Digital camera questions and opinions

[RandyCustomShop]

I'm trying to figure out which camera to get, but not sure how much zoom I'm gonna need to be able to see the clocks at the end of the track. I'd basically be even with the Tree in the stands...

Also, any opinions in general on camera's would be helpful. Basically I want it to have some decent video capabilities (at LEAST 15 second clips) Doesn't have to be VGA quality, but clear enough to get a good idea of what's going on. And at least 3 mega pixels. I'm basically looking at Canon, Fuji, Nikon, and Olympus.

 

[Little6pack]

http://www.digitalcamera-hq.com/?source=overture&kw=digital+camera+review

 

[Little6pack]

True but maybe the dude only wants a camera.

I have both camera & video cam.. I prefer carrying the camera

 

[GN One Day...]

I decided against the video camera in favor of a digital camera. Great picture quality and I can take videos only limited by the space left on the mini cd it's stored on. Not great quality, but good enough. When we use a camcorder, it's usually just for shots of a minute or less to capture an event and then we'd just wasting tape and end up with a tape we'd never want to watch. Can do that with the dig. camera. I prefer stills anyway.

 

[Jack Evers]

I bought this one from Bestbuy about a year ago. It's the Fujifilm 3800 Digital. 6X optical zoom, 3.24 Mega Pixel and the optional 128MB picture card. I use it for work and it's seen a ton of use. Great quality and I've never filled the card up yet. Have had near 100 images stored on card and a ton of storage space left. Will take movies, but not near the quality of a digital camcorder. That's okay, I take 500 still photos for every time I break out the camcorder.

http://a5.cpimg.com/image/BF/E5/19228095-9761-01900189-.jpg

 

[GN One Day...]

Well, you know, it's individual. Whatever you get should suit your own needs. I rarely zoom, but take a good number of fairly close shots. Could use a wider angle lens, if anything, but haven't gotten one yet. They've all come a long way. Even when it goes into digital zoom, it's still pretty good compared to a few years ago.

 

[RandyCustomShop]

Thanks for the replies guys.

I thought about a camcorder, but movies are not really gonna be my main thing...I'll mostly be taking pictures of car stuff and doing some video at the track, but not a ton...

I am also concerned about size...I don't like carrying around things that are too clunky...I was even debating the size of the Canon Powershot G3.

The Olympus C730 UZ has a 10x optical zoom plus 3x digital, but I don't know if I need that much... I'm wondering if a 3x optical will be enough to grab the times at the end of the track...if so, I can step down in camera size.

Jack, the 3800 is on my list...So far from what I know I like that camera...also, FWIW, it got very good reviews in Consumer Reports. The 6x zoom sounds good too...how is that at the far end of the track? Do you have any pix and vid's that you could send me?

One Day... I agree with you completely... That's why there are so many different cameras out there...lots of different things to suit each persons needs... I will be doing some close-ups too...I was looking at the Macro ranges on them as well... I'm still trying to figure out "when it goes into digital zoom" Do they basically zoom as far as they can optically and then use digital? And I think it might vary from camera to camera. (I know some are interpolated and some are not, interpolation being better of course)

I was in Best Buy yesterday just to physically check them out and hold them (the net is great until you get to the point of actually wanting to hold them in your hand! This guy came up to the counter and started looking at the cameras... The man behind the counter goes "Can I help you"
"I want the camera with the biggest ummm Megapixels...whichevery one you have that has the biggest megapixels" I was trying to keep from laughing


www.dpreview.com is a great website for anyone else looking to get a camera...very thorough.

So far I've basically narrowed it down to 8:
Canon Powershot A70, G3
FujiFilm Finepix 3800, S602Z
Nikon Coolpix 3100
Olympus C730UZ, C740UZ, D560 Zoom

 

[teranfon]

Interesting question, I just went through the process myself of choosing a camera. I looked at over two dozen cameras and finally settled on an Olympus Stylus 300 Digital. I've had it for a week with no complaints.

 

[RandyCustomShop]

Terry,

Thanks for your insight. The Stylus 300 is a very nice camera...I also like it's compact size. I would rather have something I can fit in my pocket like that instead of lug around if I could...

I totally agree with you as far as not buying useless features and instead dumping the money into batteries and and memory... I think I'm on the right track I really only started looking into it yesterday...there is so much to learn and when I started I was overwhelmed with choices...even though I had a good idea of what brands I was going to look at.

I don't have much background to be honest with you...I've never owned an SLR type camera. I've never owned a very nice camera... lol But it is finally time to get something decent. I like the idea of a 3.2 MP....The price isn't jacked all that much and I think that is a comfortable place to be as far as megapixels are concerned. I know for sure I won't need more than that.

Thanks for the tip on the shutter lag... I will keep that in mind.
Continuous drive was also another feature that looked pretty cool.

I'm definitely going to get additional memory...I'm not even paying attention to what they come with....as most aren't even close to adequate... Also, it seems that xD is going to be the memory of choice over Smartmedia...what are your thoughts on that? I believe it is faster as well...

The fact that the camera will probably be outdated was something that I basically said "screw it" LOL It's going to be the same as buying a PC so I just figured get what will do the job well and I won't care...if I can get a couple of years out of it without being forced to get something else I'll be happy.

 

[jastrckl]

I'm looking at a sony 717. Lots of people like that camera, a bit steep. 5megapixel, will do video until you fill the card. stupid sony smart media card format, but they make them up to a gig now.

 

[TTA89]

TTT

Wow you sound like a camera expert already heheh

 

[turbojimmy]

I've had an Olympus C-5050 for about 12 hours now. I can't stop playing with it (the camera). I looked at a lot of things, talked to a lot of people, and checked out Consumer Reports. CR likes anything Olympus makes, the "C" series tops the list.

