I haven't used either of them but I imagine either one will do what you wish. Some cameras are fuller featured than others so I guess the issue would be whether you just want to take pics or go deeper with more control and experimentation. I would look in the various forums and see what people are saying about these, and other cams in the price range. Look to see who is doing what you want to do and how they are going about it. This will give you a better insight as to what you really need from a hardware standpoint..

I can't give a solid answer to your question but seeing what and how others do things should help.Gary..

Also consider the Panasonic FZ8. I assume that you are going to want to use the viewfinder and it will also keep the camera steadier. The FZ8 has the same zoom range of the H2 and I believe has a much better viewfinder. There are a lot of good other things about the FZ8 but this is just a starting point.terryhttp://tbanet.zenfolio.com/..

A word of advice first :.

IGNORE talk about mega pixels. Any resolution from 4 Mp up is quite enough for any normal person and, until a matter of months ago, professional cameras started at 6Mp. You can get an 8x10 print from any of these cameras. More pixels does not improve them..

The options I list are all superzooms. However if you want to learn photography consider a basic DSLR. The image quality and features are better, although the cost and learning curve is higher. Having said that, none of these cameras will disappoint you, I think..

Here are some options :.

The Fuji S5200/5600.

- cheap, generally good performer. Lightweight and full featured..

- in my opinion ( and some other people's ) better than the S5700 which supposedly replaced it..

- don't be put off this because it seem too cheap - it's a fine camera displaced by newer models..

The Canon S3.

- another generally good all-rounder, which is well respected.- and another camera arguably better than it's replacement ( the new S5 ).

The Panasonic TZ3.

- a nice little super zoom, with the caveat that in low-light it has very high noise levels. Still quite a good camera.- basically a compact superzoom ( almost unique in that respect )- not sure if it's suited to learning photography..

The Fuji S6500/6000.

- the best low-light performance of any non-DSLR- a great camera in general.

- perhaps a negative for you is the weight - it's bigger and heavier than the others- but is a very good camera.

The Sony H2 or H5.

- nice general purpose cameras.- I marginally prefer the Canon S3 to these, but it's a close run thing..

StephenG.

Fuji S9600Fuji S5200Fuji F30Fuji E900Canon A710ISPCLinuxOS..

Thanks for your thoughtful suggestions. I realize those more experienced than I had to start somewhere to learn...hence the question!..

Sjgcit wrote:.

The Panasonic TZ3.

- a nice little super zoom, with the caveat that in low-light it hasvery high noise levels. Still quite a good camera..

I disagree on your comment about TZ3 noise. It depends on how you expose the shots and what you are doing. Have a look at my twilight in NY gallery. Many are TZ3 and have a look at some exposure times for a sense of the lighting..

Terryhttp://tbanet.zenfolio.com/..

Thomas J Weadock Jr wrote:.

I would like your recommendations on which camera would be good forlearning purposes. I would like to buy either the Fuji S700 or theSony H2. I would be taking outdoor pictures of flowers, insects,birds, the ocean and sunsets. Indoors would be pictures of thegrandchildren and family events. My wife has a Sony 200P which sheuses for family pictures..

I received my Medicare card this month so we are in the same category: Senior citizens. I have been into photography as a hobby for many years but purchased my first DSLR camera last year. Prior to the DSLR I had a Point & Shoot digital camera. It was a Fuji and was a great camera with great results. As a P&S camera, however, it lacked some of the features I needed for the more difficult shots..

The manual that comes with a camera usually explains how to use the features of the camera. What is lacking in the manual is the when, where and how to use the feature. For this reason I would suggest that before you buy any camera, make sure there is a supplemental book you can purchase that goes into more detail. While these other books are available for many cameras, they are not available for all cameras..

You could purchase a supplemental generic book which applies to all cameras, but if you are new to photography this could be confusing to you. It is much easier if the supplemental book applies only to the camera you are going to purchase..

How much time and effort do you want to put into learning how to use your camera and take good pictures? While you can take good pictures with almost any camera in a relatively short time, a DSLR camera will also allow you to get the more difficult shots. To use the "extra" features in a DSLR requires more learning time, effort and money. DSLR's cost more..

One feature that is important is how fast the shutter responds when you press the shutter button. On some cameras the response is terrible..

Another feature is flash. The built in flash is good for 10 to 15 feet. If the camera has a means to attach an external flash then it could cover up to 50(?) feet..

FINE PRINT: I reserve the right to be wrong. Should you prove me wrong, I reserve the right to change my mind...