Recommend Digital Camera

[stevenf]

hunterridgefarm, I bought a Kodak P850 at Sams it is 12X optical zoom 2.5"LCD view screen and 5.1 mega pixel. I researched all the 10X or better cameras that I could afford and this one fit the bill nicely it was $397.63 at Sams. I also got thier digital camera kit only for the largest bag it was $19.47 it includes a smaller bag and a very small tripod but the big case by itself anywhere else was $27 or so. The only drawback is it does use a proprietary Kodak battery they are $13+ at Best Buy its rechargeable I've taken over 200 pictures and haven't had to recharge it so I'm pleased so far. I needed the optical zoom for our game ranch pictures and as others have said unless your printing posters or wall size stuff 4 or 5 mp cameras are fine. I have found one thing so far I really like about it I can take fully zoomed in 12X pictures after sundown getting dark but not black yet with no flash assist bring the photos into a photo program like adobe photo shop or Microsoft Digital image and increase the lighting via computer and am able to have pretty darn good pictures of game that comes in as it gets dark where a flash camera would have sent them running. Under normal conditions it takes beautiful pictures although in this day and age I'd expect any name brand camera with the same specs to be just as good. Price and 12X zoom sold me this particular camera it is comparable to the Canon S2IS in abilities just a tad cheaper and it has the bigger view screen. Sams has the Canon as well it is $447.-- also 12X with a 1.8" LCD view screen. I did find in my test side by side that the Kodak was ready for second shot photo quicker the the Canon. Also I bought a 1 gig Ultra II SD card at Best Buy for $67 or so make sure you get the Ultra II as it also will have bearing on how fast subsequent shots can be taken I think if memory is right that it writes 40X faster then the standard SD memory card and is only about $20 more its worth it for me. Ultra III SD cards will be out soon but they will be very pricey to start with I'd expect a couple of hundred bucks for a 1GB card
Steve

 

[Gatorboy]

<font color="blue">( ... but my mom's camera is only 2 years old and after you press the button you have to hold the camera there for a second or the picture is blurry. ) </font>

You need to hold the shutter button down half-way to lock in the focus and exposure, and then when the camera is ready, press the shutter when you want to take the picture. Don't just press all the way down in one swoop if your camera has a long shutter lag.

 

[RobertN]

Always go for optical zoom first. It will give you the clearer image. As you digitally zoom, the picture will start to pixelate, ie get blocky or choppy.

Good glass can make or break a camera. Always get the best glass you can afford(it's the same in microscopes, telescopes, rifle scopes ect). A good camera with medicore glass will make a mediocre picture. A medicroe camera with good glass wil typically make a better picture than the other way around.

 

[hunterridgefarm]

You guys are better than Consummer Reports.

I plan on printing this and taking it with me this weekend /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif.

I can say " look so-and-so on TBN said to get this and that was not really needed" /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif

I now know enough to not to get taken by the person selling me the camera.

Thanks to all for bringing me up to speed on a digital camera. I'll let you know what we buy.

 

[rox]

unterridgefarm,
Hey I have a subscription to Consumer Reports, on line.
It only costs $5 a month. I am jsut about to kill it.

Whenever I am going to buy something digital, like a camera, computer printer etc. I sign up for on line consumer reports.
www.consumerreports.org

They have extensive reviews that are based on their tests. They go buy the products form the stores, they are right off the shelves. Especially on their digital reveiws they keep them very much up to date. It is always worth it for me to spend $5 to invest in information before I go out shopping.

Consumer reports lets you cancel at any time with no problems at all. I ahve done this at least 3 times now.

Others here shared terrific information which will be a big help but I would check out consumer reprts on line as well.

Can't wait to see the photographs.

Oh and I have a Pentax digital and it uses 2 AA battereies, however I buy these extra long wearing batteries. They are not re-chargable, however they last a real long time. Somebody here will probably know the name of those special batteries, I cna't remember what they cost, but they are worth it.

