Camera ?

Hi I am new to the board my name is Michael and would like to inquire from the members on an inexpensive digital camera with good zoom and great features. What would you suggest in the area of 150-300 dollars. Would also like to get close ups of high level contrails

hmm 100-300 $$$$ range.. With digital cameras in that zone its definately gonna be a point and shoot digital camera. Which more often means using digital zoom if you want to get really close which lowers the quality. But if i were to suggest i would go with canon or a nikon. They both make cheap cameras with 7mp's now. go to http://www.dpreview.com to do some research.

17th Street Photo will give you the best price in the world. Excellent services and very friendly people. I've been their customer since 2002.
17th Street Photo
34 West 17th Street 3rd Floor
New York, NY 10011
212-966-9870

In that price range its tuff to get something with a good zoom lens and the picture quality you’re looking for. The Kodak Easyshare Z740 is priced at $349 and gives you a 10x optical zoom and 5.0 mega pixel sensor. Cnet gives it a 6.4 rating (good). Another $100 can move you up to the Canon S2 IS which has a 12x lens and got some great ratings for a digi point and shot.

BTW I use Cameta Camera for all my camera equipment.
235 Rt 110
Huntington, NY 11701
1-800-991-3350

U can't go wrong with them!! Stay away from the big guys, i.e Best Buy, CompUSA.

If you saw the pictures I took from PHL, McGuire AFB, Willow Grove, and NAS Oceana, I used a Minolta Z5, which has a 12x optical zoom and is 5mp.