and due to the small sensor it's ISO range of 100 to 800 (expandable to 3200) is much more limited. It can continuously shoot at up to 10 frames/sec.

The PowerShot SX70 HS has very similar specs as the SX740, except that it does have a viewfinder (electronic) and an even more extreme range zoom: 21 to 1365mm equiv., f/3.5-6.5.

Then there is the PowerShot ELPH 360 HS, which is truly a "pocket" camera with the same sensor as the SX740 and SX70, but a 25 to 300mm equiv., f/3.5-7 zoom lens. No viewfinder, no hot shoe. ISO range of 80-300 and up to 7 frames/sec continuous shooting speed. This camera is highly automated, with little the user can do to override it.

The PowerShot V10 is a "vlogging" and "live stream" video camera, while the [/b]PowerShot PICK PTZ[/b] is an auto tracking, hands free camera... just turn it on and set it down. It finds faces and photographs them... or records video of the action.

The above are current models and some may exceed your budget. You might look for used or Canon refurbished, for somewhat lower costs.

EDIT: Talk with your grand daughter. There are actually some budget friendly Canon DLSRs and mirrorless that might be better choice for her and give more room for future growth.

Because they have been around a lot longer (20+ years), it grew out of the previous film camera system (30+ years) and the system is far more robust, the DSLRs will probably be around for some years to come. Plus there is a huge used marketplace for the EOS DSLRs, their lenses and accessories. It would be relatively easy to put together a kit with one or a few lenses for practically any purpose. Canon's Rebel SL2 and SL3 (also called EOS 200D and 250D) are reasonably full featured DSLRs. There was a Rebel SL1 (EOS 100D) too, but it was very entry level... the two later models saw a great deal of improvement. There are even brand new, cheaper Rebel T7 and T100 models (also called EOS 1500D, 2000D, 4000D) that are within your budget, but they lack a lot of useful features (like the SL1) and are bundled with the very cheapest lenses Canon makes. A used SL2 with an EF-S 18-55mm "STM" lens would be a much better choice. Even better if you can get an EF-S 55-250mm STM lens to complement it. Alternatively, the EF-S 18-135mm STM or USM lens might be a good, single lens option.

There also are the Canon M-series mirrorless, which are quite compact. There have never been a lot of EF-M lenses made for them, so be sure to consider those options before looking at this system. Both the Canon DSLRs and M-series are gradually being phased out. Canon seemed to only grudgingly put any development effort into the M-series. It is mostly the later models that I'd recommend: M5, M6, M50, M6 Mark II and M50 Mark II. What Canon EF-M lenses there are can be quite good. There have only been a few 3rd party lenses with autofocus made for them. Sigma and Viltrox have each made three... Tamron made one or two. A couple years ago I put together a kit of M5 with four compact prime lenses, for a "street" photography and travel kit. The entire bag of gear weighs less than one of my Canon DSLR bodies! (But the SL2/SL3 mentioned above are much smaller and lighter than the DSLRs I use.)

The relatively new Canon R-series mirrorless are replacing both their DSLRs and M-series mirrorless. There are now even some moderately affordable, entry-level models of these, too. The R100, for example, is available with RF 18-45mm kit lens for $599. There aren't yet a lot of used or refurbished though, since this system is now only about 4 years old. But already there are far more lenses and accessories than have ever been available for the M-series (which is over 10 years old). With R-series it is possible to adapt EF and EF-S lenses that were used on Canon DSLRs, too. This is also possible with M-series. However, it is NOT possible to adapt the EF-M lenses for the M-series for use on any other system.