Earlier this year, I decided to upgrade my Kodak Point-and-Shoot to a bridge camera. I wanted the SuperZoom, plus the ability to take action shots, shots in low light, and have more options as to the quality of the photos. I am a hobbiest, not a pro by any means. I primarily take action photos (sports), photos of my children, photos of my pets, and outdoor scenery.
I bought a Nikon Coolpix L810 (June 2012) and HATE IT.My shots are always blurry, whether I use a tripod or just hold the camera. Outdoors, the colors are rich and lush. Inside, the photos are grainy and too warm in tone. The zoom never wants to focus at full zoom; sometimes the shutter won't engage. I frequently miss shots because of those two reasons. The flash is either Auto or Off -- many times the flash doesn't even go off, even though I know I'm in a low light situation. I've tried different settings (all preset, no manual controls) and nothing seems to help.
I was looking at a Canon Powershot SX500 as a replacement. I hate to spend the money (my budget was around $200 when I bought the Nikon; this camera runs about $250) but I'm so unhappy with the Nikon (I have only owned Kodaks before this).
Can anyone help with what I should do here? Would the Canon be a better camera or would it be about the same and I'd be in the same boat that I am now? Thanks.
Coolpix L810: http://www.bestbuy.com/site/Nikon---Coolpix-L810-16.1-Megapixel-Digital-Camera---Black/4861063.p?skuId=4861063&id=1218555766785
Powershot SX500: http://www.bestbuy.com/site/Canon---PowerShot-SX500-16.0-Megapixel-Digital-Camera---Black/6364218.p?skuId=6364218&id=1218731589757
>>> Comparison between Nikon L810 and Canon Powershot SX500?