Which Digital camera.

[Caliban]

Well guys,
SWMBO has informed me she is buying me a digital camera for Christmas.
I have a Nikon f65 film camera and love it. Can't afford a digital slr, so have been considering about $600 for a Fuji with 10x optical zoom and 5 megapixels or a panasonic lumix with 5 megapixels and 12x optical zoom.
Don't know what Nikon have for that money, any clues?
Is there anything else I should look at, any other camera I should avoid?
You know the usual heart ache before parting with the folding stuff, it's my money she'll be using.

[normell]

Go here for some idea on prices
http://www.teds.com.au/

Normell

[MICKYG]

Have a fuji 5500, its magic and very affordable.

Regards Mike.

[Gingermick]

it's my money she'll be using.

I'd be interested to hear her response to that

[Driver]

Jim

I've had several Nikon SLRs (film) over the years and I'm a firm fan of Nikon technology. I didn't want to spend $1500-plus to buy a digital SLR so I got a Nikon Coolpix 4800.

I'm very happy with it. I like the fact that it's a bit meatier than some of the digitals that you can slip in your top pocket. It has a 4 megapixel system, 8.3 x optical zoom and a reasonable size screen (with an optional digital viewfinder). I paid about $650 for it.

Hope this helps.

Col

[fxst]

well I ended up with a Kodak DX7590 and printer station around your price
absobloodylutely good camera.
But then I'm biased
I used to be a canon digi fan and anti kodak but I have seen the light.
Pete

[bitingmidge]

If you haven't already, check out the reviews and comparisons at
http://www.dpreview.com

There are a couple of other sites out there, but this is the most comprehensive. After you have decided, check out some of the forums on the same site for any relevant info.

They've just done a full review on the lumix. In your price range, most represent pretty good value for money though!

Cheers,

P

[craigb]

Don't ask me. I only take happy snaps.

With a Canon PowerShot.

The camera is way better than my photograpic ability.

[Grunt]

I just forked out $1500 for a Nikon D50 Digital SLR. Just a fantastic camera.

However, you should do as Midge says.

You could have a look at the Nikon Coolpix 5900 or the new P2.

[Zed]

I've got a Kodak DX6490. great 4Mp camera. the curent kodak is the DX6590 5mgp its fabbo. 10x optical zoom, full feature digital.

send me your email address and I'll send you a 4mg image and you be the judge.

cheers

[bitingmidge]

Oooops, sorry!!! http://www.dpreview.com (no "s") all fixed.


P

[Robert WA]

I picked up a new Konica/Minolta Dynax D7 SLR today. Had ordered it a week ago. About $1600 with a 0.5 gig card.

Why Minolta? A long story, but the punchline is that I have a camera bag full of Minolta lenses. Minolta did the kind thing and made a digital SLR that will take its old film camera lenses.

[Ashore]

I have a kodak with printer base ie you put the camera on the base and can print 6x4 pics at the touch of a button
Cannon produce much the same result

What to look for after being on a tour with lots of people with the latest and greatest
Go for at least 4 meg pixal
look for the optical zoom at least 3 but the higher the better, not the digital zoom , optical zoom is due to the lenz on the camera , where digital zoom you can do on your computer and does not improve the picture

Cameras with large rear active screens that show what you are taking chew the hell out of batteries, use the eye piece not the rear screen . that means make sure you can switch the rear screen off

When you buy negotiate for a large memory stick at least 512 mb or 1 gig
do not go lower.

Go small something that fits easily into your pocket , you will be amazed how small some of them go and they take as good a picture plus they fit in your pocket. A 6 meg picture taken by a small camera is just as good as a 6 meg from a big one

Shop around most camera salesmen are like used car salesmen, what we have here is the best and only available, take note of the brands and check google for their web sights to see what is available. So dont buy on the first day you go looking.

Check but most cameras take video make sure yours does

When you get the camera you may also need a 180 gig hard drive for the computer cause your gonna keep a whole heap of pics you never print

And make sure the battery unit is re-charable check the price of aaa batteries

The last thing photoshop cs2 can turn anything into magic With a good printer even a 2 meg picture


The trouble with life is there's no background music.



Russell

[bsrlee]

I just bought a SonyDSC-H1 - it is my 3rd Sony camera & all worked well. I'm still waiting for the batteries to charge

Specs: 5 MPixel, 12x optical zoom, pop-up flash, 'image stabilizer' (for those shaky days) uses 2x AA (no proprietary battery packs $$$) 32Meg memory built in, eye piece view finder has focus adjustment (for us who need glasses, even if we don't use them ) and the main LCD screen works in daylight, unlike some others, also does good videos too.

I bought a 2 Gigabyte memory stick - currently on sale for <$450 if you buy them as part of a PSP add on pack (released today) The PSP pack also has a spare cable that fits the camera & some proprietory Sony DVD copying soft ware, mini-DVD case, carabiner & screen protectors - its even a good deal if the kids have a PSP. Thats about $550 off retail for a 2 Gig stick :eek:

[Schtoo]

No specific cameras per-se, but some general things I will aim for next time around. Which will prolly be soon...

Low battery consumption, or large battery capacity. The Olympus we have now uses 2AA's, and it eats them pretty quickly. Yes, it's now 3 years old and the cameras are getting better, but still it's a PITA to carry around lots of batteries all the time. Dad's Sony isn't that much better, and it's only 18 months old itself.

Common, reasonably priced memory. The Olympus uses Smartmedia, which is pretty good. Dog chewed one and it still works, is well priced and reliable. Not as common as I would have thought. Problem is, that most makers use their own system, which is great if you use a Sony camera, video camera, laptop, etc, etc. But I don't do that, so it can be painful. At least consider what works for you.

Lots of optical zoom. Digital zoom just annoys me, to a point where I won't use it if I can avoid it. Luckily, this was one thing I pushed for when we got ours, and LOML agrees it was a good idea, now.

Not too big, not too small. The tiny ones are just too small, and you pay plenty for the priveledge. The bigger ones are too bulky most of the time. This isn't news, but it's worth thinking about again. We do have 4 cameras in the place, the big thing rarely gets used at all. My shop camera often, but it's ancient. The Olympus is a medium sized thing and it's dragged everywhere. The other is a spare only, because it's film.

And I nearly had heart failure looking at the camera prices you folks get. No wonder my dad went nuts when he was here. :eek:

One last thing, when you do buy, don't walk in and say "that one please" because you won't get jack. Haggle, push, threaten, whatever to get as much as is humanly possible. That's your job.