Digital camera choices

[KiltedFool]

OK, long story short.

My workplace has a digital camera, it's garbage. It uses SD memory, which half the time we try to upload from the memory stick using our reader the photos are gone.

Boss told me to get a new one and turn it in on expense report.

My personal camera is a Canon Powershot A80, I've owned a couple of this general family.

I'm looking to find a ~4MP digital camera that uses AA batteries and compact flash.

When we use the camera here at work, it's in the field, and secure digital is too damn fragile it seems, these are construction sites, and the staff aren't all high end geeks. I've used compact flash memory in both of my cameras going back 6-7 years, they've held up pretty well, and would definitely be more solid than the SD card.

I'm looking at $200 or less. Don't need a ridiculous feature list, it's mostly for taking pictures of existing conditions before construction starts or documenting "yeah this is what the contractor broke".

Thoughts?

Thanks.

 

[PurdueRy]

You won't find one that uses compactflash(at least not a new one) for that price...

You will have to choose between XD and SD

 

[KiltedFool]

Damn.

Ok, then, what can you tell me about the two memory formats? The more rugged/bulletproof one of the two is probably what I need.

I thought compactflash was still a viable and common option, if for no other reason the continuing spam I get about pricing on them from buy.com and others.

And I could move that budget up a little if needed, justified by having the more appropriate format.

Using normal batteries rather than exotics is also key.

 

[GamerExpress]

Originally posted by: KiltedFool
Damn.

Ok, then, what can you tell me about the two memory formats? The more rugged/bulletproof one of the two is probably what I need.

I thought compactflash was still a viable and common option, if for no other reason the continuing spam I get about pricing on them from buy.com and others.

And I could move that budget up a little if needed, justified by having the more appropriate format.

Using normal batteries rather than exotics is also key.

Canon SD400....it's worth it.

 

[KiltedFool]

Hmm, lost the whole post based on a censored word, had I know I'd have copied before hitting reply.

Short form, I looked at the SD400.
Proprietary battery instead of AA, deal killer. I need the guys in the field to be able to go get more batteries, not fiddle with chargers.
Price also an issue.

Doesn't have to be the latest release in a camera, just needs to be ~$200, use AA batteries, get me 3-4 MP, be reliable, and use a fairly reliable format.

The one the office has now is an Olympus D-490, it uses Smartmedia, and the card is garbage, very flimsy.

One review site I'm looking at recommends the Canaon A70 for the under 200 editor's choice, then in scanning through the A85 looks similar in quality price and features.

Compactflash if I recall correctly the knock is it's speed, which makes action shots too hard to do. That's not an issue for this application.

Still looking for some input, appreciate what I've gotten thus far.

 

[asicman]

If you need a compact digicam that takes good low light (indoor) pictures then there's currently only one. The Fuji F10. I'm a photog and own 2 DSLRs (Canons). When I went to purchase a compact for my wife, I narrowed it down to the Panasonic FX9 (released later this month) and the Fuji F10. Due to the fact the she'll need to take pictures indoors often (> 50% of the time) I couldn't see buying something that would have the common noise characteristics of most compacts. The Fuji F10 really impressed me, and I went with it. It's not the smallest or the sexiest, but it's damn near the best for picture quality.

FWIW

 

[Broadkipa]

you could do worse than a fuji s5500, I have had one for 6 months and have some great pics form all over the place, mostly motor sport but also holidays etc the 10x zoom is awesome, check it out.
review of s5500

 

[KiltedFool]

Hmm, looked at the two.

The F10 has a proprietary battery rather than AAs.

The 5100 looks solid, but also looks to be higher priced.

Regarding indoor/outdoor, the majority of these shots will be outdoors, existing conditions, or shots of flooding and drainage issues, that sort of thing.

 

[abaez]

Go to dpreview and use their feature search.

 

[asicman]

Originally posted by: KiltedFool
Hmm, looked at the two.

The F10 has a proprietary battery rather than AAs.

The 5100 looks solid, but also looks to be higher priced.

Regarding indoor/outdoor, the majority of these shots will be outdoors, existing conditions, or shots of flooding and drainage issues, that sort of thing.

In that case get the Panasonic FX9. You'll love image stabilization. You don't want AA batteries, as they don't last. The Panasonic and the Fuji both have VERY long lasting rechargables. And you can also buy spares.

 

[AnitaPeterson]

If you can find it, get a Canon Powershot 310 or another camera in the same categor.

AA batteries and CF, and superb image quality.

Whoever says AA's don't last is a fool. Use Ni-MH batteries (I have four at 2300 mA/h) and they will easily work for about 300 shots, flash included.

If the 310 is no longer available, see whichever camera has replaced it.

 

[asicman]

Originally posted by: AnitaPeterson
If you can find it, get a Canon Powershot 310 or another camera in the same categor.

AA batteries and CF, and superb image quality.

Whoever says AA's don't last is a fool. Use Ni-MH batteries (I have four at 2300 mA/h) and they will easily work for about 300 shots, flash included.

If the 310 is no longer available, see whichever camera has replaced it.

Ni-MH is fine, but offers no real advantage over proprietary. Proprietary batteries are readily available.

 

[orangat]

KiltedFool,
Anandtech can be the wrong place to ask for purchasing advice. Its always the ol boneheaded audigy x, 6600gt, x800xl or 7800 even if the person doesn't play games and needs bit perfect output for classical music which creative can't do.
The F10 is a superb camera but its a 6-7 mpixel cam and twice your budget.

For $200 look at the Canon A520 and its competitors. Maybe its gotten out of date and you might want to look at the newer models.

Steve's best in class and Dave's picks are always worth looking over:-
http://www.steves-digicams.com/best_cameras.html
http://www.imaging-resource.com/WB/WB.HTM

 

[asicman]

Sorry, didn't see your price constraint at $200. The F10 is $273 after rebate. That's the best I can do for you.

 

[dds14u]

I love my Fuji F10.

I did a little looking around.
Canon PowerShot A520
Sony DSC-S90
Sony DSC-S60

Those just about fit your criteria. They are all around 4MP and $200 about, using AA batteries. Even though I'm not a Canon fan, I'd prefer Canon over Sony. You should check them out and see which one you prefer.

 

[KiltedFool]

Thanks to the bunch of you, some good info here for me to ponder through.

I knew this wasn't the perfect site for this research, but a lot of AT folks are also into digital cameras and could forward me to the best resources to finish off my research.

And I've often had to temper recommendations for computer hardware, for example I'm one of those Philistines who has no interest in or need to overclock

My focus on AA batteries is about flexibility, as a chunk of the time the camera will be seeing use will be my firm's construction inspectors out in the field taking pics of construction work. Rather than try to get them to reliably charge the batteries, they can at worst get some AAs from a nearby store. You can't get the proprietaries at the gas station next to the road repaving job.

I'll check some of these other sites and models out. Part of why I asked here is my experience is nearly all with Canon cameras (and a few random others at my workplaces), and I can use other viewpoints.

 

[PurdueRy]

for cheap on a budget...I might recommend a canon powershot A40/60(I think those are the model numbers...might be A80). Or a nikon 5600

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

Originally posted by: rleemhui
for cheap on a budget...I might recommend a canon powershot A40/60(I think those are the model numbers...might be A80). Or a nikon 5600

My A40 is pretty darn old and the A60 is pretty old to.

I think the A75 would be closer to meeting the requirements.