Digital Camera need advice
 

Hi All
Looking to purchase my first digital camera.No I have not been living in a cave!! Need one for posting some pic's of my MB's and selling some items on Ebay.I just recently purchased a HP/desk top and a Gateway notebook PC.
Now I need a digital camera and I will be ready for the 21st century.
What is a good model and what can I expect to pay? Thanks. Happy driving.

If all you're doing is posting pictures on the internet, you can get by very cheaply. I've got a 3.3 Mpixel that takes great web shots at its lower resolution settings. If you want to print pictures, 3.3 Mpixel is kinda marginal.

I'm waiting for some of the digital slr bodies to become affordable.

Pretty wide open question. Try http://www.dpreview.com/

Lots of good reviews and forums.

I have a Fuji S5100 which I like a lot.

Koop
Thanks, should be helpful.
I was looking to spend around $400.00. Seems to be alot of choices for that price.I will be posting some pic's of my 3 Mb's. Happy driving.

Joe moon
85-380SL-91k- Just turned 20 y.o.
94-E320Sedan-74k-black beauty.
95-E320Cabriolet-70k

Stay away from any model that uses proprietory rechargable battery packs. Opt for rechargable NiMH AA or AAA style instead, and be sure to include a good set of these batteries and a charger in your purchase budget. The problem with proprietory is availability and cost when they eventually go bad and won't hold a charge.

I really like the swing and swivel LCD screen on the Canon A and G series. This allows you to take from-the-waste and over-your-head shots, etc.

Dave

I got a Canon Power Shot S1 IS, online for about $340. It is an SLR 3.2 mp and features a 10x optical zoom, image stabilizer, swing-swivel LCD, AAA Ni cad batteries, plus a movie mode with zoom lens and also with sound. There are many more features including manual mode for aperture, focus, etc, or automatic.

My only disappointment, which is really not a big one, is that it is only 3.2 mp, and had it been a 5 mp or greater, I would have to say then that it was a great camera.

The quality of Canon vs. all others in it's class, is superior. A Minolta of the same type and price that I had bought failed, within a week of use, and was junk by comparison.

My old 2.1 Nikon Collpix has this. It is its most appreciated feature, by FAR. It's still a great camera for what I use it for! I think the optics have a lot to do with it. The Nikon has a nice, big lens.

Dunno what the new Nikons are like, but I sure like my old one!

Good advice, but get the NIMH batteries rather than the NICADs... they'll give you more recharge cycles.

Them's the ones!

I currently use the Lenmar 2300/2200 mAh batteries, and assorted Gold Peak 2000/1600/1500's with my old Kodak DC290 and they work great. I also use a Lenmar charger which charges quickly and has independent charging circuits for each of the 4 slots.

Just remember, don't cycle the NiMh batteries like NiCd batteries. If you drain them empty they'll shorten the life cycle drastically. They are designed to be topped off.

Agree get a camera that uses off the shelf batteries.

BUT, just get the Lithiums, Not cheap (8 - 10 bucks a set), I get close to a year / 400+ pics easy. Although I avoid the use of the LCD screen, avoid but I do use it.

Check the memory card style, find one that matches any other device you may own, and watch out for proprietary or going out of style. I'd vote for SD today. Mine (4 or 5 years old) uses Smart Cards.

Ignore digital zoom, meaningless.
If you get a high power Zoom look for image stabilization.

Also consider, depending on the majority of your planned use, cycle time. The new ones are better, but some can be anoyingly slow between the time you push the button and the camera takes the shot.

picture software
 

Folks,

The other fun part is what to do with the images. I have a ard reader on my computer rather than the camera download software. I plug in the card and store it in a directory on my hard drive. I also usually burn a cd with the ones I keep as a backup.

I haven't checked in a month or so, but Google was offering a free download of Picasa2 - a photo album and minor enhancement application. I have been using it for a few months and it is pretty good. I also allows you to make gift CD's of pictures that will self play on cd drives.

We have a Sony DCS-V3 camera now, 7mp. One advantage of more pixels is I can take a picture of a larger area, then crop and enlarge down to a smaller picture and keep great resolution. It is bigger and not as handy as a pocket sized camera.

Chuck

Older post... but since the holiday season is pretty much here...


I've been eyeballing the Canon Powershot A610 ....Anybody have one and care to give me a yay or nay ?

Thanks!

-Larry


PS: I've found a place that sells it for around $250

I like the Canon Cameras. I have a Rebel XT, and I love it. It has more stuff than I'll ever need, but it is too big to use everyday.

For my everyday camera, I use my Canon Pwershot S500. I have had it for a while, and all I have to say is it is an awesome camera, and it is a really durable one for the mopney. I have beaten the hell out of it, and it still works the same as the day I bought it.

The A610 looks like its an awesome camera, and I sont think you will have aby problems with it. If you do buy it at bestbuy, they will give you free battery replacements every year. Just a little something to think about, but I got mine at best buy, and I get a new batttery every year.

My generic digital camera advice:

1) Should have an optical viewfinder in addition to an LCD.
2) Good optics, disregard "digital zoom"
3) Fast writing to memory
4) Pixel count
5) Lithium Ion power