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Posted by: mountainlust Oct 24 2005, 02:37 PM

I'm in the market for a digital camera. I've never had one before and I feel as though it's time to get one. I did this same sort of thing when cell phones first starting getting popular. I was like, "I've survived without one for this long; why should i get one now?" That was 7 years ago and now I wonder how I did get along without one for so long!

I digress...

So what is everyone's experience with digital cameras? Good brands? Good models to buy? How much money I'm looking at coughing up
Accessories?

Thanks!

Posted by: BusterHymen Oct 24 2005, 02:55 PM

Well I have had 3 Kodak digitals(various megapixel), 1 Minolta 5.1megapixel, and currently I have an Olympus 8.1megapixel digital SLR.

Kodaks were decent, the Minolta ate rechargable batteries, and I love my current camera (ran me $800 so I better like it!).

Just search around and see what strikes you, and then once you narrow it down to a few compare megapixels, zoom, battery life (some use regular batteries other will have a rechargable lithium-ion battery), some have dock stations others you will have to take the card out and use a reader or connect the camera to the computer with a USB cable.

You get what you pay for!! and read online reviews!

Another thing you will get great deals off the internet, etc. but much easier to return it local if you choose but it will cost more from a retailer.

Good luck

Posted by: Kiana Oct 24 2005, 02:59 PM

I have a Soney CyberShot 5.0 megapixels. I LOVE it. It's so small and thin. Back when I bought it I paid like $650 for the camera the memory card and the warranty.

Posted by: Gnappster Oct 24 2005, 03:18 PM

I have a Kodak 2MP at home and a Canon 3.2 at work. Both work well, the Kodak seems more user friendly but beware if it breaks. A friend of mine has a Kodak and needed repairs and no camera place would even touch it. But I've had mine for 3 years and had no problems.

Posted by: mountainlust Oct 24 2005, 03:56 PM

Great info, guys! Thanks a lot!

Does anyone know about olympus? A friend had one a few years ago and it seemed pretty good. Any experience with those?

Posted by: diamondgeezer Oct 24 2005, 04:00 PM

Olympus is good. But then again, I'm not the person to be giving out advice on digital cameras. I bought one for £150, then lost it. Which is worrying as it had some rather incriminating images on it

Posted by: mountainlust Oct 24 2005, 05:34 PM

How many dollars is 150 pounds?
That sucks you lost it...the finder probably got a little more than he/she was bargaining for!

Posted by: diamondgeezer Oct 24 2005, 05:56 PM

http://www.xe.com/ucc/

Posted by: mountainlust Oct 24 2005, 06:07 PM

The site says it comes out to about $265. Thanks, Diamond!

Posted by: Avvilimento Oct 25 2005, 05:11 AM

A few things to be aware of:

Don't confuse optical and digital zoom! It's possible to digitally "zoom" through software to tens of thousands of times - sure it's bigger, but it looks like crap. Also remember that the further you zoom in optically, the better the light has to be to take a blur-free.

Bigger cameras use bigger sensors, and as such give better quality. They also use bigger lenses with better coatings and larger batteries, which is why they cost more. For example, a super-compact has a sensor which may measure only 2/7" across, while a dSLR can be as large as 11/10" (around 7/4" on Canon's 5D or 1Ds mkII).

Remember the memory. Olympus and Fuji use xD cards which are expensive, much like Sony's memory sticks. SD and CF cards are the cheapest and most readily available, and also have the largest capacities - I've seen SDs as big as 4GB and CFs upto 8GB. SanDisk make the best on the market, but there are plenty of other good choices.

Myself, I prefer Canons. I've owned three, including my current PowerShot G3 (4MPel, 4x optical zoom) and EOS 20D dSLR (8.2MPel, 1.6x crop), as well as my old PowerShot A60 (2.1MPel, 3x optical) I sold to my mum. I just find they give a cleaner, more faithful shot than other brands. I find Sonys to be oversaturated and lacking detail, Olympus noisy, Kodak soft, and Nikons lack punch - but it's all a matter of personal opinion.

If you need some website for research there are many good ones to be found. I can send you links if you like, but I strongly suggest doing some homework before you jump in. Most good sites offer sample images, as well as test shots, so you can get a good feel without leaving your PC.

Cheers,
Jon.

(PS sorry for my inner geek showing, but cameras and computers are two areas I've done my homework waaaaay too much)

Posted by: BusterHymen Oct 25 2005, 09:09 AM

Olympus' website has a great interactive tour of the one I have (Evolt 300) I think the same goes for their other models, probably need a high speed internet connection (or alot of time on your hands w/ dialup!).

Not all of Olympus models use the xDcards, mine uses the CF (compact flash) I put in a 1 gig 80x speed one, works nice for like $100.

Another thing that I do not think was mentioned is you might want to get an extended warranty (I know, I know the price of this "camera" is going higher and higher!!!) I am really good with my computers and digitals but about every laptop I've had has broken and luckily I've had the Ext. warranty, so far so good on the digital cameras. My latest Ex. warr on the Olympus was like $100 through Mack and is either 2 or 3 year (can't remember what I purchased).

Like Avvilimento said the Cannon's make some very nice units too I was either going with the Cannon or Olympus, it just seemed I got a little more for my money with the EVolt (maybe it was a mistake, maybe not! I probably won't know unless I had a Cannon D20 side by side mine and could compare!)

Sorry to ramble, I dig electronics as you might have gathered!

Posted by: I_love_gapeaches Oct 25 2005, 10:59 AM

What took away from Sony, Buster?

Posted by: BusterHymen Oct 25 2005, 12:03 PM

Oh nothing away or for on the Sony, I just personally have never had one so can't comment on it either way! Sony usually makes some nice products though!

Posted by: Avvilimento Oct 25 2005, 01:06 PM

Sony make some very good cameras. And, aside from Canon or Kodak dSLRs, and any FujiFilm SCCD, they make all the sensors used in modern digital cameras. eg All current 7.1MPel PnS models all use exactly the same sensor - be they Canon, Sony, Olympus or Nikon - so it's just the processing, AA filter and lens that vary. Even Nikon and Olympus dSLRs use a Sony CCD, which is why there's so little variating between their results in a lot of situations.

(There's your interesting but wholey useless bit of info for the day)

My only complaints about modern Sony cameras are the aggressive post-filter (reduces noise, but also reduces detail) and over saturation, but these are personal opinions. Their new model (The R1, I think it's called) looks very promising, though - CMOS sensor akin to a Canon and of comparable size to a dSLR with a Zeiss branded lens. Problem is it costs quite a few quid, but (as always) you get what you pay for.

Posted by: sweetnsexy Oct 25 2005, 08:26 PM

Speaking as a non-tech girlie....I have a Nikon coolpix which works fine, and the other brand I was reccomended was Olympus.

Apart from the stuff mentioned by those who understand it, the only other thing I would look at is shutter speed. I know that they probably don't actually use shutters these days, but some cameras have a time lag from pressing the button to taking the pic...may only be a second or two, but it makes catching an action shot bloody difficult!! My advice...go for the shortest speed you can find. Cos you wont believe how many shots you take have action in them!

Posted by: mountainlust Oct 26 2005, 12:51 PM

Oh yeah...love those action shots! Thanks for all of the advice, y'all. It really helps!

Posted by: cowboy Oct 26 2005, 05:57 PM

I have a SONY Cyber-shot 5.1 mega pixels it has mpegmovieVX smart zoom I like it it takes real good pics. All of Hot mama's pics are done with it. I bought it at WAL-MART for $295.00 a year ago and it still taking great pics love it.