The C-5050 takes 4 types of storage: xD (developed by Fuji and Olympus), SmartMedia, CompactFlash, and microdisk. It came with 32MB xD and I bought an extra 1GB CompactFlash. I can put 300+ photo-finishing film quality pics on the 1GB card. Fuji and Kodak have Kiosks in Wal*Mart and other places that allow you to pop the memory cards in and get *real* pictures back. The resolution of the 5.0 Megapixels is amazing.

The C-5050 uses regular, rechargable AA batteries and does movies, too. I chose it over the C-50 (around $100 less) because of those two things and also because it's a little bigger (bigger LCD display), has a real viewfinder, and a better lens.

It does 3.5 optical zoom and 3.x digital zoom for a total of 10x zoom (I dunno how the math works).

Good luck! I like the Olympus a lot so far.

Jim

 

[salvageV6]

Jim how much for that baby.

Sounds like something I'd like to consider.

Yeah, I'm sitting down.

 

[GNregistry]

Digital Camera Sony F707/F717

MY input, I bought the Sony F707 5.4 megapixel, which is the same as F717, just 4 months earlier model. Picture and MPEG video examples can be seen at http://www.gnregistry.org/gs_nationals_2003.htm

GS Nationals 2003

For the most part stay with a Name Brand model Sony, Canon etc and not the no name brand, you get what you pay for and you will be mad when you get a really great picture and it sucks, how much does that cost --- total disappointment!!

Pictures and MPEG Videos

I also bought more memory cards, so now I have 400 MB of memory space.

128 MB card has provided plenty of space except when I went to the GS Nationals. Also, the battery is great, lasts about 7 or morer hours and also, bought car adapter to charge camera battery for $72 at Radio Shack when no elect. to charge

128 MB card - $50 - 90
256 MB card - $149
16 MB card comes with camera

Camera cost +/- $1000.00 and worth it. I have taken over 4000 pics and vids with it thus far.

I tend to use the 1280 x 960 pixel setting, because 640 x 480 is to small and tends to look blurry. This camera s great if you take a picture and want to make a bigger print like 11 x 15 or 8 x 10's, an if you want to go even bigger for prints well there is software to help.

My purpose was mostly for my web design business located at http://www.bawebdesign.com/

check out photo gallery and photography pages for more examples, got a great picture of a 12 point buck about 30 yards away and mpeg video of 2 deer walking in the woods

I now live life in JPEG and so do my family and friends

By the way no film or developing costs, but do need a bigger hard drive to store files -- I could always burn them to disc!! but to lazy

Brett

 

[teranfon]

Yes, I agree xD will be the memory of choice. Both Fuji and Olympus have already embraced it and I hear Canon has a strong interest as well. Secure Digital will probably be around for sometime and I'm not sure about Smartmedia. If you go for an Olympus only buy their branded media cards or you cannot take panoramic shots.

Absolutely right about not caring about when the camera is "outdated". I don't think a camera ever really becomes old, just less expensive. I admit I had some reservations about buying a "point and shoot" digital camera, but am now amazed how well the photographs turn out. I come from an intensive SLR background and will probably use a 35 mm for true action shots, but digital is definitely catching up.

BTW, the life of a digital photograph is approx. 10 years. All this will change shortly. Fuji has developed a process with new materials that will allow digital photographs the longevity of regular film (about a hundred years). Expect this new process to be in place within the year.

 

[Two Lane]

Pentax Optio 550 w/5X Zoom (under $600)

http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,4149,1091093,00.asp

HTH

 

[Little6pack]

Randy whatever you do COME on up to NH & drop your $$ here.
You don't want to give TAXACUHSSETS more $$ to PPISS away.

 

[TTA89]

Originally posted by littlesixsteve
Randy whatever you do COME on up to NH & drop your $$ here.
You don't want to give TAXACUHSSETS more $$ to PPISS away.

Heh thats already a given

 

[RandyCustomShop]

Originally posted by littlesixsteve
Randy whatever you do COME on up to NH & drop your $$ here.
You don't want to give TAXACUHSSETS more $$ to PPISS away.

No kidding man!! As Mike said...That is a GIVEN I try and give these bastages as little as possible.

I'm gonna check out online before anything and see what kind of prices I can get there....that is WHEN I finally figure out what the hell I'm going to get...

Jim, how's the video on that? I'm not sure what 320 x 240 looks like...The frame rate isn't bad either... And have you used it at the track yet? I don't need the 5 mp's....that was basically why it wasn't on the list...but, I might end up settling for that if the other ones don't quite make the cut... I like the flip-up screen and also the 1.8" size w/ 114000 mp's...

Brett, that Sony looks like a nice camera.... I was thinking it might be a little too big to lug around...but I don't think I'm gonna be able to get around that and still be able to get a camera that does what I want...

AV68U.... Thanks, do you have any pix with your 2.5 that I could check out?

Two lane...Pentax? How long have they been making digital cameras? It didn't look bad, but since I don't know that much about all this stuff I was trying to play it safe and stick with Canon, Fuji, Nikon, Olympus, and Sony basically... I will have to look into that.


Thanks!

 

[RandyCustomShop]

Originally posted by teranfon
Hi Randy


BTW, the life of a digital photograph is approx. 10 years. All this will change shortly. Fuji has developed a process with new materials that will allow digital photographs the longevity of regular film (about a hundred years). Expect this new process to be in place within the year.

Terry

Hmmm, that's pretty cool.... That was one thing that always irked me a little bit...
Also, if worse came to worse, you can always run off another pic when they get too beat up... It's always gonna be stored digitally...