 

[ronjhall]

<font color="blue"> I would have no problem spending $500-600 for a good camera. </font>
Since you have raised the bar a little. I will make my suggestion. My camera is a Konica Minolta DiMAGE A200 . It has many of the features of the SLR's. But they are built in to camera. After buying SLR's and did not use many of the attachments and features. I decided to buy one that had all the features built in. I have taken several thousand pictures since I purchased it last year. It can be found on the Internet for less than $600. I got a 1 gig high speed memory card with it. It allows me to store about 300 pictures before download.
My other camera is a Olympus 560. Great little camera that uses 2 AA batteries. It is always in the car ready to take pictures. The current closest model to it is a Stylus 710.
Look for a camera that has image stabilization. It will make a difference with picture quality.

 

[KubotaSteve]

Dave,
Thanks for the advice, but we have tried everything and it still has the hesitation. I have read the book to see if I was missing something. Like I said, the ones I take with my camera are fine but the pictures taken with her camera are blurry if you don't hold still that extra second.
Thanks again.

 

[hunterridgefarm]

rox,
I usually do the samething. I research everything like this before I buy. Just thought I would speed the process up and come to TBN and get consumer reports for all across the nation /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif.

ronjhall,
I like the looks of that camera and it is the style I want. I don't really like the small cameras. My wife will not purchase anything on line so I'll see what Best Buy, and Sams carries.

 

[EddieWalker]

Great advice here. It's rare that I agree with just about everyone so strongly! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Your budget is huge for what you need. I'm not sure your first digital camera needs to be a lexus. Start out with a honda and get a decent camera and see if it's what you enjoy.

There are allot of good brand names ones for under $300.

Make sure you get one that uses AA batteries. We have a charging dock for 8 batteries for our cameras. It's really nice haveing them because the cameras eat up batteries so fast.

Optical zoom is all that matters. Ignore digital numbers because they aren't realistic and pictures under digital zoom are fuzzy.

4.0 is pretty darn good resolution. Anything more is just overkill for most applications. Mine is 2.0 and Steph's is 3.2 and a much better camera than mine.

My current favorite online store to buy from is newegg.com

For Christmas, I bought Steph a photo printer. It's the Epson Picture Mate for $170 and it prints 4X6 prints as good as any film print. Nobody can tell the diference. They cost around .30 cents per print, but you only print what you want and you have them right away. It's also protable and very easy to take with you.

We brought it to Grandma's house for Christmas dinner and printed pictures for everyone right there!!!

For under $500 you can get a very nice camera AND a digital picture printer!!!!

Good luck,
Eddie

 

[BillG_in_TX]

<font color="blue"> "I'll see what Best Buy, and Sams carries." </font>

I suggest that you check with your local camera stores. I know that Wolf/Ritz will price match anything available locally, and they usually have knowledgeable sales people, good selection and extras - like free photography classes.

If I don't buy on-line, I always try the local specialty stores first, especially ones that price match like Wolf/Ritz.

 

[Bob_Skurka]

hunterridgefarm . . .
When you look at all these cameras, realize that things go a lot deeper than optical zoom. A 10x or 12x optical zoom is great, but only if it comes with a 'fast' lens, and those cost more than 'slow' lenses.

The 'speed' of the lens I am referring to is the maximum aperature at any given focal length. The wider the aperature, generally the better/faster the lens. The importance of this is directly related to low light conditions. The more light the digital sensors get through the lens, the better. It allows you to shoot at faster shutter speeds to 'stop action' at your kids sporting events. It also allows you to get better low light images indoors.

As I am looking at cameras now just like you are, and as I just recently have been researching all this stuff, I settled on the Panasonic Lumix DMC FZ7 as the best for my needs (your needs may be different). Plenty of other good choices exist. But consider your lens! What is the aperature at the lowest zoom setting? What is the aperature at the highest zoom setting? For normal uses, that is actually a very important feature that most people do not understand and most people overlook.

