In article ,
"Edwin Pawlowski" wrote:

wrote in message
A couple weeks ago I bought a new HP camera. I also had to buy a new
card for it. because my older cards are no longer used (smart media).
This new camera is a 6.2MP. I am extremely dissatisfied with this
camera, and intend to return it next week. 1. The pictures are all
grainy, and just not clear and crisp like the ones I got on my older
camera. 2. This camera takes 2 AA batteries. I have gotten at most,
20 pictures from a pair of new alkaline batteries. My Olympus would
take hundreds of pictures from 4 AA batteries. (and I tried a
different brand of battery). 3. It has no viewfinder. Ya. it has the
digital screen, but I've never owned a camera without a viewfinder and
taking pictures at arms length is just uncomfortable is not weird.

So I have more than twice the MPs I had on my last camera, and the
pictures are terrible in comparison. I hate evereything about this
new camera, which is a HP M547.

I bought a Nikon Cook Pix. It is mediocre at best. The main feature that I
like is it fits in my shirt pocket.

Most marketers are selling megapixels and using crappy lenses. The
unknowing public knows that more MP is better, but they don't know why or
have any clue as to lens quality. I see many people viewing through he
screen and not the viewfinder. Holding the camera a foot away, inducing a
lot of shake, and wonder why the photo is blurry. Eliminating the
viewfinder makes for a smaller camera and saves money. Good enough for a
shot of the kids opening their gifts on Christmas morning, but far short of
that 16 x 20 portrait you want.

If you want good quality, don't mind the size, get a DSLR for $800 and up.
When I want to take serious photos, I get out my Olympus OM-2

I'll second the crappy lens issue. There's more to quality than
megapixels. And I'll second the shake issue, too. People are always
amazed by the quality of the pictures I get from my 2 megapixel
point-and-shoot Fuji. Here's my secret formula: I *always* use a tripod
and the self-timer, and *never* use the flash. (It also helps to think
about basic photographic concepts like camera angle!)