Digital Cameras? HELP!!

Off Topic
1

Okay, guys…

There is a LOT of posting of pics here, many of which I imagine are Digital…

Well…I just updated my 'ole “clunker” Pentium III to a burning machine (AMD 3400+ 64, with a LOAD of RAM and memory) and I’ll be connected to High Speed Cable by the end of the week.

Well…I have to get myself into the Digital Pic Age…so I’d like your recommendations on Digital Cameras…and a brief blurb why…(A source for purchasing would be great too…)

NOT the “cheapest”…but ones that will give us quality pics worthy of posting on the Forum!

(Please…try not to make this a computer thread, okay?)

Thanks!

Mufasa

2

I just got a really nice Sony with 5 megapixel capability and 3X optical zoom. Of course, the only thing I have done thus far is take pics of my vacation, but they turned out very nicely.

From what I read when I bought it, it all depends on what you want to do with the camera: for most people, 3 megapixels will be fine. I do know that the 5 megapixel setting makes for pictures that are huge for sending via email.

Also, optical zoom is superior to digital zoom for picture quality – just ignore the stuff they put in that’s related to optical zoom.

I think you should try out cameras in whatever price/quality range you choose and see which has the easiest feel. Some of them feel sort of “clunky”.

3

Depends on what you want and on how serious you are.

The best overall package I have seen so far comes from Nikon.

To give you an example, I bought a Canon PowerShot A60 (2 MPixels) last fall and I have already hit the wall, so to say.

If I had to rebuy a new cam, it would be a Nikon. From what I recall, they are the only company that has built-in auto-bracketing, which means that the cam will take 5 successive pictures with different exposure values, so you are almost guarantee to have good pictures, whatever the lighting.

Best place to go for info: www.photo.net

There are many people here who could teach you alot about photography. They sure helped me in the past. I wish to thank them again.

4

I would agree w/ DanC. Although, if your not that serious Canon is still the way to go I just purchased the Rebel 6.3megapixal for $899. I think its a great by for a digital camera. I loved the rebel 2000 SRL camera so I decided to upgrade to the digital.

5

Fitone… A Canon Rebel? I`m jealous! The media have been pouring positive ink all over the place for that little gem.

6

I just bought a Canon S1 IS and love it!! I did a ton of looking around and this seemed to be the best camera at the price I was looking for. Here is a link with independent reviews. The guy is very detailed:

7

Fitone:

Two cameras appear to come up on most reviews:

  1. Sony DSC-F828 and

  2. Yours: The Canon Rebel (EOS-300D) “Digital Rebel”

When you were shopping…were you able to compare the two? And if not THESE specific camera’s, did you look at any Sonys?

Thanks!

Mufasa

8

Mufasa:

Couldn’t help but point out that your new machine is a gaming gem! All you need is a good vid card and you’ll be ready to roll when Half-Life 2 and Doom 3 come out and even be able to enjoy them at max video settings.

Just a side observation.

9

Check out Steve’s Digicams.

Look at the buyer’s guide - it is quite useful!

10

This is the best digital photography site I have seen, good reviews and side by side comparisons of actual photos. It also lets you search by the specific features you want.

Have fun.

11

Mufasa, I stick to either Cannon or Nikon when I buy cameras. I never bought a sony expect for a digital camcorder then I’ll buy Sony.

When dealing with cameras stick with the Cannon or Nikon brands.

12

Fitone:

Good point…

As you look at many of these reviews, there is never really one camera that stands above all the others (in the Top Five or so…)

Canon and Nikon have certainly been in the camera business much longer.

Mufasa

13

I agree with gumnutza - www.dpreview.com is the best review source for digital cameras review.
Picking a camera really depends on your goals. No point throwing money on high resolution cameras (lots of megapixels), if you don’t intend to enlarge the photos. 4MP is more than enough for this purpose.
I’d also check the olympus cameras if I were you. Most of them have high optical zoom (x10), and a pretty good image quality. Be also sure to check whether the camera has a video recording ability (if this matters).
D.

14

I have a Canon PowerShot SD100 digital which is 3.2 megapixels and I love it. It takes excellent pictures, is easy to work with (it has the little memory cards that are pretty standard) and a USB connection that treats the camera like a harddrive. It takes video with sound at about 20-30 frames per second which is plenty good for simple video shots. I have a 256 MB card in it and I got 5-6 minutes of video before I gave up on it and quit so its definitely adequate for simple things. One of my favorite things about this camera is its all metal and durable and on its face, its the size of a credit card and still has a pretty good zoom that pops out when you turn the camera on. The battery pack is replaceable as well. Its about 3/4 inch thick so its pretty tiny and can do wonders for its ease of use and its size. Its also got some great features. This clearly isn’t going to keep up with an $800 camera but its great for getting into the hobby and it was only about $300.