 

[MartyAnderson]

Canon PowerShot S2 IS: 5MP, 12X optical 4X digital zoom, aa batteries, image stabilization, etc. <$500

 

[Gatorboy]

If you are looking to buy online -- I suggest B&H Photo. Great prices, and fast delivery.

In the world of Digital, the top two brands are:

1. Canon
2. Nikon

 

[Bob_Skurka]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Canon PowerShot S2 IS: 5MP, 12X optical 4X digital zoom, aa batteries, image stabilization, etc. <$500 )</font>

The Canon S2 IS is a very good camera. The S2 lens at zoom is slower than the Lumix lens, which is something that is important to me as I will be taking photos of my daughter at indoor sporting events. The S2 lens is slightly faster (.1) a no zoom, but I discount that because most shots will be using some level of magnification. I currently own 2 Canon PowerShot P&S cameras and cannot fault them or the brand. We each need to assess our own needs. The Lumix costs less than the Canon and has a superior Leica lens. For me, and my uses, I'm going with the Lumix.

The other cameras I also considered the Canon PowerShot Pro1, the Nikon Coolpix 8700 and 8800, Nikon D50 and Olympus E-500.

Here is an interesting thread on a photo forum: Photo thread Lumix vs Nikon vs Canon

 

[KentT]

You may also want to look at this site. It shows thousands of sample photos taken with the most common digital cameras.

Then, you can decide whether that quality will work for you.

http://www.pbase.com/cameras

 

[hunterridgefarm]

Well tomorrow is the day. I earned an extra day off from work so my wife wants to take the whole day. She said something about going by Khols first. /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif I told you in the beginning this was a reason to get me to go shopping /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif.

I have made alot of notes from what you guys have suggested and will take those with me. Hopefully tomorrow night I can let you know what we purchased.

This is a top-notch group of people here on TBN and I thank you for your help /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

 

[hunterridgefarm]

Just wanted to let everyonr know we now own a digital Camera. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

I had decided on one of the nicer Canons S2's priced around $500. But due to circumstances beyond my control (wife) we settled on the Kodak Z740, 5 megapixel, 10x zoom. My wife want something a little more "user friendly" since this was our first digital. So we took a little of EddieWalkers advice and may look at an upgrade in a few years. My wife also wanted the printer with the LCD screen (nice) and we were able to get this and a 1GB memory card with what we saved on the Kodak vs Canon.

Should be making some new post soon on clearing land for house and me clearing an access road, now WITH PICTURES. /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif

Thanks again!!

 

[JerryG]

You will love it when you get everything figured out. We have had digital cameras sense 1999 and have never looked back.

 

[EddieWalker]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Just wanted to let everyonr know we now own a digital Camera. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif we took a little of EddieWalkers advice and may look at an upgrade in a few years. My wife also wanted the printer with the LCD screen (nice) )</font>

OH OH, what did I do now??? /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Glad to hear you got a new toy. Switching to digital has turned a hobby of taking pictures into somthing I do almost second nature now. It's so simple to take them, download and pick out what you like or dont. I easily delet 75 percent of what a take, sometimes allot more.

My first trip to Paris I took one roll of pictures. The Marine I was there with didn't take any and had to make copies of mine. After that, I learned to take dozens of pictures of the same thing in hopes of getting one good shot. It works too.

What printer did you get?? We really love the Epson Picture Mate. The qualitiy of the prints is just amazing, plus it's very easy to use and fairly quick!!! /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Congratulations, now you gotta figure out how to downsize your pics so they will post on this site!! That's a whole new set of challenges. /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif
Eddie

 

[hunterridgefarm]

Eddie,
I think the printer was the Easyshare 500 and I believe it was around $150.00.

("Congratulations, now you gotta figure out how to downsize your pics so they will post on this site!! That's a whole new set of challenges.
Eddie")

I am really looking forward to resizing pics /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif I can't even figure-out how to change the font color /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif.


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