Digital Camera

[Bunce]

Not long ago i put a topic on advice about Digital Cam Corders... i've come to change my mind on the type of equiptment i was going for from the CamCorder, to the Digital Camera...

Reasoning being that i dont think that i'd look through the video footage i'd make, especially as alot of footage tends to be rubbish...  and editing can take a while.

Most Digital Cam Corders can do both still pictures as well as the good quality video... and vice versa for the camera...

The newer cameras can take good quality pictures and average video...

Which brings me to the topic

I am unclear on where to start with this section of the desire.

I do know that i want the camera to be quick to take a picture... i dont want to be having to hang around for a second while i think about what its looking and and focus etc... i need/want quick and snappy. (get it, snappy)  :whistle:

Quality has to be good but then again you can't really go to wrong with the quality nowadays anyway i think... (maybe i'm wrong)

I also want the camera to look cool and fit in my pocket easily.

Is anyone able to give me any advice or even better some links  :dribble:

fanxxxxx

[Anonymous]

What do you want to output your pictures to? Hi Quality Photo Inkjet or a normal colour inkjet that can do some photos?

Your answer to the above should direct you towards whether you need a real high resoltion camera or something lesser. I use a 3 megapixel Olympus C330 Zoom and I can print to A3 at reasonable sharpness (A4 is excellent)

Another thing to look at is Optical zoom (ignore digital zoom as it is a waste of time (you can digitally zoom pictures on your PC). Get as much Optical zoom as you can but remember that the more zoom the bulkier the camera. My camera is a 3x optical zoom but I wish it had more.

Sony do some very slim camers but buying any digital camera will be a compromise (isn't everything?)

Here is an example of the output from my Olympus. NB that this is only 40% of the physical size of the original image and that this has been compressed for a webpage from 5.5Mb to 55kb.

[Anonymous]

And remember that all flashguns on these little cameras are crud!

[0ni0n]

buy yourself a digital camera mag to look through and check out reviews. canon and pentax do some cool small camera's .just remember forget digital zoom as you may as well take it at best optical then crop the photo on pc. jessops will price match if you ask them and the online shop has in stock.. there also use to be a 30 day guarantee if you dont like just take back.

i use bonusprint to get them printed send online get back usually in 3 days,excellent quality and cheap http://www.bonusprint.co.uk/pages/download_pix.htm?OnpageA=1

[Bunce]

For the question in the printing quality... tbh it isn't actually my priotiry to have the printed... not from home anyway... because i dont have a printer for one... i have a monitor to look through anything i get printed will br from the shops and then thats just finding the cheapest peeps to develope.

I'll make sure i dont get digital zoom obviously but theres so many cameras out there its tricky

That sony looks pretty sweet.

I also like the Canon IXUSi ... although i havn't checked any details about it, just saying about its look.

Just as i side comment, i was going to spend £300 MAX on my digital CamCorder... so i guess i'll apply the same amount for the camera.

gtg to 2nd job now so bbl

[Anonymous]

Originally posted by Bunce@Jan 10 2005, 04:01 PM
I'll make sure i dont get digital zoom obviously but theres so many cameras out there its tricky

[post=74413]Quoted post[/post]

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Don't worry if it has digital zoom just don't let the fact that it has be an influence. On my camera you can disable digital zoom so it never works. On others you can see when it goes from optical to digital zoom so you can "back off" a bit of zoom.

it's not a prob if it does have dig zoom

[Maus]

I was with you all the way up to you wanting one you can put in a pocket, as I recently got a FinePix S7000 and am mightily chuffed with it - good quality pictures (6MP, 12MP interpolated, 6x optical zoom), works well as a simple "point & click" thing (though it's naturally more suited to more sophisticated photography) and takes pretty good movies. It also has a powerful flash and a hotplate if you need more power.

The main reason I mention it is that I got it from Fuji's refurbished camera shop for a very good price, and they have many other cameras there if you fancy taking a look: http://www.fujifilm.co.uk/technical/refurb/shop.php

[suicidal_monkey]

I have a Sony DSC-P8 which is doing rather well it takes good quality pictures, and in quick succession if you aren't using the flash! (if you are using the flash you will experience some minor delays...) The newer models are cheaper and have more pixels, but my 3.2Mp do just fine for prints up to A4. Plus it's at the cheap end of the expensive cameras market.

Having said that one of my mates bought himself one of those Digital SLRs from Pentax, instant response just like a SLR but digital pictures. Sadly his photography skills might not actually match the cameras capabilities. Heck, my camera skills can't cope with my little Sony when it's in mainly-manual mode!!! :whistle:

The things you need to ask yourself are:

1) what sort of pictures will I be wanting to take with this camera (high-speed action sports through a telephoto lens, or more mates out at a party, family/holiday snaps and videos etc)

2)How much do I want to spend

Once you have a price in mind you just need to look up reviews on the cameras that catch your eye for some reason. Small, big optical zoom, really pretty lady on the advert, things like that

[DarkAngel]

Some of the new Sony 6.1 Mp Camera's are coming out soon about 300£. Think they also have a 12X Optical Zoom  and probally a 20X Digital.

Make sure you go with a camera with a descent optical zoom as zooming in on this will not alter the image quality, as with digital all its doing is enlarging the image and you loose the pixels.

If its a first camera and you dont want it to complex go for a kodak as they are very simple to use. My personal preference is Canon very good solid make, the IXUS 40 is worth a look at

[Bunce]

In feedback to some of the questions/comments:

Erm, First camera but like the idea of gadgety.
Its more for Matey parties, so i want a quick finger snap... none of that hold in place for few seconds while it decides.

£300 is my MAX!!

Small and elegant... fits in pocket and looks good when you take it out.

Basically it really...

Video is a bonus...

Any pointers on aload of models that perhaps suit that criteria?

[Maus]

Seriously, check out that fuji link - lots of good deals there. I can't offer any specific pointers, but the majority of cameras they have are pocket-sized ones.

Don't worry about them being second-hand either. They're just ex-display models.

[Anonymous]

Originally posted by Maus@Jan 11 2005, 01:24 PM
Seriously, check out that fuji link - lots of good deals there. I can't offer any specific pointers, but the majority of cameras they have are pocket-sized ones.

Don't worry about them being second-hand either. They're just ex-display models.

[post=74507]Quoted post[/post]

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From Maus's link this is good value at under £170

[OldBloke]

I bought my daughter the Fuji A340 for Xmas from 7DayShop at £119.

Excellent in my opinion.

[Gh0st Face Killah]

Frenzy is your daughter? :blink: