I am considering getting a new camera and was looking at a S8300 for $237. The Macro capability of it is amazing. Does anyone here have one? How good are they for taking beamshots? Can it be configured manually for optimal night time beamshots? Any feedback is appreciated. :)
Johnny
I cant help you with the S8300 JM. I just bought a Canon run out model G15 cheap which touch wood I’m happy with so far. It does everything manually, automatically and everything in between.
This should answer some of your questions:
i guess not, they didn’t do a full review with sample pics, but it does have manual modes
Unless you need all that zoom I believe there are better cameras for that price.
Dont ask me which, there are too many to list, someone more versed in camera world should chime in and explain :D!
How cheap and do they have any more? I do the same thing when I buy cameras because they change so fast.
Which also has the super-macro feature.
I've done a some of good shots of the full moon, some macros which are easy and its a versatile camera, and the big brother should be simply fantastic.
here is a link to a high re super macro pic from a S4800 review
It was $379.00 from Teds cameras. I bought another for my father and it was $339.00. Last one they had.
Thanks Steve, I try to buy cameras with metal bodies when I can and always buy old models after the new ones come out.
DBC is to blame for my purchases. 
The camera itself is a bit like me, no lightweight.
Thanks for the advice, guys! I was stunned by the macro capability of the S8300 and XV750's experience with it's little brother, the S4800, convinces me it just might be the right camera for the right money. I really need to limit what I'd spend and want to go no higher than $250. Right now money is tight and the tax return funds in the bank at the moment need to go for a lot of other things that take priority. I'm pretty sure I can convince my beautiful money manager to spare a couple hundred for my new toy but when a desperately needed mattress is $300-$400 convincing her that I need a new camera is a tough sell. It probably doesn't help that when I first saw the camera it was just after she wrote a $650 check for 150 gallons of fuel oil. She is in a bit of shock at the rapid depletion of what was once an abundance of cash in the bank. 
Edit: Time to sell some lights!
Not to sound like party pooper, but for around 200-250$ there are other cameras with higher image quality, especially in low light situations :D!
They are called premium compact cameras and similar. They lack on the zoom side - around 5x.
If you get close enough you will see a reflection of my old S6500fd 
