buckwheat Loc: Clarkdale, AZ and Belen NM

I can Google, check KEH, Craigslist, and study the new B&H catalog, so please don't suggest that.
My granddaughter has a once in a lifetime opportunity to go with her college choir and tour England and France. They will be singing in Westminster Abbey, among other locations. She is NOT a photographer and has no interest in becoming one. But she wants a small camera to carry in a large purse, that will give good images, have a useful zoom, and will cost me in the neighborhood of $300.00. By the time I could read all the reviews and details of the different candidates, she would already have taken the trip, and used her IPhone for the pictures
Since many of you carry a small camera to have readily available on walks and such, could I please have some suggestions?

jcboy3

Panasonic Lumix ZS50, available for $294 at Costco, for example. 30X zoom, which is more than I like but that's what you get at that price point.

Rongnongno Loc: FL

Well, since you do not want to do a search, how can anyone help you? After all we all would be doing a search...

If you want a real answer, go to DPReview web site, do a search by price THEN ask if anyone has used this or that camera.

Also, honestly? Her iphone is enough for the use you describe. Give her pocket money instead.

rjaywallace Loc: Wisconsin

Buckwheat - I have a potential answer: an Olympus micro4/3rds metal body camera - the Pen E-PL5 (check DPReview and YouTube for reviews) with a sharp, fast compact Olympus 17mm f/1.8 lens. On a micro4/3rds sensor the lens will have a field of view equivalent to a 34mm wide angle film lens. The camera can be set to shoot in auto or program mode for ease of capturing church, art gallery and street scenes. $300 + reasonable USPS shipping and insurance costs. Two other lenses available (one with a 28-84mm FOV zoom), but I'm trying to keep the offer within your stated parameters. PM me if interested.

Drip Dry McFleye

I have toured 5 countries in Europe with camera in hand. I'm not going to tell you what camera to buy but I will say that she will use the wide angle capability of her camera more than the long end and low light ability will be important. Most of the historic buildings and cathedrals are not at all well lit inside.

tainkc Loc: Kansas City

There are plenty of great point & shoot cameras out there that zoom just fine and take sharp photos which can be had for under $100.00. Easy.

PixelStan77 Loc: Vermont/Chicago

I would suggest what I have and travel with in my pocket. A Nikon Coolpix S9900. It has a 30x Zoom and she can grow into that camera.

PixelStan77 Loc: Vermont/Chicago

Part B. Don't know what your budget is. This is more on my suggestion:
http://www.nikonusa.com/en/nikon-products/product/refurbished-compact-digital-cameras/coolpix-s9900-refurbished.html

rook2c4 Loc: Philadelphia, PA USA

I find that the Panasonic pocket cameras are very easy to operate for beginners and can generate nice images with virtually no effort.

But to be honest, her iPhone would do a fairly decent job, assuming your granddaughter knows how to get the best out of it. A dedicated camera will have significantly more features than the phone, but of course this requires the user to study the camera manual to take advantage of these features.

Leitz Loc: Solms

Those who freely admit they're too useless to do anything for themselves are not worthy of any assistance!

Gene51 Loc: Yonkers, NY, now in LSD (LowerSlowerDelaware)

Take a look at the Fuji JX660 - it's about $200, tiny, and covers wide angle to medium telephoto. The in camera processing is very good, and images look great right out of the camera with a simple setting. It's like using a cellphone but with a zoom lens. No photographer needed.

andywilk38 Loc: Cambridge UK

Instead of searching through B&H's catalogue, you could give them a call. Going on what I like to consider is my UK equivalent of B&H, I'm sure they would narrow down a short list of suggestions for you that meet the criteria for your granddaughter's camera, which you could then follow-up with some of your own comparison research on Google.
B&H, or such other outfit, might even have a better (more expensive) piece of used kit that comes within your budget.
If your granddaughter has an iPhone 6 or 7, my understanding is that they come equipped with pretty good cameras, as others previously suggested! I'm guessing that at $300 the diference in quality and function between an 'iPhone' and point and shoot might not be enough to justify the spend or warrant carrying an extra piece of kit (the camera) around, especially if the images are not going to be printed to any significant size. If so, an earlier suggestion of 'iPhone' and $300 sounds attractive, IMO!
In any case, but also as a former Westminster Abbey chorister ('62-'67), I wish her every enjoyment and success on the trip and visit to some of Europe's finest and most glorious buildings!

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

The Olympus Tough TG-870. She can take it 50' underwater or drop it on the ground, and it will keep working. It has Wi-Fi, GPS, and a flip screen for selfies. All for as little as $219.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01950SVYW/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=switctrave-20&camp=1789&creative=9325&linkCode=as2&creativeASIN=B01950SVYW&linkId=1753583ff4027eaa0539f026fb0eb78a

samismail1

Hi...What is your equivalent of B&H in the UK? Living in London I struggle to find reputable / knowlegeable stores like that.

daldds Loc: NYC

Ok, as a college student she can read. Tell her to spend 1/2 hour on how to frame photos, then use her iPhone, It's a great snapshot camera. She can use her feet to make the lens on her camera wide angle or telephoto, like many of us did early on. Save the $300 for her commuting costs on her first job.