The Carl Zeiss Sony cameras are very good. Mine is a Sony F717 though it is 5 years old and only 5MP, it has very high quality (Carl Zeiss) glass in it. When we decided to look for a camera for Amme, she wanted a very compact one with a big screen, good mega pixel count, and good photo quality. We decided on the Sony DSC W50, which also uses Carl Zeiss glass. It takes really crisp photos. Both these have proprietary batteries, but even my 5 year old battery holds a charge just fine, and only cost $25 for a backup battery. I suggest getting the Sony if you can get it for $200 or less. Other than that I, choosing a camera depends on what you are looking for, ie: number of mega pixels, zoom, do you want an ultra-compact or do you care about size? etc. I suggest going to Steves Digicams, this place is my bible for cameras, and click on either “The Best Cameras” which will give you the best cameras for each category, or hover over the “Our Reviews” button and select a mega pixel range. This will give you a matrix of cameras and features so you can narrow down the camera that is perfect for you. For good cameras in general for around $200, here are a few options:

• For really huge zoom in a slim package, check out the Nikon s10. Its got a bad-ass swivel lens and amazing zoom, and has 6 mega pixels.
• For a nice sturdy high-zoom with high photo quality, see the Olympus SP-510. Its bigger than the Nikon S10 but has 1.1 more mega pixels, and while they have the same size (2.5 inch) LCD, the SP-510 has a traditional viewfinder, while the Nikon s10 does not.
• The Canon Powershot A560 has 7 mega pixels, 4x zoom, and a 2.5 inch LCD, and while it is not a “pocket” camera, its got a ton of great features at only $180. It also has a viewfinder and the review says it has fine quality glass. If you don’t get the sony, and don’t want more than 4x zoom, this may be the one for you.

-Luke