Frustration with OfficeMax - and myself. Dissatisfied with digital camera.

[stephen]

I had to run to an event in Atlanta this weekend, and had been meaning to pick up a cheap digital camera.

I stopped by an OfficeMax and bought an Olympus FE-170. As I was checking out, I said, and if I don't like this? The salesman said, "Oh, you can bring it back."

Well, I should have checked more carefully. I've been sorely disappointed with the image quality of the photos, and when I tried to return it in Birmingham, the salesperson (manager I think) was very rude and said, we don't take returns on digital cameras. He turned over the receipt to reveal that they only accept returns for defective items. I said, well, this camera takes horrible pictures.

He said that I could exchange it for another digital camera, but that that was my only option.

Now I'm stuck buying another camera from a limited line of digicams. God, I wish I'd gone to Costco.

My choices are:

Olympus FE-170 (hated it - photos are all yellow and icky)
Olympus FE-190
Olympus Stylus 710
Olympus Stylus 740
Kodak c643
Kodak c530
Canon a530
Canon a540
Canon sd630
HP m425
Sony DSC-S500

My priorities are
1. small size
2. good images

...not obsessed with other features or even with megapixels. I want a small point and shoot that delivers as well as my old Canon PowerShot S40 - but was hoping for something much smaller.

I would have been okay with returning for store credit, but the fact that I HAVE to buy another digital camera really makes me mad - especially since it looks like it may be a camera I don't want.

[weapon]

Canon sd630 is a good camera. Looks to be the best out of the lot.

The SD700is is better since it has the image stabilization, not on the list though.

[C(-)ris]

I would go for one of the Canon Axxx models. They are great camera's. Very durable, they take good pictures, and they are Canon.

[mattkime]

i'm another fan of canons. you'll be happy this time around.

[vision63]

OfficeMax will not see any of my money for anything larger than 50 bucks. Force you to compromise over something that you hate? That's crazy.

[bradsdad]

Canon Elph sounds best to me as well. We have the orig S100 and it still works like new, although getting a good replacement battery is a real challenge. Even the eFilm one from some place does not hold charge as well as the original did. I tried a cheap Chinese battery from a Russian guy on ebay selling from NY (what a country!) and it barely holds a charge when not in the recharger.

[Carm]

Canon fan also, A400,A410,A510,A530

Carm

[davester]

Research your choices. Here. Unbiased reviews:

http://www.steves-digicams.com/hardware_reviews.html

[ho'ard]

I like Steve's digicams a lot.
No FE-170 there but here's the conclusion about the 140:
http://www.steves-digicams.com/2006_revi...0_pg5.html

[Mike Johnson]

My Canon S200 is finally acting a little wonky, and when I replace it you can bet I'll get another Canon Elph.