Digital Camera land

[|Team Moped| Kripto]

I just wanted to let you guys know that if you are thinking about buying digital cameras this season feel free to ask me any questions you may have. I’m one of those camera salesmen and I am pretty good about keeping up on all things related. I could hook you up with the right camera with the stuff you need. I won’t pull a Best Buy on you…. Also I have most cameras nailed down so if you have any questions about how to use one you have or if you are having problems with getting quick focused pictures I should be able to help. If I can teach an 85 year old nun I should be able to help a CS junkie.

I’ve noticed that a lot of you guys are skilled at Photoshop. For you who are not, after I get done with school I’m going to start a business restoring old photographs that have seen better days. I trying to build a portfolio to show what I can do and I’m willing to work on some your guy’s pictures for free if you would let me keep a copy for myself. It’ll save you 40 bucks an hour and I should be able to get most done by Christmas.

Here is an example, the original was only 1 inch by 2.5 inches big. Not alot to work with….

[LA_MERC_Andyconda]

Hey Kripto I am actually looking at getting a digital camers so what do you recommend. I'm looking for something good but not to pricey. Would be used to go places and take pics so would like to have a small profile (to fit easly in my pocket or the wifes purse), good battery life, and descent data size, would also like to be able to just plug into USB to download pics to comp. Thanks.

[LA_MERC_MadMAX]

I won’t pull a Best Buy on you….

Hey now! :stick


:whisperd:


Agent 467791
Geek Squad Precinct 00826
Florence, SC






:xmas7

[}{y|3ri|)]

you know anything about digital video cameras?

[Jak]

Yeah Samething here.. Good Well built 3 to 4 MegaPix. My dad has a Nice one. It goes up to 6-MegaPix but we run it at 3. It takes Nice Pic a 3. Thing is it is just so big. So I was looking at a 3 to 4 MegaPix one. Small Compact, has a USB link. One that I can take Pics at Lans. I am alway going to LANs. And a 128MB Card at least.. non of them 64MB...512 would be nice.. Well anyhoo I will put that bug in your ear. :whisperd:

[SnAkEbItE]

I just got a Kodak DX6490 and it's a 4 megapixle, does a nice job came with a eazy share docking station but also has the optional usb port so if you traveling and don't want to lug the docking station around you can just hook up the usb directly. It also captures video and audio as well. Below is a link to the product page for this model.

http://www.kodak.com/eknec/PageQuerier.jhtml?pq-path=9/19/131/1336&pq-locale=en_US

[LA_MERC_Andyconda]

Looks good snake, from one snake to another, Thanks.

[LA_MERC_LaTech]

I'm looking to get a Fujifilm Finepix S5100 to replace my Sony Mavica (the first generation of the floppy ones...about 4 years old or so). Is this a good camera? Is there one better in that price range?

[LA_MERC_YellowDog]

Im looking at one of those Wood boxes with a shuder in one end and a hole at the other,,,I would realy like to have the new 12 x 12 carbon plates instead of the 16 x 12 stone plates with the little birdie that chisles the image onto the plate...

The cabon plates are much better :)

[LA_MERC_Dirge]

LMAO You beat me to it dog! ROFL

[|Team Moped| Kripto]

Hummm… Let my super camera powers warm up….

Andy… If you are going to just want the camera to shoot snapshots then 3-4 mega pixels is the size to go. People think that more mega pixels means better picture… it’s wrong. Mega pixels just means how large of a picture you can print. If you print 4x6’s normally, maybe a 5x7 or occasional 8x10, 3.2 mega pixel will work great. However, if you wish to start doing some cropping, or digital editing down the road maybe you would like to spend a couple of extra bucks to get a 4 or 5 mega pixel camera.

