Anyone Recommend a Digital Camera?

[Pat_in_Utah]

I'm looking for an entry level camera for pics on the web mostly - my truck, kids... 1. 3 pixels should be fine. I'd like an easy to use (intuitive) camera, decent? battery life, decent zoom, ability to hold lots of pics (expansion cards ok?), USB ok...



What else do I look for? Fast processing? Olympus, Kodak, HP all seem to make a good entry level camera, that I've read mixed reviews on?



I know to get the NiMD? batteries. I'd like to stay under $200. But would go more for better batteries, charger, padded case...



And what is the difference between optical and digital zoom - optical is "normal" zoom of the lens and digital is the camera "guessing" what should be there and making it bigger??



Thanks in advanced,

Pat

 

[Barry]

I do not know zip squat about digital cameras. Therefore, I had my bookkeeper and the keeper of my website buy me one to use on buying trips and doing our website. It is a Kodak DC215 Zoom Digital Camera. I am so pleased with this unit. It takes great pictures. IT DOES NOT EAT UP BATTERIES!!! It is easy to use with built in flash. It is small. Fits easily in the palm of your hand and is easy to use. I think she paid just over $200 on the net. She also put in a 16MB disc and I can take 80 pictures while I am out on the road. It works great... ... ... ... . mi dos pesos

 

[HEMI®Dart]

U-bid has 9 of them. If you don't mind "refurbished" you should be able to get one under $100.



http://www.ubid.com/actn/opn/getpage.asp?AuctionId=27749719



http://www.ubid.com/actn/opn/getpage.asp?AuctionId=6699688

 

[klenger]

If you are going to use the camera strickly for electronic pictures (web pages and email), you don't need much resolution, and a low priced camera can do nicely. If you want to print the pictures on paper, then you need all the resolution you can afford. I have a Kodak DC215 also, and am very pleased with it. I bought it new at Target on closeout for $120.

 

[JConley]

I just got a Canon G1 3. 3 MP, from refurbdepot.com. This camera is 300 less than this years model ( G2), and for the most part they are the same. Go to www.cnet.com and look at the reviews on digital cameras. If you are looking for a great camera, this G1 is a great deal, and you wont have to replace it down the road. I wouldnt buy anything under 2. 2 MP

 

[BILLYGEE]

Digital Camera

I bought one for myself for Christmas. I read an article on Yahoo Shopping and/or Consumer Reports websites that said to buy at least a 1. 9 megapixel and it gave some other valuable info. Then I pulled the various cameras up on Yahoo's site and started comparing features. About the same time a friend of mine bought an Olympus 2040 or something like that for $425. and he really liked it. I was in Office Max and they had an Olympus C-700 Ultra-Zoom with 10X Optical Zoom and 2. 7 Digital Zoom with regular price of $599 on sale for $499. I went back on the internet and on Yahoo found a store in NY that I could buy this same camera for $430 plus shipping. Camera has a suggested list price of $899. I went back to Office Max and told the guy I liked the camera but their price was to high, told him I could buy it on net for $430. He then tells me they would match any price plus shipping just show em the proof. I printed the stuff off my pc and he went to the manager and mgr says okay. Then he checked and tells me the display is last one. He calls a store in Appleton that had 2, and store in Sheboygan had 1. Neither would give one up as it's 2 days b4 Xmas. I said how much for display(no batteries were installed) and he checks w/mgr and says $400. Sold. I gets home and checks Olympus site and find out I can get $50 smartmedia card for free. Now I find out if I buy an Epson photo printer b-4 3/31 for $198 I can get $100 rebate. I love the camera, very compact, can even take videos with it. You can get less expensive good quality cameras for $200. or less that will work just fine for your purpose(leftovers,etc. ) Bill

 

[Pat_in_Utah]

megapixels

I've seen pics from a 1. 3 MP Mavica(?) that looked awsome on a 1024 X 768 screen. They were sharp, couldn't see any pixels. The co-worker said it would print photo quality on 5" X 7" paper.



This would be good enough for me. Dpreview.com says the Kodak DC-215 is discontinued? Maybe I can find a deal on it somewhere!?



I have a HP desk jet 950C printer that can print 2400 X 1200 on the correct paper. It has default(?) settings for 4" X 7" paper - sperate tray, settings...



Thanks for you replies,

Pat

 

[KatDiesel]

You didn't say how much you wanted to spend, but the Sony DSC-P50 (or something like that) seems to do a pretty good job. Its had a recent price drop and can be had for about $299 pretty commonly. It takes good movies too (short ones).



The DSC-P50 offers a 2. 0 Effective (2. 1 Gross) MP imager and 3X optical zoom/6X digital zoom as well as MPEG Movie EX, allowing you to captures MPEG video clips on your Memory Stick® Media.

