[Mishu]

I have decided it is probably time to upgrade my camera but have no idea where to start looking. Any suggestions, of particular cameras or where to begin researching, would be very welcome.

I have a Canon Powershot TX1 that is a good 4-5 years old now. I liked this camera b/c of the video feature. However, I find that when I take photos of DS at school now (assemblies etc) that are either in a hall or under cover, the photos are very dark/grainy. I have mucked around with the settings after I read the manual, but honestly, I don't really know what I am doing. So I am looking for a good point & shoot that will take good shots, in a range of conditions, but I would love to be able to get a nice shot of him getting an award that is not so dark/grainy.

We also live near the beach, so we do a lot of outdoors stuff, in strong light with lots of glare. He's an active kid, and it is hard to get a good shot with him always moving lol.

I'd be prepared to spend around $400, possibly up to $600.

I like Canon and have used Olympus before, which I loved. I am a complete novice, and while I would like to do a course so I know what I am doing, I won't be using the photos I take for anything more than photobooks for family/grandparents.

Can you suggest where I start looking? Or a good camera in that range?

[mummy26]

Maybe look at something that gives you a manual option too. The Olympus PEN cameras are quite good and have art filters built in. I am a DSLR person so don't know what's out there in the way of compacts but I have the E-P3 and love it. Look at the PEN mini

[Mishu]

Thanks mummy26 A good place to start researching.

[knowsnotmuch]

I looked into it in detail a few months back and got a canon power shot s100 which was basically recommended to me as the best point and shoot currently on the market. I think it retails at $450. Very impressed with its shots in dark situations ( not grainy ) and it has a "kids and pets" setting which has a very fast ?shutter speed to minimise movement blur and catch the moment.
The other one which I was interested in but seemed a bit too technicall was the Sony fx100 (I think it was fx) but I wasn't sure I'd use all the features

[Mishu]

Thanks knowsnotmuch