I would recommend the Canon SD200 or the S410. They will be a great size for what you want and will run around 280-310. I’ve been a huge fan of Canon power shots because they have a really good battery life because of it’s digic processor, and the new SD200 takes beautiful pictures, and has a nice screen. True, in the long run the screen doesn’t really matter because it doesn’t have any effect on the end picture. But oh well. But those two by far have the best profile/price/picture quality combo you can get. You can even get a thin leather case for either of them and it looks perfect with crap in a wife’s purse. A expensive camera sitting in the closet is a waste of money, but that cheep camera that you take everywhere is worth it. By having a small camera your willing to carry around it’s worth more. Just be careful to not put it in your shirt pocket, everyone around here bends over and drops it in their beer glasses…. Cameras don’t like beer

Jak, A lot of people like Kodak cameras. Kodak has stopped development on new film and film technologies, so has Fuji. Ilford, who makes tons of dark room and b&w film supplies just filed the British version of chapter 11. The falling market has forced Kodak to scramble and try to build a digital division. For a long time they used Nikon lenses and Casio eternal parts. They have recently started building their own cameras from scratch and they have had pretty good results. The docking bay was a great move because people love to be able to just set the camera down and forget it.

On reason though that I like to stick to Canon, Nikon, and Olympus is that they are the leaders in the industry. Nikon by far has some of the best lenses out there, and their coolpix cameras are incredibly advanced. The red eye reduction beats any point and shoot out there and it has great modes to filter out conditions called scene modes. IT has one for snow and beach (where you have lots of reflected light) Firework shows, museums, sunset, sunrise…etc. Nikon also has the best skin tones when it comes to shooting people. Kodak still seems to be alittle more difficult to operate and doesn’t have the same options. So I feel that you may be able to find a little better value for your money. I’m not going to diss them though, they are going to be a major contender in a few years.


http://consumer.usa.canon.com/ir/controller?act=ModelDetailAct&fcategoryid=145&modelid=10595
http://consumer.usa.canon.com/ir/controller?act=ModelDetailAct&fcategoryid=145&modelid=9826
http://www.nikonusa.com/template.php?cat=1&grp=2&productNr=25517


also if you want really good reviews go here http://www.dpreview.com/

[|Team Moped| Kripto]

you know anything about digital video cameras?
All i know is from what the canon rep taught me, so it's alittle bias to them. If you tell me what you need to know though i have some co-workers who could give you an answer

[|Team Moped| Kripto]

I'm looking to get a Fujifilm Finepix S5100 to replace my Sony Mavica (the first generation of the floppy ones...about 4 years old or so). Is this a good camera? Is there one better in that price range?


YES!!! the 10x optical zoom is a new thing to digital... Because the sensor in the digital cameras has a smaller area then film does the size of glass needed is greatly reduced. That 10x zoom ends up being an effective 380mm!!!! I don’t know if you have ever used a 400mm lens but you need a tripod if you even want a chance of getting a steady picture. The fuji, Olympus, and Kodak all have 10x zoom in 4 mega pixel range. Canon though has the S1 IS. The big difference that completely sets this apart from the other 3 is the image stabilization. True it is a 3.2 which really throws people off because it's on the low side, but you get a nice crisp clear image even when fully zoomed out and in dark situations (there are rumors that a 6mp is coming out soon).
With a larger zoom your aperture is smaller and it is almost impossible to take a picture in low light. A lot of parents get upset because they cant take a zoomed picture of a kid during a night baseball game or recital. I would take the canon over the fuji any day, it’s the same price, the compact flash is more durable (I’ve washed mine and still had the pictures unharmed) cheaper and faster the XD media. It takes 30fps video with sound just like the fuji. Canon pioneered the IS system and they still blow everyone else away. Go somewhere and see if you can get your hands on one, the IS button is on the lens assembly on the left hand side, zoom all the way out and find some small words on the wall turning the IS on and off…

if you are used to one of the old sony 1.3 mp cameras your going to be blown away with how much they have changed over the past few years, not to mention that once Compact flash card can hold over 300 high res pictures as compaired to a 1.44floppy...
http://consumer.usa.canon.com/ir/controller?act=ModelDetailAct&fcategoryid=144&modelid=9824&sa=true

[|Team Moped| Kripto]

Im looking at one of those Wood boxes with a shuder in one end and a hole at the other,,,I would realy like to have the new 12 x 12 carbon plates instead of the 16 x 12 stone plates with the little birdie that chisles the image onto the plate...

