Any advice on purchasing a digital camera?

[SittinOnDubsWGW]

I'm going to get a digital camera sometime in the middle of the month and have been looking around. I am by no means a professional photographer, but have thought about taking it up as a hobby and taking a few photography classes at the university. So I am looking for a nice "starter" camera that will be nice enough to use for quite some time also. I'd like to keep the price of the camera under $300.

I have so far been looking at mainly the Sony cameras because I have heard that they are pretty easy to use and are good quality and am kind of leaning towards the DSCP73 which is a 4.1 MegaPixel that has 3x optical zoom and 2x digital zoom for $280

All advice is welcome.

Thanks a lot,
Kyle.

[AAA240SX]

I like Fuji the best. They are affordable and offer a ton of features! Check this out:
FUJI PHOTO FILM: FinePix A340 Digital Camera $249.00

Look at these features...

Color Support: Color
Digital Zoom: 1.7 x
Optical Zoom: 3 x
Resolution: 4.0 Megapixel
Depth: 3 cm
Features: Aspherical lens
Height: 6.1 cm
Weight: 145 g
Width: 10.4 cm
Additional Features: Exposure compensation, USB 2.0 compatibility, auto power save, DPOF support, PictBridge support
Auto Focus: TTL contrast detection
Battery: 2 x battery - AA type - alkaline
Camera Flash: Built-in flash
Connector Type: 1 x USB ¦ 1 x composite video output ¦ 1 x DC power input
Connector Type: USB 1.1/2.0
Digital Storage Media: 16 MB xD-Picture Card
Digital Video Format: AVI
Dimensions (WxDxH): 10.4 cm x 3 cm x 6.1 cm
Display: 1.5" amorphous silicon TFT LCD (approximately 60,000 pixels)
Display: LCD display - TFT active matrix - 1.5" - color
Display Form Factor: Built-in
Display Format: 60,000 pixels
Effective Flash Range: 0.6 m - 3.5 m
Effective Sensor Resolution: 4,000,000 pixels
Effective Sensor Resolution: 4.1 MP
Expansion Slot(s): 1 x xD-Picture Card
Exposure Metering: Matrix
Exposure Modes: Program, automatic
Flash Modes: Fill-in mode, slow synchro, auto mode, flash OFF mode, red-eye reduction
Focal Length Equivalent to 35mm Camera: 38 - 114mm
Focal Length Equivalent to 35mm Camera: 38 mm – 114 mm
Focus Adjustment: Automatic
Image Storage: Fine JPEG 2272 x 1704 : 8 - with 16MB card ¦ Normal JPEG 2272 x 1704 : 16 - with 16MB card ¦ JPEG 1600 x 1200 : 25 - with 16MB card ¦ JPEG 1280 x 960 : 33 - with 16MB card
Included Accessories: 16 MB xD-Picture Card, 2 x AA-type Alkaline/Ni-MH batteries, USB Cable, AV Cable, Wrist Strap
Included Accessories: Docking station insert, wrist strap
Included Qty: 2
Lens Aperture: F/2.8-4.8
Lens Construction: 5 group(s) / 6 element(s)
Light Sensitivity: ISO 100
Macro Focus Range: 10-80cm
Max Operating Temperature: 40 °C
Max Shutter Speed: 1/2000 sec
Microphone: None
Min Focus Range: 60 cm
Min Operating Temperature: 0 °C
Min Shutter Speed: 2 sec
Optical Sensor Resolution: 4.1 MP (effective), 4.23 MP (total)
Optical Sensor Size: 1/2.7"
Optical Sensor Type: CCD
Product Type: Digital Camera
Red Eye Reduction: Yes
Self Timer: Yes
Shooting Modes: Frame movie mode
Shooting Programs: Landscape, portrait mode, night mode, sports mode
Software: Drivers & Utilities, ImageMixer VCD, FinePix Viewer
Still Image Format: JPEG
Type: 2 x battery - AA type - alkaline
Type: LCD display - TFT active matrix - 1.5" - color
Type: Zoom lens
Viewfinder: Optical - real-image zoom
Viewfinder: Real-image optical viewfinder
Viewfinder Type: Optical - real-image zoom
White Balance: Automatic, presets
White Balance Presets: Fine, incandescent, shade, fluorescent light (cool white), fluorescent light (daylight), fluorescent light (warm white)
Zoom: 3X Optical, 1.7X Digital
Zoom Adjustment: Motorized drive
Field Coverage: 80%
Flash Memory: 16 MB
Flash Memory: 16 MB flash - xD-Picture Card
Self Timer Delay: 10 sec
Self Timer Delay: 10 seconds
Video Capture: 10 fps - 60 sec - AVI - 320 x 240 - max clip duration ¦ 10 fps - 240 sec - AVI - 160 x 120 - max clip duration ¦ 10 fps - 98 sec - AVI - 320 x 240 - with 16MB card ¦ 10 fps - 336 sec - AVI - 160 x 12
Exposure Metering Zones: 64
Sensor Resolution: 4.0 Megapixel
Product Description: Fujifilm FinePix A340 - digital camera
Total Pixels: 4,230,000 pixels
Supported Flash Memory: XD-Picture Card
Cables Included: 1 x USB cable ¦ 1 x video cable

It's a lot more than you need for a cheaper price...IMO.
Oh yea, the new SONY line kinda looks dorky. Makes u look like Cyclops from the X-Men...:)

[Natty]

I think my Fuji Finepix A210 is a piece of shit, but it was only $150 for a 3.2mp camera.
I would look into entry level Canon cameras

[AAA240SX]

The older Fuji models suck. They redesigned the newer ones and they work a lot nicer. Canon is good too, I have their printer...

[mrmephistopheles]

I like Sony cams too.. I reccommend you don't get anything under 5.0 MP though
newegg.com has 5MP cams under $300

[nismo skyline]

one of my friends has a sony f717, i know they lowered the price on these since the f828 came out. might be a little out of your range, but it is an awesome camera.

[Zoom8112]

one word. cannon.

they are the #1 digital camera company. check out reviews at www.dpreview.com .

[Got Sileighty?]

^^ agreed....i recommend the A70/A75. can be used as point and shoot but also provides manual settings for when u learn more about photography. get the A80 if youre willing to pay a little more for an extra megapixel (4.0) and a swivel lcd screen (very useful for those tough angle shots).