Novice Needs A New Camera

[tengukyoku]

I'm a total photography novice and I want to know what the best camera I can get with a budget of 300 Canadian dollars is.

The camera will be primarily used for:

1) Taking reference photos. (I am a cartoonist and many of my stories will be set in real cities. I therefore need a camera that can get a lot in a shot. For example, if I'm in downtown Toronto and want to photograph a couple skyscrapers, I want to be able to get them in their entirety in the shot).

2) Taking photos of natural scenery. (I am also what's called a "bikepacker", which is like a backpacker, except you travel by bicycle. I am currently riding to Sudbury and then Sault Ste. Marie, and want to be able to get good shots of all the beautiful scenery and wildlife I will encounter along the way).

Other than that, my only other use is to photograph neat things I happen across.

I want a camera with:

- Good zoom and the ability to get a lot in every shot. The more I can get in a shot, and the more detailed I can get it, the better.

- Adequate shutter speed for photographing wildlife and motor/pedestrian traffic, so my reference photos don't have a lot of blurry objects in them.

- The ability to take good pictures at night.

- Macro, black and white, and sepia modes.

Of lesser importance is:

- The option to use a rechargeable battery or AAs.

- Compactability.

I'm considering this one: http://www.futureshop.ca/en-CA/produ...2a4ff6041fen02

[Seapaws]

I'm by no means an expert but the camera I am using has almost all of what you seem to desire. It's probably 8-10 years old, an Olympus C-750. It has 10 Optical Zoom. It can take Sepia, B&W. Works off AA Batteries so you can mix rechargeable and off the shelf which for me is a plus. I have seen these for sell on e-Bay for under $50.00 but I purchased mine brand new for over $ 500.00. It has a remote. ISO as low as 50 with a 16sec. pause for the great night shots I hope to get. I just purchased an extension tube so I could use filters..even better. All the best. Joe. Have attached, I hope, one picture so you can the quality.