The cabon plates are much better :)

Just be careful about the assembly plant that the camera was constructed, rumors have been circling that a factory in Europe had been getting the birds high before placing them in the camera, it was resulting in long delays in image writing as well as increased battery consumption….. :fart

[|Team Moped| Kripto]

All of these cameras use USB connections to come up as it's own drive in windows... I would still recomend buying a flash card reader (20 bucks) becasue it doesn't use battery life, can sometime cut download times in half, or it doesn't cause wear and tear on your camera (or use a docking station for kodak)
Any type of media you decide to use make sure it's name brand, dont worry about speed though. The faster read/write times do not affect consumer products.

[LA_MERC_Dragonlady[s]]

Got me a question...

My husband just got me a digital camera and I want to know if it is a good one (so far it is WONDERFUL) and what I can do to keep it working good. (we don't know much about digital cameras)
It's an Olympus D-560 zoom digital camera, megapixel 3.2, seamless zoom 10X optical & digital, and quick time movie mode.
I wasn't for sure what to write about it so I just wrote what was on the camera.

[SnAkEbItE]

Well the one I got, I got off of Ebay and I have been so happy with it so far, and I went with Kodak because that was the brand I was the most familuar with. It has 10X optical and 3X digital. I got mine for like 300.00 and it came with a 256M memory stick. The cool thing about that docking station is that it will recharge the battery pack in about 3 hrs. The camera will also run of AA's if your out and the batery pack dies on you.

[LA_MERC_Dragonlady[s]]

my husband got mine off of ebay as well.


I don't know much about the memory sick but all I know is my husband said I can take about 30 pictures on it. He wants to get another stick for it, is there any thing we need to know about buying another memory sick?

[|Team Moped| Kripto]

IF you have the option of turning off digital zoom do it, All it does is zoom in on the picture like you would after the fact in photo shop... basicly lowering your overall resolution.

the Olympus D-560 is a great camera. I have the older version that's over 4 years old and it still works great. 3x zoom is normally perfect for most situations. Some people really like it because of the sliding front because it protects it alittle better. Olympus always has been known for being able to resist weather (rain, snow and sand) but still dont get your camera wet. IF it's a good camera or not? Well shoot, if your happy with it, you like the pictures it takes, there isn't anything you wish it did better... then yeah it's a good camera! As for memory stick, your camera doesn't use them... That's a sony thing. Your camera uses a flash card called XD media. It's about the size of a stamp so be carefull not to loose it. I would get at least a 128mb card or even pop for 256 if you are feeling frisky. 128 card should give you about 200 pics or alittle more...256 twice as much.... 128- around 60-80 bucks, they are still pretty new and kinda expensive.

[|Team Moped| Kripto]

The camera will also run of AA's if your out and the batery pack dies on you.

That's two things kodak has going for them... the docking station and the ability to use rechargable or normal batteries. I'm guessing it will only be a matter of time before some of the other brands start useing the docking idea. Laptops have them, cell phones have them, pda's have them, MP3 players have them, Camera's should too. Some power users dislike them but for the average person it makes life easyer. For you that dont have them try getting a Card Reader, it's alot easyer then useing the cord that came with your camera. Faster too!

my Uncle has your camera and the only complaint he ever has is that he has trouble taking picture of Deer in his back yard at dusk. He tries leaning aginst a wall but he still cant get a crisp picture.

