Need new camera. Help!

My less than fertile grey matter | Published? | me

[Cedar]

for later learning

[Phantom Lord]

I have no problem with last years models or refurbs.

[Tax-chick]

Pinging some known photography people.

[IllumiNaughtyByNature]

Nice link. I am in the market for a new camera as well but want to a Kodak. Anything they have (z610 or z712) similar to the S700 you linked to?

I have been buying cameras on ebay using them for a couple of days and then reselling them to see what I like.

I have decided that I want a Kodak since that is what my wife has with a docking station and software, etc.

Any tips or ideas?

[RandallFlagg]

I admit, I’m still pretty new in this hobby.
You might want to ask someone with more experience.

[IllumiNaughtyByNature]

No problem. Thanks for the honesty.:o)

[Dutch Boy]

I have not played with that mode but I have taken some very good pics while traveling in China. Normally I carry my Kodak P850 but this trip I was short of space.

The only drawback of the Canon that I see is when I take flash pics of my grandson. The red light grabs his attention and I loose many good picks. I end up with blank stares.

[SWAMPSNIPER]

“Have decided that I want a Kodak since that is what my wife has with a docking station and software, etc”.

---

Go for it, thought I was discussing photography, with adults! Kodak software is just about right, for Teeny Boppers!
What you really want is a camera that will take perfect pictures, every time you punch the button, you don’t have time to do any homework, Good Luck!
Kodak is after the “MYSPACE”, niche, if you want pics of a thousand, drunken, teenyboppers, in a “Mosh pit”, by all means, buy a Kodak!
Repeat, after me, Kodak software is for retards!

[Joe 6-pack]

"The one thing I love about the Fujifilm S700 is the fact that the giant instruction manual is ALL IN ENGLISH!!"

I second that choice of camera. Incredibly versatile, but about $219.00. I love mine and use for both work and personal use.

[RandallFlagg]

I got mine from newegg.com for about $180.00

[Phantom Lord]

Any thoughts on the Panasonic TZ3???

Recommended to my wife by local camera shop when she went in to look at some FReeper suggestions.

[MarkL]

I’m afraid that I can’t help you too much here, as I don’t have or use a digital point and shoot... I’ve got a digital SLR.

However, I would give you two bits of advice:

1) You mentioned a 3x or 4x zoom. It seems that most cameras today give you a “total zoom” by adding both a “digital or image” and optical zoom together. If at all possible, ignore the “digital” zoom. Only look at the optical zoom. What’s happening with a digital zoom is that you’re actually cropping or reducing the size of the image, and then magnifying the remaining image. So you wind up with increased noise and distortion in your image. An optical zoom actually zooms in using the lens.

2) Check out http://www.dpreview.com where you’ll find all sorts of reviews, as well as forums where you can ask questions.

One other thing... The smaller the camera, the longer it will probably require for your flash to recharge, since it will probably use smaller and fewer batteries.

Good luck.

Mark

[MarkL]

A double exposer can’t be done on any digital camera.

Actually, I recall reading an article in Popular Photo where there was a DSLR that would allow you to do so, or at least combine multiple photos together into a single image. And then there's photoshop, or other image editing software where you can do that easily.

Mark

[MarkL]

Forget about monster megapixels. 7MP or less, down to 5MP will likely give you better quality images, than a larger camera. There isn’t much difference in the physical size of the sensors on consumer and prosumer cameras, and most of the high MP rigs suffer from a “noise” problem, which they then filter out with a built in program. The result is often pictures that look like melted wax. I reckon to get flamed on this, LOL, but I still take a lot of good shots with an 8 year old, 2MP camera. I’ve won competitions with it, against the big dogs.

Funny that you mention that... Somewhere in the basement is my ancient Sony Mavica (I can't remember the model, it's the one that writes directly to mini-CD) and at one time it was their top of the line, and sold for over $1000. I bought it used at a computer store, after it had been marked down, sold, returned, and marked down again. While I spent a lot of money on it (about $350, I think), it was a real bargain at the time. It is a 2MP camera, with a really LONG zoom lens, and image stabilization which allows you to use every bit of the zoom. And the 2MP images are WONDERFUL! I'm able to blow them up to 5x7 with practically no noise or artifacts, and 8x10 photos still look remarkably good, probably for the same reasons you mention.

The biggest problem with it is the shutter lag... When you press the shutter, the viewfinder would go black which indicates you can go get a cup of coffee, and once you're finished drinking it, the photo is taken. I have the most amazing photo collection of animal butts ever! That's because it takes so long from the time you press the shutter until the photo is taken, the animal has time to wander half way across the frame!

On the other hand, I love my Nikon D70s, which seems to have as fast a firing shutter as my old film Olympus OM2 and Nikon FM2.

Mark

[ThomasThomas]

I was just looking at this picture, a tripod with degree marks is helpful. This isn;t my picture.

[SWAMPSNIPER]

Olympus C2100UZ 2MP Olympus C720UZ 3MP Either of these images will print nicely at 8X10. The foremost advantage, for most people, of high megapixel numbers, is the ability to zoom in and crop after the shot. This is the same effect as digital zoom, and the image quality degrades with each step. I recently reached the peak, for me, of 8MP, but usually have the camera set for 5MP. I've got 300 GB of discs on this computer, I keep them full of images and a mega camera would only fill things up faster. If they aren't going to print circus posters most folks would be very happy with 5 or 6 MP. I still use the 8 year old, 2MP C2100UZ on a regular basis. Much of the MP thing is an insecurity thing, "mine is bigger than yours"! I'm not talking about the professional photographers here, just the average users. I've seen a lot of low quality pictures from $3000.00 cameras, the issue hangs heavy on the machine operator.

[CalifChris]

Hello Phantom Lord! Gret topic. I am a huge photography buff. I don’t know much about it so I limit myself to instant cameras. I have to get one developed soon. I hope 35 mm hasn’t gone away! *grin*

[CalifChris]

gret = great

[Freeper]

Your moutain pic ‘looks’ like the one at www.autostitch.net . . . . . with autostitch you don’t even need a tripod, much less onw with degree marks. Enjoy!