Digital Camera's?

[w00t]

What do i need to look in for digital camera's?
the memory ?
megabits?
zoom?
how can i tell which one is better?
price range is $400 dollars for the camera help me pick one out.

what do u think of this one:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16830150057

 

[imported_toot]

There's a lot of things to look for.. the best way to find out is reading some reviews..

For memory, you will usually need to buy a memory card for whatever camera you buy, they normally only come with a small one supplied.. You will probably want 512Meg or 1Gig

MegaPIXELS.. depends how big you want to print.. anything over 3 or 4 should be fine unless you want very big prints.

Zoom is always very nice to have..

That Sony one looks pretty good.. and has good reviews.. Canon SD400 also has some great reviews, and I would recommend it highly! And it looks nicer, I think

 

[Kaspian]

i would look for something with a little more zoom and less mp...try looking at the slr-like cameras

 

[otispunkmeyer]

get reading

 

[ProviaFan]

Do not buy a camera unless it has optical zoom. Digital zoom is worse than worthless, despite being advertised as a "feature." Other than that, choose your camera and memory card (SD vs. CF) based on what other devices you have and what they can use. Also, a memory card reader is much preferred instead of connecting your camera to your computer and wasting batteries while downloading images at a slower speed than what you could attain if you had a proper USB2 or Firewire card reader.

 

[OzzieGT]

Size matters here. If you get a bigger camera you can get a nicer lens, better picture quality, more features and more zoom. Sony cameras have great feature set and look nice, and take great pictures but the physical quality is not quite as good as Canons. I really like my Sony but the paint is already coming off some of the buttons. If you want a compact camera for under $400 I would suggest you look into the Canon ELPH line.

 

[imported_NoGodForMe]

Canon is good stuff.
Their EOS 20D is top of the line in the DSLR world (I have one).
Their Powershot P&S (Point and Shoot) are highly recommended.

 

[AluminumStudios]

I just searched and read tons of reviews trying to decide. I wound up getting a Canon A85 (which was recently discontinued with the 520 being the successor.)

I LOVE it to death. The one I bought is 4 megapixels which I felt was a good middle ground for the price I wanted ($250-$300) It produces images 2272x1704 with great color. Unlike some other cameras that I looked at it doesn't seem to artifically over sharpen images and the JPEG artifacts aren't noticable until you zoom in pretty far. It's feature set is great, it's battery life seems very good with the high capacity NiMH rechargables I bought, it takes CF cards which are less expensive than xD and it's LCD screen is bright and clear.

Here are some pictures I've taken with it (these are actually scaled down and recompressed but hopefully give you a general idea of what it can do): http://www.aluminumstudios.com/photography/flowers/flower_index.html

I only have one of the original pictures to show you right now: http://www.aluminumstudios.com/photography/flowers/images/IMG_0188.jpg

It's low light performance is good with an auto-focus assist beam that helps it focus in the dark. I still need to learn more about the manual settings since the flash seems to over-saturate images in the dark just a little.

It can record 1 minute of 640x480 video or 3 minutes of 320x240 at a time. The microphone on it is picks up sound good too. I love this camera and would expect all Canons to be this good.

 

[jamerdean]

Originally posted by: NoGodForMe
Canon is good stuff.
Their EOS 20D is top of the line in the DSLR world (I have one).
Their Powershot P&S (Point and Shoot) are highly recommended.

Ditto. I got a Canon A60, A75, and A85. (not at the same time) and I have been incredibally impressed with their ease of use and quality of pics.

jam

 

[GTaudiophile]

Originally posted by: w00t
What do i need to look in for digital camera's?
the memory ?
megabits?
zoom?
how can i tell which one is better?
price range is $400 dollars for the camera help me pick one out.

what do u think of this one:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16830150057

All you need to know is one thing: CANON!

Next thing you need to ask yourself: Do I want to make prints? If so, what size?

A 3.0 megapixel camera is good up to 8 x 10 prints. Beyond that, you'll want 4.0 megapixel or higher. But you have to watch out. Too many megapixels might create noisier shots. I would stick with 4.0 or 5.0 megapixels, max.

Then ask yourself: Do I want a simple point & shoot camera (P&S), or do I want a camera with more manual controls/flexibility?

If you want more of a P&S digicam, then ask yourself if you'll willing to pay more for a smaller, pocketable camera or not.

Lastly, go to your local store and actually pick up the cameras you are considering. Get a feel for them in your hand.

Digicam review sites:

DP Review.com
Steves Digicams
DC Resource

Taking a quick glance at newegg, here are some personal recommendations.

Tight-Budget Choices (Use AA batteries and SD card memory)
A510, 3.0 MPX, 4x Zoom, $179
A520, 4.0 MPX, 4x Zoom, $246

Ultra-Portable
SD200, 3.2 MPX, 3x Zoom, $245
SD300, 4.0 MPX, 3x Zoom, $300

Portable with more advanced features/flexibility
S60, 5.0 MPX, 3.6x Zoom, $363

Advanced features with 10x Optical Zoom
S1 IS, 3.2 MPX, 10x Zoom, $318

Once you have decided which one you want, begin shopping for storage media, either SD or CF. I'd buy 512MB or 1.0GB. Also, when budgeting for everything, keep in mind the cost of any additional accessories you might want: case, tripod, card reader, batteries, etc.