I talked about 10x optical zoom earlyer... Do you ever have trouble holding it still when you're zoomed as far as it can go? (most of what i know is from what people tell me, so any help you can give would be nice)

[LA_MERC_Dragonlady[s]]

Thanks kripto.. I havn't used my camera all that much yet I just got it about a week ago. But from what I can tell I'm going to like it a lot. I havn't even d/l the pictures on the computer yet. lol... I'll have to read up on that before I try and do that. All I know is there is a CD that was in the box and USB cable and something else for the TV where you can view your pictures and your video on TV. So I haven't got to doing that yet. I may try that soon..

[SnAkEbItE]

Well yes I do have a issue with that but, what I fond to solve that was simple, use a tripod. My hands get shaky when I use my Sony Digital 8 I do the same thing.

Someone was asing about digital video camera's, I have a Sony Digital 8 that has firewire infterface. I can caputure right down into the computer and edit my videos.

It's nice little camera and it won't break you.

[LA_MERC_MadMAX]

I'm still mad because he used Best Buy as a verb, i.e., "I won't go 'Best Buy' on you."

[|Team Moped| Kripto]

Maybe that's why you killed me so much... No, i just worked there and had a really bad experience, so now i hate the place. I also lost alot of sales because they dropped the price of the S1 IS 2 months before they were supposed to... They got in big trouble for that!

(Mom pokes me in the back) I’m sorry, I'll retract my statement... (she steps on my foot) Best buy should not be used as a verb...(the mom hand slap to the back of the head) The LA in LA merc is not a feminine statement it stands for Louisiana....

[LA_MERC_MadMAX]

Well, I do work at Best Buy, and I don't know how the Best Buy operates where you worked, but I see similar statements from other folks around the net, and I just wanna say that Best Buy 826 in Florence, SC doesn't operate in that way at all. We take pride in the fact that we don't preasure people into buing stuff they don't want.

Which then again, as a member of Geek Squad, none of that is my job - i just preassure people into letting me install Norton's Anti-Virus, and cleaning out "msconfig" for them...

[|Team Moped| Kripto]

See that's a noble job, I've read alot about geek squad. Maybe you could help me with my works network. I gave everyone Static IP's and the os9 macs started crashing everywhere. :-(

[LA_MERC_MadMAX]

os9 Mac's must have appletalk, which is a very chatty protocol...

OSX Mac's can use TCP/IP for file sharing which is much more compatable with Windows/*Nix networks...

If you have Mac OS9 Machines on your network the best thing to do is purchase a software package called "Dave" and you're life will be much easier!

[|Team Moped| Kripto]

Does Dave replace apple share or is it an add on? Does he take long lunch breaks?

[Suntrails]

Kripto - I'm looking at getting a digital camera and was actually looking at the Cannon s410 before I even read this thread (gained a loyalty to Cannon back in my college photography days)! Is that camera still a good choice if, at some point in the future, I get into editing and manipulating the photo?

Also, what other accessories do you recommed picking up with a first-time digital cameral purchase? Bigger memory cards? Extra batteries? You mentioned something about a flash card?

[|Team Moped| Kripto]

A lot of people had a canon AE1 in college, we still sell a lot of them here in college town. If you want to get into editing you might want to start playing with a program called Adobe Elements. Most people use Adobe Photoshop, but for most people it's overkill (and really expensive). Elements is just like Photoshop except it doesn't have some of the bells and whistles that you probably won’t use in the first place. You might ask someone around here who can get you a copy at an educational price.

With the S410, it uses it's own battery. So if it goes dead on you there is no quick way recharge it. So some people like getting an extra battery for that reason. For the most part you can get over 120-150 pictures out of one charge.

Price wise its not smart to get anything below 256mb compact flash... you shouldn't have to pay over 40 bucks for one. 512 is twice as big and normally is twice the price, so it doesn't matter if it's one 512 or 2 256s. Some people would rather have two just in case if something happens to the other one. A 256 should give you almost 200 pics with that camera. The only other thing I could think of is a compact flash card reader which would cost you about 20 or 30 bucks. It just transfers files faster then through the camera and it doesn't use your battery life.

