I need help choosing a camera?

CANON,MADE IN JAPAN

Both Canon's S5 IS and G9 are very good cams. Have a look at them in a store, take some practice snaps, see if you like them.

For about $300 I would suggest this camera. You need something that is a bit sturdier than a Nikon and Canon. But no matter which you get, get an extended accidental warranty. Digital camera are more delicate than film camera. Olympus SP-560 UZ 8 megapixels; 18x optical zoom / 5.6x digital zoom; JPEG and RAW file formats; Movie mode with sound; Dual Image Stabilization; ISO 50-3200; Auto and manual exposure; 2.5-inch LCD display; xD-Picture Card storage (47MB internal); 4 'AA' batteries.... This site also has a lot o camera and description, rating and prices, and where you can get them. http://www.digitalcamera-hq.com/digital-cameras/higher-price_ratings.html Panasonic Lumix is the most sturdier in my opinion and experiences, plus great lenses.

The only camera that will get the action shots you want IS a DSLR ... all the P&S cameras have shutter lag. You will spend a lot of time shooting shots that just miss the peak of action. Just look at what the professional sports photographers use and you will get the idea. The reconsider your discision. Link: http://www.jdpower.com/electronics/ratings/digital-camera-ratings/dslr For under $475 you can buy a DSLR with lens.

Check out Cnet.com. Its a great site, it has video reviews and details of all sorts of cameras and you can narrow down the price and type of camera you want. Although most cameras have it, try looking for cameras that have multi-burst shooting ability so that you can take many pictures in just a few seconds. Hope that helps

Action shots = DSLR. Period. Digicams all suffer from shutter lag - the time between when you push the shutter release and the camera actually takes the picture. Not very suitable for action shots. Check the DSLR cameras from Sony, Nikon, Pentax, Olympus, Canon, Fuji and Sigma. Any of them will work fine for the action shots you want to take. IMO, a DSLR with the Image Stabilization in the camera body is a better choice. Go to digitalcameraguide.com and read the reviews of comparably priced DSLR cameras and decide for yourself which one offers the most features and benefits for your money. Good luck!

You have a few choices: 1. Like everyone said, whether you'll admit it or not you should consider an SLR. This will provide you with the best quality and most options. What is it exactly about an SLR you don't want: price? size? 2. You could get any decent camera. As long as you're skating in good light (outdoors on a sunny day) and the photographer knows what he's doing, it should be capable of getting some decent shots. Make sure the camera has a sports mode to be safe. 3. Get a camera that shoots decent quality video and plan on using a frame from the video as your picture. This might be the most convenient for you. For best quality, look for video resolution higher than 640 x 480 and frame rate higher than 30 fps.