I have the Nikon 800 I would not recomend it. As for digital zoom I find it is useless. I use Adobe photoshop to manulipate any photos I use, digital zoom only crops the picture. The "paint" programs can do that and so much more with more control. Optical zoom is what you need, it brings the subject closer with out loss of resoulotion. The usb or fire wire hook up is nice to have, My camera came with serial hookup. It sucks! However aftermarket readers for the media are available. and I find them very useful. I use them for moving data as well as pics. I have Compact flash for both my camera and pda. I don't know much about the other formats. I do know that the memory stick is more expencive. All these things eat batterys, I have good luck with rechargables, I keep 8 AAs charging and 4 in the camera bag and 4 in the camera, alot of batterys, but I am rarely without charged batterys, If I am, AAs are available everywhere. think about this when the salesman trys to sell you on the propritary built in rechargable. Be careful with the assessorys lots of places will give a deal on the camera and rape you on the extra stuff! for memory try pricewatch.com sorry about the long post but I wish someone would have told me this stuff when I bought mine.