For that camera there isn’t much more you can do, just take a lot of pictures for fun (it doesn't cost you anything), get Elements and a instruction book, and have fun. Just print them every now and then, it's always more satisfying to have a physical print.

[Apocalypse]

WOW! Way too much to read! All I have to say is Kripto seems very knowledgable of digital cameras. I've read what everyone has and seen some pics, they all look like very good cameras.

I just purchased one about 3 weeks ago through Dell. It is a Canon PowerShot S500. Canon Zoom Lens 3x. 5.0 Mega Pixels. Records video and audio clips. Bought an extra memory stick from Best Buy that can store about 100 pictures on it. Camera was pricey though,
Camera + Tax = about $430...I love it though! Going to buy the Canon photo printer in the near future.

Happy shopping! :)

[|Team Moped| Kripto]

Yep, it's the same as the s410...just 5mp... Let me know, I might be able to get you a deal on the paper.

[LA_MERC_Sabre]

ok I'm back in the stone ages with my HP Photosmart 612. My biggest complaint is the battery life....OMFG! 30-40 pictures at best and I'm replacing the AA's. I almost threw it against a wall yesterday....very frustrating to try to take a pic of the kids only to find out the batteries are dead.....again.

Does the NIMH recharchable batteries give you THAT much of an advantage...or should I throw the camera against the wall?

Also the POS takes really good pics sometimes...but every now and then I get a bunch that are all a bit fuzzy.

[|Team Moped| Kripto]

Yeah, 30-40 pictures for 4 AA batteries is kinda.... crappy.... You could get rechargeable you don’t have to keep buying new batteries. A set of batteries with 2800 mha normally give you more pictures then a set of disposables. I'm not sure how much it will help you though. I guess buying two sets and rotating them would be cheaper then buying a new camera. A camera that you don’t use is useless, you have to have one that you are willing to depend on and carry, otherwise you wont bother taking pictures. To replace the camera you could spend around 200 bucks and have a 3 mp camera that would alittle newer and you would probably get better results.

[LA_MERC_Sabre]

I saw a 4.1 MP Sony Cybershot at walmart for 178 bucks...is that a good camera for the price?

[SaBeR512]

You gotta watch out, dont let the price fool you, ive seen several 5mp camers for under 250 dollars. What does that tell you? NOT GOOD QUALITY.

Make sure the camera has all the features you want. Also, its truthful to say if the camera is more expensive, it will probably take better pictures.
One more factor is what size pictures you need. ANY 4mp camera will take decent 5 by 7's. But if u want full size 8 by 10's i would get a higher end 4 or 5mp camera from canon....etc.

"If it seems to good to be true, it probably is"

P.S- DONT GET A CAMERA WITH AA BATTERIES IF YOU USE IT ALOT. GET A LITHIUM ION BATTERY.

P.P.S- IF the camera has a lithium ion battery, its not a cheapo camera :glass

[LA_MERC_Dirge]

aight I thought I knew enough what's your take on the Sony cybershot DSC-P10 ?

[|Team Moped| Kripto]

I have tried to stay away from cross over brands like Sony, hp, Panasonic etc.... Even Kodac and Fuji just used pieces and parts from Canon and Nikon to make their cameras. That's starting to not be the case any more though, I guess i'm still a purest. Sony makes great electronics; you pay for the name sometimes. The biggest deal why I stay away from them is that their lenses used to suck... BIG TIME. Their electronics were cutting edge but their picture quality wasn't the same compared to Nikon, cannon, Olympus...etc...

