Best new camera for under $300 USD

[PhillipPurass]

I'm taking a photography class and my school is willing to buy me a camera under $300. I've been looking at the Canon PowerShot line up and the sx530, sx620, and sx710 seem good to me but I don't understand cameras all that well yet. I would love to get some recommendations from people who know what they are talking about. My school also wants me to get them off of this site ( https/www.bhphotovideo.com/ ) or office depot. All help is appreciated!

 

[Alabalcho]

If you can supplement the school' budget, I would really really recommend going to true DSLR if you want to learn something out of this class. Cheapest Canon EOS Rebel with a detachable lens is $400 at BH (and you can get it cheaper elsewhere), and you can upgrade lenses in the future.

 

[PhillipPurass]

If you can supplement the school' budget, I would really really recommend going to true DSLR if you want to learn something out of this class. Cheapest Canon EOS Rebel with a detachable lens is $400 at BH (and you can get it cheaper elsewhere), and you can upgrade lenses in the future.

The school is taking the camera back at the end of the school year so I would rather not invest my own money.

 

[Alabalcho]

SX HS series of Canon allow for almost full manual control, and if this is what your budget allows for, go for it.

 

[PhillipPurass]

SX HS series of Canon allow for almost full manual control, and if this is what your budget allows for, go for it.

Yeah, I get that, but which one would you recommend.

 

[Alabalcho]

SX530 vs SX620
SX530 vs SX710
Being an old school, I'd go with 530 (although I have 710 at home, but this is my secondary cxamera).

 

[gondo]

The SX710 has a better processor, LCD screen, etc... At the expense of a lower focal length lense.

The SX710 is very well rated as the best camera in the $300 range. It has shutter priority and aperture priority modes which are modes you'll want to be familiar with when upgrading to SLR cameras. It's also half the weight and size of the SX530. A nice little camera you can pocket and take around.

Remember, a professional can take better pictures with a cell phone than you can with a $5000 DSLR and super lense. That's why you take photography classes. It's all about perspective.