Digital Cameras!! Help me shop for a new one! :)

[deletetacount123]

OKIES FOLKIES

My ex's digital camera is usless lol Its nice but its a 2000 year model... doesn't have the cool features new ones have these days. Sports a problem where you can't take super close up shots while newer models you can. AND they no longer make the memory card for that camera!!!! Now thats a problem lol

Another thing that bugs me is that its so big and bulky. I want one that can easily be put into my purse or be held in my hand.

So......

I want to find some digital cameras :) Which brand would you guys recommend?? If you sent me a link, please use canadian funds sites lol

My price range is up to 200.00 but I would consider a higher budget if the camera is worth it. :)

Thanks in Advance... now its time for me to go to work :)

Tasha

[biwords]

Consumer Reports has an on-line introductory guide to buying a digital camera:

http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/electronics-computers/digital-cameras-photos/index.htm

and I seem to recall that the magazine wrote up specific brands and models in a recent issue, which you could probably find at the public library -- maybe it's even in the current issue, not sure.

[12voltman59]

Good luck on your camera search Tasha---I've been looking for one too--I am getting a new Panasoninc Lumix FHZ8--

It has a capacity of 8 megapixels---has image stabilization, burst mode, 12X optic zoom, a manual mode with a focus feature that actually works on a high end point and shoot grade camera according to reviews
and can also take pictures in RAW--which are uncompressed pictures---

It looks like an SLR camera but is not---I really had thought of an SLR but they are just a bit more than I wanted to spend---

This one is very highly rated--only one camera in its class--an Olympus--was rated higher but it was priced in the range of a digital SLR---

I can't change lenses with the one I am getting but it has such capabilities --that for now---it should do me just fine---

Hopefully---my new business adventures will be successfull and I willl be able to afford a pro grade digital SLR like a Nikon D80 or similar camera---

This one--like most digitals can also take video and it even has a built in microphone --the quality is such that it can be directly displayed on a HDTV-----

The price of the camera I like runs around $350 US and I have found it for less on some online stores coupled with some accessory packages

[Michael623]

I take hundreds of pictures each month related to my profession. I have tried every brand of camera made. The only one that has lasted me longer than 6 months without breaking down is Cannon. I have 2 and 1 is about 5 yrs old and works great.

[miller lite man]

here's my :2cents:. ours is a Vivitar,3.3 mega pixels. I don't know what that means, but it's good enuf for our needs. can manually control the focus, from up close to far away. I wish it was auto focus,but for about $80,it's ok. Good luck Tasha

[LoveLion]

Here is a link to the site I used to help me buy my digital camera. Its a great site that reviews and tells you all the features as well as the advantages and annoyances of piratically every digital camera on the market.

http://www.steves-digicams.com/

Out of personal experience, I have been really impressed with the Panasonic Lumix cameras. I own 2 of them, a more high end professional one, and a smaller one for point and shoot. They arent the cheapest cameras, but they arent the most expensive either. I have had no complaints about either so far.

one brand I would stay away from is Fuji. My sister had a Fuji camera that had to be sent away for repair. She didnt do anything to it, it just suddenly stopped working. When it arrived at the repair people, they said there was water damage, and voided the warranty. The camera had never been near water, and she was stuck with a $300 paper weight

[hudson9]

I won't recommend a brand, most of the majors are all pretty good. But some general hints:

- The larger the LCD screen the better -- easier to see what you've shot.
- Get a case for the camera, or, some cameras have an accessory clear plastic guard for the LCD screen. Get either, or both. LCD screens are fragile, and if u read the fine print, you'll see they are NOT covered under your warranty! My daughter tossed her camera into her bag, something bumped the bag, and the screen cracked. It costs almost as much to replace the screen as to replace the entire camera.
- Ignore the "digital zoom"!!! I don't care how big the "digital zoom" is, it's pointless -- you achieve exactly the same results (sharpness, clarity, everything) by just cropping the picture in your photo software. OPTICAL zoom is the only "zoom" that matters.
- Small differences in number of pixels is insignificant. A full doubling of pixels only increases resolution (sharpness) by 1/4 (yes, one-quarter!). This is because pictures have 2 dimensions (height & width). So, for example, an increase in pixels from 6 megapixels to 7 megapixels, only gives you a 1/36 increase in resolution.
-- A camera that takes AA (or AAA) size batteries, instead of a custom battery, means that if your battery dies when you get to the Grand Canyon, you can buy batteries in the souvenier shop and keep shooting. (To be nice to the environment, you can buy rechargable AA/AAA batteries and a charger).