That's starting to change and their cameras have been getting pretty good reviews. They started using 'Carol Ziecs (sp?) lenses' to try to make their cameras better. IT's a big improvement for them, but good ol Carol didn't make lenses, he discovered a calculation to compress the optics so that you can get more zoom in a smaller place. Gota love marketing. Also play around with the menu system in the store if you can... IT SUCKS! it's hard to change some basic settings. Nikon and Canon have really good menus that are really easy to use and a lot less frustrating

The other reason why I"m not a fan of Sony is that they use their own "Memory Stick" You have to be careful which version you buy because they are not backwards compatible (the new pro version doesn't work in most card readers thus printers) plus they are almost 3 times the price in some instances.

Now that I got my l33t view throw in there Sony isn't really that bad. I just think you get more for you money out of some other manufacturers.

The DSC-P10 isn't bad but I would recommend the Nikon 5200 over the Sony any day. it's the same price but the SD memory card is cheaper, the camera is smaller, better battery life, better flesh tones, better red eye...... This camera has blown away everything in its class, USA today i believe just rated it the best buy for your money for the holiday season. It's about the same price, just a little less. IF you bought this camera and wasn’t happy with it, I will change my CS name to Poser and I will run around for 3 weeks and never fire a shot… you guys can just kill me to improve your rankings.

http://www.nikonusa.com/template.php?cat=1&grp=2&productNr=25516

[|Team Moped| Kripto]

ANY 4mp camera will take decent 5 by 7's. But if u want full size 8 by 10's i would get a higher end 4 or 5mp camera from canon....etc.

P.S- DONT GET A CAMERA WITH AA BATTERIES IF YOU USE IT ALOT. GET A LITHIUM ION BATTERY.

P.P.S- IF the camera has a lithium ion battery, its not a cheapo camera :glass

You are being really conservative about Mp / print size ratio. So do most reviewers on websites. For the practical person you can get a really good 8x10 out of a 3.5mp camera with no problem. If you are somebody that will do lots of editing and cropping then you might want to move up past 4 or even 5... The more information you have, the more you can do with it. You just have to balance the price with what freedom you have to make changes.

With the AA batteries you can get rechargeable and get the same benefits from L-ion batteries. You won’t get more pictures out of a L-ion then you would out of the equivalent mHa of AAs. The only time that really becomes a factor is in the camera's size, where AA's are too big. Smaller cameras = more money. So that is why you are seeing a correlation of price and battery type. Some people feel that a proprietary battery is a disadvantage because in an emergency you can’t run to the Grocery store to pick up a spare set if it goes dead. Or you can just do the obvious and buy a 2nd battery for 60 bucks.... It's all a toss up at balancing what you want, price, and options!


Now time for my accounting final....wish me LUCK! I'm going to need it. IF you see me on later drunk just let me kill you... it may keep me from driving my Moped off a small jump into a ditch full of porcupines…. I hate math…..

[|Team Moped| Kripto]

I saw a 4.1 MP Sony Cybershot at walmart for 178 bucks...is that a good camera for the price?


Try looking at this one... it'll be 200 maybe 175 if you shop around. You'll like it better.

http://www.nikonusa.com/template.php?cat=1&grp=2&productNr=25518

This is it's canon equivilent, i got this one for my mom

http://consumer.usa.canon.com/ir/controller?act=ModelDetailAct&fcategoryid=145&modelid=9828

If your feeling bold spend another 50 bucks and you can the get the Nikon's big brother

http://www.nikonusa.com/template.php?cat=1&grp=2&productNr=25522

or canon

http://consumer.usa.canon.com/ir/controller?act=ModelDetailAct&fcategoryid=145&modelid=10462

Both upgrades are the same exact camera, just more mega pixels


I'm running around with a 6 year old 1.3mp olympus camera. It's so frustrating sometimes to see some young hottie bring daddy in and have him buy her a 700 buck 6mp camera when she cant even turn the damn thing on. Let alone, she's never going to print anything bigger then a 4x6.

I HATE being poor. But i would buy any of these cameras in a heart beat if i had the money....