Windows 7 Seeking Reliable Digital Camera Under $100 with Close Focus Capability

seekermeister

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Since it appears that my old camera has gone partially inop, I'm thinking of buying another. However I used the old one so little, that I didn't learn much that is of use in buying something else. I want one that is reliable as possible with a good warranty of a good name brand, at a price of ~$100.

There are so many variables to consider, I don't know where to start. One thing lacking in my old camera is a release cable, because the camera doesn't have any provision for attaching it...does any digital camera?

After only spending a couple of minutes scanning eBay returns, I came across this one:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Nikon-CoolP...451550?pt=Digital_Cameras&hash=item51b8b8859e

but can I do better?

EDIT: Another important factor for me is how to determine just how close the camera can be to the subject and focus properly? For instance, getting a clear shot of a small computer component.
 
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I appreciate your values, but you don't mine. As I stated at the outset, I don't use a camera a lot, therefore I'm not into photography in the fashion that you are. All of the good things about this camera are what I want, but I also require reliability in product and warranty (also stated in the OP). It is beginning to look that a camera meeting my requirements don't exist that I can afford, so I don't know where I stand.

edit: the guy who bought 4 units with lens error probably didn't read about how to turn the camera on. The power switch is the lens itself.
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After viewing the short video attached to that review, demonstrating the error, I think you might be right about him, but I'm less sure about the rest of those types of reviews. I understand that the power is controlled at the lens, but if that power isn't turned on, then the LCD wouldn't be powered on either...would it?
 
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I came across an ad that interested me, but I haven't studied it out, and it may not be the right camera at all. The thing that caught my eye is that it is a SLR for only $300 (hard to think I just said only $300, because that is 3 times more than I started out planning to pay)

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It has a lot of zoom and the focus range starts at 17.7", so it should do okay with macros....yes/no?

Here it is a little cheaper:

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It's not a priority, but the reason that the zoom interested me on the HS 35 is that I thought it would be good to get distance shots of my vehicle at about 125 feet, in case anyone was messing around it. Of course, that would probably only be necessary at night, and requiring IR, but I did see some filters once that were supposed to support IR. Would 30 x zoom get fine enough details of a person's face for legal identification?
 
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badrobot said:
You can turn on the LCD to view the photos you took by just pressing the "play" button. You DON't have to turn the whole system on through the lens.
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It's hard to judge by the video attachment on the review with the 4 "defective" cameras, because it was taken too closely to see how he was turning it on, but that may well be the reason for his problems, but it can't be for others, because they were accepted and repaired under warranty, and I can't imagine Fuji accepting frivolous claims
 
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A little tolerance please. If I knew exactly what I wanted, I wouldn't have to ask questions.
 
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It's not that you can't answer questions outside of your interests, it's that you prefer not to. You may not know all cameras, but I'm quite sure that you know most, if not all of their functions. Still, I can appreciate a need for focus of discussions. I'll try to rein myself in.
 
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Typical of observations made by those who feel that anyone, that doesn't automatically agree with them, must be wrong.
 
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