Best Camera for non-tech savy dad

[Veramocor]

I am looking at getting my dad a replacement digital camera for my dad. His old one was an easy share Kodak. His computer skills are pretty limited he can turn it on, upload files by plugging the camera by USB, and then look at the pictures in the Kodak software. He would like a new one with better picture quality and more zoom. He use to take film pictures with SLR camera and different lens but I think a digital SLR would be too much for him

What is a good replacement camera for him if he'd like the following:

Ease of camera use
Ease of picture software use (after I set up everything on his laptop)
Image stabilization
at least 5x zoom preferably higher
decent low light image quality
point and shoot

 

[sixone]

Check out the Canon SX240. Small, but lots of zoom to play with.

I've never used Canon's software tho - maybe someone else can comment on it.

 

[AnitaPeterson]

Not sure about the included software (really? anyone actually use that? Why not AcDSee or IrfanView?), but you can't go wrong with Canon, when it comes to picture quality.

 

[JohnnyRebel]

You didn't give a price range, but "best" implies that you are not looking for bottom dollar. I would suggest either the Nikon P310 or the Canon S100.

The Canon S100 @ $250

http://www.adorama.com/ICAS100SL.html

The Nikon P310 @ $227

http://www.kenrockwell.com/canon/s100.htm

Important for me, is the resolution of the screen on the Nikon is twice that of the Canon. This better allows you to know if you "got" the shot. I get some misses on my S95 that I do not catch due to the screen resolution (slightly off-focus shots), since I do not zoom in after every shot but do glance at the screen if it is a shot that I really want to make sure I got right.

Both will have excellent picture quality and intelligent AUTO modes. Here is a comparison between the two.

http://phototouille.com/nikon-p310-vs-canon-s100.html

Software-wise for photo viewing, just set Widows to automatically download the snaps when connected and view them with the viewers included with Windows.

JR

 

[killerjello]

Canon and Sony are usually good brands, I would stay away from the S95. I had it for over a year and it started having lens issues. Sented it to have it fix and it started happening again after a few months. It seem like a lot of people been having this issue with the S series.

 

[SecurityTheatre]

http://phototouille.com/nikon-p310-vs-canon-s100.html

Wow, who wrote this? It reads like a Machine translation, and has no author listed, but then at the bottom has a single (likely fake) comment about how well written the article is.

It uses the word "perfect" to describe both cameras and most of their features.

It says something negative about the Canon.... that it's shutter speed is "too slow".

What?

Conclusion, said review is almost completely worthless.



Just wanted to point this out...

 

[kbp]

Nikon V1 at B&H right now for $299

 

[guachi]

I'd stay away from any interchangeable lens camera, now matter how good. In other words, not the V1 (or the Panasonic G3 that is also $299)

The Panasonic FZ2000 is 24x zoom at a constant 2.8 aperture. It meets all of your criteria. It is, however, $549

http://www.dpreview.com/articles/6698413448/dpreview-recommends-top-5-compact-cameras

DP Review has a list of top 5 compact cameras. Basically one from each class of camera.
The other 4 are also fantastic cameras and 3 of them, at least, have better IQ than the FZ200 but it's at the expense of zoom range as they are 4x-5x or so.