Models change all the time, so even if you get a recommendation from Consumer Reports or a camera magazine, you may not be able to find that exact model. But if you keep some of these hints in mind, and balance all the factors that are important to you -- like size and ease of use -- you should be able to find a camera that's good for you.

Happy shooting!
Jack
:2cents:

[kittylovers]

When I bought a digital camera, I researched and made a good decision. Then, I found out many things I didn't think about! Thankfully, my camera succeeded in most of those I missed...

Look for 2 things about speed: Time between shots, and how long it takes for the picture to take once you hit the button. If there is even a small noticeable delay when you hit the button, you'll regret it as you'll miss a lot of good poses. Some cameras have built-in memory to speed up the shot taking process, but it is usually not listed.

Don't pay much attention to a high optical zoom, and don't pay any attention to a digital zoom. You want a good wide-angle for shooting indoors, and a small zoom (5x) is all you need for most all shots.

Low light shooting for indoors or at night is very good to have. However, don't just look at the ISO, see if you can take a picture and it looks good without noticeable video noise.

I personally prefer the ones that have a viewfinder that is digital (or a SLR) as you can tell exactly what the picture will be. I don't like the little windows to the side.

Batteries and storage are important. Lithium batteries will last the longest, but some of the better rechargeable (2600mAh or better) can get you about 200 pictures before you need to swap out batteries.
The higher resolution, the more storage space it takes. SD is nearly the standard storage, and 1GB cards are around $15~20 depending on where you look. If you have 7MP or higher, you really want to get at least 2 2GB cards so you can go further without having to unload them to your computer.

A 3MP camera will print out excellent 5x7's, but for larger images you want more resolution (hard to find less than 5 nowadays anyway!). Believe it or not, China*Mart (a.k.a. walmart) has some very detailed descriptions about their cameras, including recycle time between pics. I was suprised a few weeks ago how the camera dept people knew about the products.

Make sure that you can try out a camera in the store, and see if there is a return policy if it doesn't do as promised.

[TxGuy]

here you go tasha.

10.1 megapixels, a brand you've heard of, small, and close to your price range

http://www.compusa.com/products/product_info.asp?pfp=cat3&product_code=52523687&Pn=NV10_Digital_Camera

im sure you can find it at a better store than compusa, but it's the first link google came up with for me.

[deletetacount123]

You all make great suggestions thanks!

Will remember them all. And yes... I do plan to get one that comes with a case lol thats one of the "musts"

Plan to check Walmart tomorrow (wed) to see what they have. Hopefully someone to help me out too lol

Thanks guys

Tasha

[Herbwoman39]

I LOVE my Casio ES-X600! It's SO little and thin you can slip it into your pocket. Here's an info link. Do NOT buy from here. Try Amazon first

http://www.letsgodigital.org/en/news/articles/story_4913.html

[TorontoGuy2007]

don't buy the kind i have.. it's big and it has a 2 second delay on taking pics.. and that's a really annoying feature..

[canuckotter]

A little late on this, but yes, the picture speed is important. I've got a Nikon that's fantastic on every other feature but every time I go to take a shot it has to focus, which takes a couple seconds, and I miss a ton of shots. (I've also got a more expensive Nikon D70, which freaking rocks my world, but it's way out of your price range. ;) ) Everyone I know with Canon is happy with their camera, if that helps.

Anyway, the best thing you can do is go to the store and check out a bunch of different cameras. Try taking a bunch of pictures in the store and see what you like the best. If you're not impressed with the selection at WalMart or they won't let you take test shots, go somewhere else to try out more cameras. I really can't stress that enough... You need to play with them to find otu what camera you like the best.

Oh, and here's a big tip: Make sure that you factor in the cost of at least a 1GB memory card. Anything smaller isn't worth your while, because at the highest resolution and biggest size, you'll fill up small cards in a couple dozen shots -- and you should always shoot at the highest resolution and largest file size. :)

[pecker]

Thought you had a thing going to get money to move and find the girl of your dreams!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!I know!!! Spend it on a camara DUUUUUUUUH

[deletetacount123]

Thought you had a thing going to get money to move and find the girl of your dreams!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!I know!!! Spend it on a camara DUUUUUUUUH

LOL Hey, I need a camera to take pictures of her :) hehe
Since they only cost a few hundreds these days, I figured I maybe could spare that much :) Still going with my saving to move out of this dump tho lol

[pecker]

Get out of where you are and maybe you will have some wet pussy shots to take.......Cross the T's and Dot the I"S first

[12voltman59]

I am kind of psyched-- I got my new digital camera today.

Its a Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ8--which is a brand new model.

I had done a fair amount of searching about on the Internet investigating the camera once I had looked around the various stores and looked at a number of them.

I liked it and after I read about the camera--not too much on it yet since it is so new--but the model it replaced was very highly rated and so was this one.

It has 7.2 mega pixels with 12X optical zoom and digital zoom as well. With the degree of control over this camera's settings--you can get as much as 72X zoom, but with a fair amount of noise I am sure. It has image stabilization and has a true manual setting.

Panasonic even makes other lenses that can fit on the camera with an adapter that makes it basically an SLR.

It took me several hours to go over the manual and much of which--I will be trying to figure out for some time to come--

This is the best camera I have ever owned--and I am looking forward to doing some nice photo work I have long wanted to do---

Right now-- I just played around with it here in the house in "Easy" mode and took some great pics:

http://i145.photobucket.com/albums/r216/mpgarr/colorscloseup.jpg

http://i145.photobucket.com/albums/r216/mpgarr/Paintingandwall.jpg

http://i145.photobucket.com/albums/r216/mpgarr/StellarBirthplacecloseup.jpg

These are some pics of some of my artwork --already I love the camera for it has given me a great deal of detail and richness of color that I have been seeking--my little 3.2 megapixel Sony Cyber shot could just not do that!!!

(PS and an FYI--none of pics I have displayed are actually on this site--I have them on my Photobucket.com page and they are linked to here--so they don't take up any of Drew and company's precious server space.)

[12voltman59]

I have to add some info about those pics--they were not touched up in any photo software program in any fashion--and one more detail about the camera--it has a Leica lens system....

[DiamondDog]

I have a fujifilm finepix 3.2 megapixel digital camera that I got 4 years ago it's been dropped, has flown across a room and hit a door frame, and it still works fine!

[LoveLion]

[COLOR=Blue][SIZE=2][B]I am kind of psyched-- I got my new digital camera today.

Its a Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ8--which is a brand new model.



I have the same camera. Well actually mine is a DMC-FZ7, so slightly older and a few less features, but the same general feel. Its a great camera and I love it. I love the 12x optical Leica lens. Cant thing of a single real complain I have about it. I guess the biggest thing was that it only came with a really small card with a rather slow write speed, but I quickly solved that by buying a new memory card.
Looks like they remedied that in the FZ8 though, and I like the 27MB built in memory in the FZ8. So many times Im about to take a great picture when I realize my card is full and miss it.

Anyways, its a monster of a good camera and Im sure you will love it

[12voltman59]

The new one has the same 27 mb of internal memory but I bought a 2GB SD memory card and with the largest JPEG pics can take like 1000 of them --that card can handle over an hour of video and can even take over 100 RAW format pictures-so--for the money--this camera can do all I need and more---it is going to be so much fun to learn to use it and take some great pics---one more thing to add to my artistic portfolio!!!!

[mouse46]

Hi, I would have to agree with voltman on the camera. He's got a sweet outfit. I hvae a canon powershot I use to download pics on the pc. But I like the changing of lenses. I have a pentex and 5 lenses and can take anything from flowers to landscapes. I enjoy my pentex but alas it isn't digital as you are looking for. I perfer the look of the film. But still I 'd go with Voltman's suggestion. Good luck. :flag1: