i didn't go for a super, small compact (like the really casio) since hubby fixed his fuji that is small enough for the bike... i wanted a camera to replace my first digital (the kodak dc290.. HUGE HONKING thing! lol!) still took decent pics for its age and megapixel size (2 i think)

anyways... researched and ended up with the canon a620... still small... and if i really want to... can take it on rides in my handlebar bag (and actually.. it would fit in a jersey pocket too)... but it got EXCELLENT reviews on picture quality... 7.1 megapixel.. easy enough for a newbie/beginner.. but lots of toys for more experiences users too... uses sd cards (i bought a 1 GB sandisk ultra since it reads/writes a bit faster than regular sd cards)....

i played around with the sepia.. black and white.. movie (i'm impressed with the movies! took brie singing at regular size and it's a pretty large picture! then took compact.. TINY but still very clear (and smaller file size, of course!) emailed the file to my sister and she just had to click it to watch it! (they are used to getting videos and pictures of m6 dogs and cats and the bikes too! lol!) the other modes are fun too.. not sure how often i'll use them.. like vivid... enhance one color.. pick one color and it's color.. the rest is a black and white photo (that's kinda cool with brie.. enhanced red .. she wears a red color and heart id... and had a red toy in the pic... looked cool!) start up is almost instaneous! my kodak took forever! has a 4X zoom (i think all the other competitors have 3X) battery life is supposed to be excellent.. still using the alkalines that came with it. my new rechargeables are charging...

anyways.. after just playing around with it yesterday afternoon and last night.. i'm impressed and happy with my choice... i did even MORE research after i bought it and found no bad reviews on it.... so i guess, for me.. i made the right choice!

so far the only thing i'm disappointed about is you can only imprint the date on the photo when using "postcard" mode... whick is 1600 X 1200... *sigh*.... and i always like to take large pics.. cuz you never know when you will want to print it... and if you take it at smaller.. you can't add pixels.. but you can take away if you need smaller... of course.. when i print them.. i prefer to not have the date.. but like having the date on the majority of pics for historical purposes!

it's easy to change functions... a lot is right there on the the little wheel.. don't have to do deep into the function/setting mode like you do with a lot of cameras!

i read the basic quick start book.. will read the larger advanced book today at work (when i get done playing on the forums! lol!)

oh.. it has a swivel lcd screen so if you want to take pics above peoples heads or in weird positions.. you just move the screen instead of guessing! that's cool too.. and it's supposed to be great for self portraits.. (i'll have to try that here at work today! )

ok... that's probably more than you wanted to know..

didn't mean to hijack thomson's thread....

and no.. i haven't taken pics of my bike yet.. will have to do that and compare them to hubby's camera!