Digital Cameras

[Merlot Joe]

Denice and I have decided to buy a new digital camera for Christmas. After 36 years individual gifts are out so we do one big ticket item every year. We have bought two over the past 8 years but they have been on the cheap side and it shows in the photos.

We are not camera people but many of you are.

Any good suggestions?

[Ardbeg... innit]

What type of camera are you looking to get? Compact? digital SLR?

[Merlot Joe]

Compact but good.

[Chicago Jake]

Most compact digital cameras are really good these days. My personal opinion is that Canon makes the very best ones, but Nikon makes some nice ones, too (I use a Nikon s3000). I would recommend you go to the store and play with a few, and pick any camera from a major name-brand that feels good in your hands.

You'll probably want at least a 3x zoom, and more is nice if you can get it (they go as high as 10x in some cases).

Don't let yourself be seduced by high pixel counts. 8 to 10 MP is probably enough for just about any purpose, although most cameras on the market today are around 10-14 MP. You certainly don't need to pay extra, or give up any other features, just to get more pixels.

Also think about what kind of batteries you want to use: some cameras use basic AA or AAA, which means you can replace them anytime. But these tend to be larger. The smallest cameras use their own proprietary rechargeable batteries which look like memory cards - very flat. These save money in the long run, but have to be recharged, which takes time. My personal preference is the rechargeables, but I buy a spare, and always keep one on the charger (or in my pocket if I'm out on a long photo trip).

Most cameras come without a memory card, or maybe just with a very small one. So budget to get one (or more) in addition to the camera. I have a 4 GB card in my 12 MP camera, and it will hold over a thousand photos. You can buy these at Walgreens or Best Buy if you are in a hurry, but you'll get a better deal at Amazon or NewEgg or TigerDirect.

Amazon has lots of reviews of just about every camera on the market. That's a good place to check up on one that you saw at the store and want to get more info about. CNET also posts a lot of reviews, and more "professional" ones that Amazon. I always shop at Best Buy, but then purchase from Amazon since it's cheaper, and I don't have to pay any sales tax to my fascist state government.

Good luck! And have fun........Jake

[Ardbeg... innit]

Joe

We have a Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ3 that we are very happy with. Its a few year old now so there may be a newer model available.

I agree completely with Jake, the pixel count is a much smaller concern than it used to be, and unless you are planning to make posters out of you photos or really blowing up small areas of the photos, 10Mb is all you really need.

I would be more concerned about the optical zoom and go for the 10x if at all possible. Totally ignore digital zoom capability, all it does is make the picture more pixelated, and you can get the same effect in Photoshop (or whatever software you choose).

My Lumix also has video capabilities, check on that if its important to you.

[Merlot Joe]

Thanks guys thats a big help. If anyone else has any ideas please chime in. We will be getting it just prior to our trip to Hedo II for the WWW.

[Chicago Jake]

I'd recommend you get it several weeks before a major trip. That'll give you time to experiment with it and learn all the quirks (they all have some). You want to complete the old "learning curve" before you start catching those important memories. It also give you time to return it if you happen to get a lemon.

[Merlot Joe]

Good idea Jake.

I can see it pissing me off and then picture myself throwing it in the ocean.

[♥ COVID-19♥]

Nov 8, 2010 15:09:50 GMT -6 Merlot Joe said:

We will be getting it just prior to our trip to Hedo II for the WWW.

In that case, make sure you get one that can take under water photos so you can save all of those priceless memories from 3AM in the hot tub.

[Robin Hood]

I have been looking for a Point and Shoot to just have as a carry around camera, for the money this little guy Sony DSC-H55 has TONS of advanced features but also can be dialed down to just shoot simple snap shots.

[Merlot Joe]

Again thanks to everyone who replied. Tonight Denice and I decided on a camera. We purchased the Nikon S6000. Has everything we wants and it seems easy to operate. They guy at the camera store was very helpful.

Going to try it out on Thanksgiving and will be ready for our trip to Hedo next week.

By the way we got it on sale for $30.00 less than Nikon recommends on their web site. ;D

Joe


S6000

[Chicago Jake]

Looks like a good choice. Hope you can post some pics of your Thanksgiving and your Hedo trip!

[Merlot Joe]

Will try Professor. If don't fuck it up first!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Robin Hood]

Nov 24, 2010 0:08:00 GMT -6 Merlot Joe said:

Again thanks to everyone who replied. Tonight Denice and I decided on a camera. We purchased the Nikon S6000. Has everything we wants and it seems easy to operate. They guy at the camera store was very helpful.

Going to try it out on Thanksgiving and will be ready for our trip to Hedo next week.

By the way we got it on sale for $30.00 less than Nikon recommends on their web site. ;D

Joe


S6000

B&H has it for $150....

www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/675104-REG/Nikon_26213_CoolPix_S6000_Digital_Camera.html

[Merlot Joe]

Didn't have to wait for it.

[Chicago Jake]

I generally buy stuff like this through Amazon. Usually it's the best price, the return policy is good, and I don't have to pay any state sales tax to the crooks in Springfield.