digital cameras...

[suicidal_monkey]

Now, what would you look for in a decent digital camera? Nice picture quality, a good memory capacity for storing LOTS of pictures (say 100-200+ at 1024x768 res?) and maybe a video-recording mode with a minute's worth of video capacity or something? How do the digital video camera's hold up to still images? Basically a smallish cheapish camera that you wouldn't mind taking out and about, but good enough so that the pictures come out clear.

What advice/experience do you lot have with them then?

[Gone_Away]

Look for a camera that has a decent optical zoom. Digital zoom while OK reduces quality a helluva lot..

[OldBloke]

Know someone who purchased a 3.2 MPixel for £99 from Aldi stores and is well chuffed with it.

[Anonymous]

I have an Olympus 3MegaPixel C330 Zoom. It is good image quality and 3x Optical and 2x Digital zoom. However, i agree with the sentiments regarding digital zoom (I have disabled it so it doesn't operate).

The thing I like about the camera is that I can save the files as uncompressed TIFFs for the ultimate image quality (allows me to print at A3 with stunning results) but as it uses SmartMedia for memory it is slow to read/write to card. Flash doesn't have a great range either. However, I am generally pleased with it and image quality was excellent.

[Benny]

I've got a fuji A303, well chuffed with it. but...if I were buying again cos I like to take it out at night, I'd get an ixus, small solid and fits in your jeans when you're pished.

[Dr Sadako]

Got a Sony Cybershot DSC-S70. At 2048x1536 you can get about 90+ images in a 128 MB memory stick. 160+ photos at 1600x1200. 3X optical zoom (Carl Ziess Lens). Very happy with that camera.

You can record small movie clips aswell.

[Rad_Man]

I have the C220 Olympus, good all round camera

[Aga]

Any other good cameras, like the Ixus, that will easily fit into your trouser pocket? And where's the best place to buy them, online, mail order etc.?

[suicidal_monkey]

:stupid:

Some nice suggestions in there. anyone like to recommend a retailer? online and/or actual shop 8O ...might be nice to see some of them in action in a shop with a pc to display...

I think I'd really rather go for a dvcamcorder style one so that I can record a decent chunk (say 30 minutes on a mem card or something) of clear (with allowances due to cheapness, but nothing too crappy) video, but the ability to take good quality stills is a must as well. Hoping to find something around the £100 mark. Less is great, more is do-able (assume max around £150) Does this sound about right:

 - 3 megapixels (2 will do, but 3+ preferred)
 - 1600x1200 stills capable (1280 will do, but 1600+ preferred)
 - Poor lighting ability (flash for stills? ability to record in dim lighting without too much clarity loss)
 - must be able to take standard memory cards of some sort to expand capacity for video up to 20-30 min, although this might just be me being greedy




...can those with still-photo-orientated dv cameras record longer film clips depending on the memory stick? Thing is for recording vid you really want that camcorder holding position

[Zok]

look here

http://www.aria.co.uk/DealforToday.asp#8373

[Gone_Away]

Anyone ever tried these guys? //www.internetcamerasdirect.co.uk ?

[Gone_Away]

Just bought one of these with the docking station as well..

Should arrive in the next day or so..

http://www.internetcamerasdirect.co.uk/Kod...amera-deals.htm

4x Optical Zoom...  

[Anonymous]

Nice! - now you need to do what i did and spend £500 on an A3 colour printer swiftly followed by getting your nuts in a jar by the wife :-(

[TeaLeaf]

:rofl:

[Gone_Away]

It's wicked.. far too many options for me to grapple with at the moment..

I can even play with the apature and shutter speeds..

Wicked little lens on it though..