Digital Cameras Question

[Gary S]

I think i'm getting a digital camera from my wife and son this weekend.

I'm excited about it and i thought I'd ask some of you DC buffs (Petra, Bill, etc.) what web sites
will be good to have one hand to learn more about taking digital pictures or sites I may need
to put them on the web etc.

I've been using an SLR for the past 20 years so.......I thought I'd ask before I go googleing around and wasting my time.  

I think I'll be getting an entry level camera. I hinted around about these 2.


Fuji camera 1


Fuji camera 2

I like the fact that they have a 6X optical zoom. They also have a 2.5 digital zoom too. I'm just learning about the optical vs. digital thingy.

TIA

[kps]

Cool! Have fun with it.

I would strongly recommend you get the 3.2 megapixel model over the 2.1 mpixel model.

I find most digital cameras cast a bluish tone, no matter how the white balance is set, so Photoshop or some other image manipulation program is a must. I could not live without the curves adjustment function in Photoshop.

With OS X, use ImageCapture instead of iPhoto to download pictures from your camera. You get better control over the download. Try both and you'll see what I mean.

Don't use your Mac to format the storage card of the camera. Use the camera. Make sure you unmount the storage media first before you turn the camera off and disconnect it from the computer.

Digital zoom just plain...sucks. I don't use it in my Nikon or my camcorder.

[JohnKentucky]

Personally I prefer Canon's or Nikons. A good site to find reviews and information about a LOT of cameras is DPreview.

I have the Canon PowerShot S30, which is a 3.2megapixel camera that takes great pictures.

Here are a few samples of what I have taken with my camera:
West side of Oahu
a black and white
A road

I wouldn't get the bottom of the line ones as you will soon want a better one.

The Canon PowerShot S45 is a good one

[Bill]

"(Petra, Bill, etc.)"

I'm flattered Gary S but don't you think that is like putting Fred Flintstone and Jennifer Lopez in the same room together. <gr>

All I can say is do not go hog-wild buying accessories after you decide on which camera to get like I did. I've packages of batteries that I haven't even opened yet.Fact the batteries out now are twice the Mah as mine.

Memory cards are a must but again I found out the hard way ... if ya see some super sale or run across a can't-pass-up-deal ... pass it up if you have enough for your needs already.
 
Even though my 2.1 mega pixel Oly is soooo out dated,it does what I want.
I'd actually like to get a better one but I keep 'balking' on the thought because I really don't use it that much these days.
Which brings your first purchase down to one simple thought.
Whatever you determine your needs for the camera will be,if you can afford to take one or two steps up on a better camera, go for it.

[jcarter]

I have a 3 year old Nikon Coolpix 990 (3.34MP) and I use it all the time.  Great pictures, I have taken thousands, if I ever get a bad one, it is my(the human) fault, not the camera. Macro is awesome too.  I even have a slide converter, which I use to digitize my old 35mm slides with the 990.
My brother just got the new Coolpix 3100 and it is really wonderful.  I may get one because it is really small, light, and easy to carry when hiking or biking.  I am not a knowledgable or technical photographer, I just have good luck.  As far as I can see, you can't go wrong with a Nikon.  Steves-digicams.com is another good page to see reviews.
You will LOVE digital photography!  There is one problem, you end up with too many photos, I had to buy an external HD for them all.
Have fun.
Jane

[Gary S]

Bill,
I knew I could get a practical and honest answer from you!

JohnKentucky,
Thanks for the link to DPreview. Great site.

kps,
I have Photoshop so I should be able to correct them. I will have fun with it.
I hope they get the 3.2 but I'd be happy with the 2.1 if that's what they get me.

I still like all the manual settings and versatality of my old manual SLR.  I can use it
for serious stuff.

I think i'll beusing this digital for stuff I want to post on the web so.....i don't think i'll be taking any monster size photos.

Thanks Jane,

i know about Nikons, i have and SLR that I use.

One question: As far as memory cards are concerned, are they generic? For instance can I just get any old Smartcard?

Thanks for your suggestions.

[Bruce_F]

Gary, "digital film" comes in different flavors, depending on the camera. Wait till you actually have the camera and get the card that is recommended by the camera maker.


My Nikon Coolpix came with a Lexar memory card. I have continued to get the same brand so it will be compatible with the card reader I got.

