SX260 vs SX280....or something else?

Hello,

I am in the market for a new camera. I currently have the Canon SX200 which has served me well but it seems to be taking longer between shots and I'm ready for something else. I want something for vacations, kids playing sports, and general usage. Budget is around $300. I have had Canons and Panasonic in the past but I am open to trying something else. I think photo quality and speed are my 2 most important factors. I use mostly auto and scene modes and play a tiny bit with other adjustments when taking sports pictures.

I have been looking at the SX260 and the SX280. How do they compare? I noticed in your suggestions to other people that you usually mention the SX260. Is there a problem with the SX280? It's only about $30 more now so that isn't enough of a savings for me if the SX280 is a better camera. I know it has a shorter battery life but I would get an extra battery so I'm not worried about that.

If you think another camera in this class would be a better choice then I am definitely willing to look at it.

Thank you for your help!

 

The only significant difference between the SX260 and SX280 is that the newer camera has built-in WiFi. If there's only a $30 price difference, the SX280 is worth it. Overall the SX280 is a fine camera. One thing it lacks, as do all Canon cameras, is an auto-panorama mode, which is odd because all the other camera manufacturers have them in most of their cameras. But the Canon SX280 has the best overall image quality compared to its competitors for a cheaper price.