 

[muddyboots]

This week the Costco website has a Kodak DX3900 on sale for $350. 3. 1 megapixels. Comes with 16mb card and docking station for recharging and downloading pics. Sale ends Sunday!

 

[MuddFlapp]

One nice thing about Olympus is they use "Glass Aspherical Lenses". Which translates into sharper images, mostly if you want to print to paper. I have an Olympus D-600L and would not settle for anything less. My oppinion, buy more than you think you need now because when you get interested and experianced you'll want more.



Of course this just my opinion.



Gene Earl.

 

[amsoilman]

Pat,

As muddflapp says, buy one that will let you do more later. I have a Fuji 4700, 3. 2 megapixel which allows me to use 3 different resolution settings.



For the web, you will not need more than 640X480, but if you ever decide to print out a picture more than 3X5 size with very good quality, you will need one that will give you at least 1280X960.



Wayne

amsoilman

 

[John]

Originally posted by KatDiesel

The Sony DSC-P50 (or something like that) seems to do a pretty good job. Its had a recent price drop and can be had for about $299 pretty commonly. It takes good movies too (short ones).



The DSC-P50 offers a 2. 0 Effective (2. 1 Gross) MP imager and 3X optical zoom/6X digital zoom as well as MPEG Movie EX, allowing you to captures MPEG video clips on your Memory Stick® Media.

I believe this is the same digital camera Rob Hanson has. Man, that thing takes awesome pics!



However, I have been recently looking at the smaller brother to the one you mentioned Kat, it is 3. 3 mega pixels and about 2/3 the size of Rob's. However, it retails for $599.



I've also been looking at the Cannon ELPH. As you may have surmised, I really want to purchase a small, shirt pocket sized camera. Which is the better way to go? And, are there more than one model of the Cannon ELPH? Also, does the ELPH take MPEGS?



TIA

 

[John]

anyone?

BTTT

 

[Pat_in_Utah]

Buy more than you need

Sounds like good advice muddflapp. I found out that I can spend more on a camera! Sounds like a 3 MP camare is in my future!





Thanks,

pat

 

[swampfox]

digital camera

Check out b&hphotovideo.com In the march issue of shutterbug they advertise a Rollie digital point and shoot 1. 3 or 1. 9 pixel for $159.

Optical zoom is a function of the lens. Digital zoom is done electronically using software in the camera. Generally anything under 2. 3 pixels is limited to 5X7 color prints. Any of the brands mentioned by previous responders are good. I've had good luck with an Olympus 2300 (work camera)... . my personal preference would be a Nikon coolpix but they need to come down another $200.

 

[jweir]

Digital Cameras

Pat,



Being in the photo business, I will throw my . 0002 worth in here





There have been some good suggestion offered here, but if I was going to buy a digital camera for my personal use it would be the Kodak DC4800. We printed test prints on our photographic printer, (prints digital files on REAL, light sensitive photographic paper), and found the kodak gave us the best quality of several models. We tested the Nikon Coolpix 775, the Samsung Digimax 210, the Fuji Finepix (forgot the model), and one of the Sony floppy disk models. The kodak seems to have a good quality lens and excellent color management, and you can set the picture size down if you don't need the high resolution. If you want to know more, PM me and I will tell you what I know. (THAT shouldn't take long )



Jim

 

[bkrois]

I got an Olympus D360L camera last may. It has an 8mb card, and on low resolution can hold 124 photos. I can print out photos on low resolution and they come up nice, a foot or more away, but closer one can see where the printer had little spaces.



Even though the camera has no zoom, it's something i've lived without, and it's not that big of a deal unless a lot of photos you take are of things far away.



the camera was $250 last may, and it around $200 now. I'd recomend that camera model and brand. My next one will have zoom though.





Bryan

 

[The patriot]

How about one of these?

I've been looking for one of these. I saw a HP 318 today, 2. 3 or 2. 1 (I forget)MP for $109. 00. Is this camera any good?

Also saw a HP 215 for $49. 00. I think it was 1. 3 MP. ??

I really like the Sony DSC-P50, but I cany justify $300. 00 for a toy right now. Same goes for the Olympus D-510 zoom. Like it, but dont want to part with the $$$ that badly. Too bad, they have a free 64MB upgrade too!

This is one of those things I dont feel I would use a lot, so I dont want to go the extra $$$ for it.

Eric

 

[The patriot]

BTT. Anybody?

 

[johnrv4]

Where did you see the cameras that cheap?

Hey Eric, I' ve been interested in this thread myself. Where did you see the HP cameras so cheap? I remember the day after Thanksgiving, Bestbuy had the HP215 for $99. For $49 I'd buy one just to have handy in the truck.