When you have made up your mind on which to get, don't forget to check ebay. I found Lexar cards there... very reasonably priced. Search for user name patgalla.

[Paddy]

Gary, I just spent about a day reading reviews and specs and doing the research to choose a camera for our retiring superintendent. He's a little less tech-savvy than you, but I was looking for the best camera I could find in the $400 range. We settled on a Canon G2. It has been the camera that all others are compared to for almost 2 years now.

For some more reviews:

Fuji 3800:

http://www.dcresource.com/reviews/fuji/fin...view/index.html

Canon G2:

http://www.dcresource.com/reviews/canon/po...view/index.html

The G2 is available from Beach Camera for $418, including shipping (which is less than half its original MSRP!) It uses Compact Flash, rather than the much more unusual and very tiny xd Picture Cards and it's Microdrive compatible. It doesn't have a 6X optical zoom, but you can buy many conversion lenses, and at 4 Megapixels instead of 3, you have more latitude for cropping and enlarging. If you do a side-by-side comparison at DPreview.com, you will see that it does offer quite a bit more control.

If I was going to buy a 3-4 Megapixel camera for myself in the next little while, it would get serious consideration.

Of course the other one I'd love to get my hands on is the Sony DSC717, with it's 10X optical zoom and 5 megapixel resolution. The ONLY thing that bugs me about it is the darn Sony Memory sticks, which are still only available in 128MB max. However, it's another $200, so kind of out of this ballpark.

[Bill]

Gary,I've been running around some and ran across some bad vibes about these smaller cards (that Paddy mentioned). Not to sure about them.?.
Stuff like way to small,flimsy,only work with XXX type cameras naturally etc etc.
Personally I'd stick with the tried and proven memory cards [smart media or Compact Flash], doesn't really matter which these days but it's the camera that 'dictates' which card works with it. Talk about behind the times! Think I skimmed past one that excepts both. /sigh\

As far as which brand. Mine uses smart media. So my knowledge stops there.
I have smartdisk,simple,and had a lexar. The only one that went south on me was the one that came with the camera. A little 8mber.
What Bruce mentioned on readers. My reader is a sandisk. Every so often the simple cards will not be recognized till I slide it in the second time but the smartdisk are recognized every time without fail. Other than that little quirk,they cook just fine.

Haven't priced memory cards in some time but they can't be that expensive these days.

On the mpixels.
I don't do much printing. So 2.1. works for me but if you're going to go print crazy, 2.1. is right on the border line. 3 and up sing in the printing part.

~~~ Scratch the word sing ~~~ your family ain't to keen on that word I hear. <gr>

[Thomas S. England]

I always like to read discussions such as this, since I'm always being asked to suggest cameras for the consumer (is that a polite way to say non-professional?)

But since I can barely keep up with all the new gizmos for the pro, I never know what to say.

You may find this of interest--a guide I wrote for several pro film shooters on the verge of digital photography:

http://englandphoto.com/Digitalprimer

...got to get around to updating & expanding this document...

[Gary S]

Wow,
I got hooked on that site that Paddy put up and have been looking
at pictures all afternoon!  
That's quite a site.
Thanks Paddy.

I'm not going to do much printing and this is my first digital camera so....I'm not going to get carried away.

Bill,
I was talking to a salesman today and he told me a 128mb Smartmedia card was selling for over $100.00 around the first of the year....they can be had for less than $50.00 now and a 64mb is around $30.00 so they are coming down in price drastically.

I don't need too many bells and whistles. I figure the way things are going, in a couple of years, digital photography will be different and maybe if I like it I'll buy a high end number.

I haven't clicked on Thomas's link yet......I've got to get out of the sitting position for a while....my back is starting to go south.

I'm going to watch a movie when my wife brings it home. Lay in bed......Ahhhhhhh.

 

[Bill]

Gary S,check out Thomas S. Englands link!!!
I CAN NOT BELIEVE I FORGOT ABOUT THE MASTER!!
Going brain dead as I get younger.
It's a winner ((Plus))!

[Gary S]

I did check out Thomas's site last night. WOW!

Great info heh!

Thanks Thomas....thanks a lot.

[gmann]

Thomas, That was a great seminar that you published.  I have bookmarked it and will be refering to it frequently.

[Gary S]

I got the Fuji 2.1 megapixel for my birthday from my wife and son.

At 1600x1200 @ fine mode it takes pictures that are wonderful for what I do.


I'm happy!