Canon’s newest DSLR, the 7D, is very nice. For $1699 (Body only) $1899 (with 28-135 lens) you get a DSLR with the following specs

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Jamie wants a DSLR that is easy to operate or a top of the line Point & Shoot. She takes 100's of photos a week and plans to frequently shoot videos too.

How about a DSLR that includes HD movie mode! Released May 2008, the T1i is getting rave reviews for its HD movie mode on top of taking stellar 15MP photos.

Canon EOS Rebel T1i 15.1 MP CMOS Digital SLR Camera with 3-Inch LCD and EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS LensCamera Highlights: 15MP | 3" high-resolution LCD 3x the resolution of your standard P&S screens | 18mm-55mm lens with image stabilization | HD movie mode | Live view | Excellent low-light performance | Auto Lighting Optimizer & Creative Auto - shooting guides on the LCD screen enable you to make corrections based on simple to follow guidelines.

Why the T1i is perfect for Jamie:

• She is ready to move up to a DSLR. The T1i is now Canon's most approachable DSLRs with several features designed specifically for photographers new to DSLRs.
• She has kids, kids are constantly on the move and you don't want to miss one of those moments because of your camera. The T1i has virtually no shutter lag and can take pictures at 3.4 fps.
• Jamie needs video- T1i has HD movie mode 1080 @ 20fps and 720 @ at smooth 30fps
• Hundreds of photos a week adds up and it sounds like Jamie is ready to get even more serious. T1i is ready for that kind of shooting. Durable shutter, rugged body and of course the possible addition of thousands of lenses giving you incredible photographic flexibility and room for growth.

Buy the Canon EOS Rebel T1i

Possible Alternatives:

The T1i is excellent camera but not something that is incredibly portable, no DSLR is. But you can get near DSLR quality with a little more shutter lag in the Canon Powershot G10 14.7MP Digital Camera with 5x Wide Angle Optical Image Stabilized Zoom Camera Highlights: 14MP | 3" LCD | 5x Zoom | Smooth, 30fps VGA movies | 26 Shooting Modes including 17 Special Scene Modes | Shoot in RAW - few P&S offer this

More zoom than the G10 above & HD video but no Raw mode in the Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS3 10MP Digital Camera with 12x Wide Angle MEGA Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 3 inch LCDCamera Highlights: 10MP | 12x Zoom & 25mm Wide | HD Video | Intelligent Auto (iA) mode = a suite of features that help you take the very best photos possible

Please let me know if you have any questions about these cameras or anything else you come across while shopping.

If you are not Jamie and you want your own personalized recommendation

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Steph wants my best pick in a compact camera under $400. Emphasis on Movie Mode

Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS3 10MP Digital Camera with 12x Wide Angle MEGA Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 3 inch LCD Camera highlights: 12x wide-angle optical zoom | Beautiful 3" LCD screen | Face Detection | HD Movie mode, 60fps!!! optimized format, movie files are not as gigantic | iA mode for photos AND movie mode = a suite of technologies that ensure the best settings for the scene, stabilize the image and auto adjust for lighting | Face detection AND recognition = auto focuses and optimizes exposure on faces and gives priority to faces the camera has seen before | Stylish black, blue or silver

You can get quite a bit of camera around the $400 mark and this Lumix is currently at the top of the pile. Reviews of this camera and previous ZS & TZ lines have been very positive, even earning DPreviews "Highly Recommended" designation. Inside and out this is a really nice camera.

Possible Alternatives:

Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ5S 9MP Digital Camera with 10x Wide Angle MEGA Optical Image Stabilized Zoom Camera Highlights:3" LCD | iA mode - 5 features work together to pick the perfect settings for each shot, includes Auto red-eye removal and image stabilization | 10x Zoom | HD Movie Mode | 400+ Near perfect reviews on Amazon Site |

Canon PowerShot SD880IS 10MP Digital Camera with 4x Wide Angle Optical Image Stabilized ZoomCamera Highlights: 3" LCD | Face detection for focus, auto scene selection, auto red-eye removal and image stabilization | 4x Zoom |
Lows: 640x480 Movie mode - decent but not exciting | LCD is 1/2 the resolution of the Lumix

Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W290 12.1 MP Digital Camera with 5x Optical Zoom and Super Steady Shot Image Stabilization (Black) Camera Highlights:12MP | 3" LCD | Face Detection, Priority Face, Smile Shutter technology, Anti-Blink technology | 5x Zoom | HD Movie | mode Beginner mode
Lows: LCD is 1/2 the resolution of the Lumix | captures to Memory Stick media - Sony proprietary |

If you are not Steph and you want your own personalized recommendation

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Danny is looking for a camera that is portable, has a decent zoom and takes great pictures. HD video capture would be nice, but not necessary. Most pictures will be shared electronically with the occasional prints. Budget is $200-$350.

Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ5S 9MP Digital Camera with 10x Wide Angle MEGA Optical Image Stabilized Zoom

You don’t have to spend oodles of money to satisfy Danny’s requirements. Panasonic has been producing a line of camera’s the Lumix DMC that continue to garner high praise from professional reviewers and your average photographer. The Lumix DMC-TZ5S 10MP continues the line of excellence.

Why this is a great camera for Danny:

• Compact enough to easily fit in a small camera bag or jacket pocket.
• 10x Leica zoom with wide-angle coverage out to 28mm – Lens quality is described as “truly excellent” by dpreview.com
• Fantastic HD movie mode with 1280 x 720 pixel 30fps wide screen option
• 3″ LCD allows you to easily compose and review

Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ5S 9MP Digital Camera with 10x Wide Angle MEGA Optical Image Stabilized Zoom

Possible Alternative:

Samsung HZ15W 12MP Digital Camera with 10x Schneider Wide Angle Dual Image Stabilized Zoom and 3.0 inch LCD (Grey)
Has some neat features like Frame guide – The Frame Guide setting on the new HZ15W means you no longer need rely on the technological capabilities of strangers for perfect holiday snaps. When you use the setting, the camera takes a ghost picture of your desired shot and displays a template when you pass the camera over to someone else – ensuring they take the picture you want them to take, with you perfectly placed in it.

If you are not Danny and your want your own personalized recommendation

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