Edit: Keep in mind that more megapixels do not make a better photo. In fact, I think DPreview recommends the A510 over the A520:

Compared to the A520, the PowerShot A510 has the advantage of price (it's around $100 cheaper), slightly faster playback and burst mode and lower noise (though you'll only really see the difference shooting at ISO 400). It manages to capture nearly - though not quite - as much detail (maybe 10 or 15% less), and has all the positive qualities of its big brother; superb metal-bodied build, sophisticated features and excellent battery life. If you are unlikely to print at sizes about about 5 x 7 inches (at which point the A520's extra resolution starts to show) and are looking for a well-specified first camera that won't break the bank, the PowerShot A510 is well worth a closer look.

 

[ProviaFan]

Originally posted by: NoGodForMe
Canon is good stuff.
Their EOS 20D is top of the line in the DSLR world (I have one).
Their Powershot P&S (Point and Shoot) are highly recommended.

I wouldn't have called you on this if you didn't make such an absolute statement, but while the 20D is a fine DSLR, it is not "top of the line" in any "world" that I'm familiar with. It is somewhat better in some areas, and rather comparable in others, to the Nikon D70. In build quality, autofocus performance, viewfinder quality, and resolution (among other things), it is left in the dust of the Canon 1DsMkII and Nikon D2x - both of which are top of the line from their respective manufacturers. And that's not even mentioning stuff like the Phase One P25 and Leaf Aptus digital backs, which, while part of a medium format SLR system, are different (and better) enough to be in another league entirely.

Otherwise, GT has given the OP great recommendations from across the Canon lineup. Others make fine P&Ses also (Canon isn't the only viable option, folks), but I'm not familiar enough with Nikon and Minolta P&S lineups to make other recommendations. DPReview is a great resource for technical issues, as always.

 

[NoBull6]

I've had the Minolta A1 for over a year and love it. Lots of features, good zoom (7x optical). Can record movies for as long as your memory card will take. Excellent image quality. DPreview has a good review - check it out while you're there.

I paid $550 a year ago, so I'd bet it's a lot cheaper than that now.

 

[Oyeve]

I have an Olympus 5060CW and love it. Even though its 5.1 MP, this baby does it all. Takes XD as well as CFI or CFII. Does video with sound, does pics with sound, has a hot shoe for better flash. Great all around camera that I havent even tried all of its features yet. Dont know if its still available but I am sure there is an upgraded version like the 7070 or 8080.

 

[corkyg]

Like others, I prefer Canon (had D60, now 20D after several Olys.) But - it is interesting to note that Kodak has now taken over top market share (in the USA) for point and shoot digital cameras. They made a very smart move with their docking station and printer - no computer needed, alothough, if you have one, it can play as well. For $400, what you want is the most bang for the buck.

 

[RCflyer]

i really like my nikon coolpix 5900

 

[6000SUX]

Originally posted by: NoGodForMe
Canon is good stuff.
Their EOS 20D is top of the line in the DSLR world (I have one).
Their Powershot P&S (Point and Shoot) are highly recommended.

Hahaha. Top of the line? It's top of the line for consumer DSLRs. You paid too much anyway-- should've gotten an XT for the same image quality and put the remainder towards lenses.

 

[WhipperSnapper]

Definitely go to the DPReviews.com site and forums.

I would say you should look for at least 3 megapixels, reputable brand name (ie, Canon, Olympus, Nikon, Fuji), good lens and image quality (have to read the reviews), some optical zoom, mainstream memory storage cards, and also powered by AA batteries. I say look for one that takes AA batteries because rechargeable NiMH (nickel metal hydride) batteries are very powerful, inexpensive, and plentiful (as opposed to getting a camera with an expensive proprietary rechargeable battery).

 

[w00t]

I wanna get the Canon PowerShot S60 Silver

should i get 512mb or 1gig? how many pictures could go on one of these.

 

[w00t]

Bump

 

[imported_toot]

At large size, something like 300-350 pictures on 512Meg, and of course twice that on 1Gig.

 

[w00t]

Originally posted by: toot
At large size, something like 300-350 pictures on 512Meg, and of course twice that on 1Gig.

ok ty.

 

[imported_Stew]

Canon rules. I've got the A85 and it's a great price, great picture, great zoom, and only like 4.x megapixels.

 

[Snakexor]

Originally posted by: 6000SUX

Originally posted by: NoGodForMe
Canon is good stuff.
Their EOS 20D is top of the line in the DSLR world (I have one).
Their Powershot P&S (Point and Shoot) are highly recommended.

Hahaha. Top of the line? It's top of the line for consumer DSLRs. You paid too much anyway-- should've gotten an XT for the same image quality and put the remainder towards lenses.

agreed, but the xt does not give you continual auto focus...

 

[6000SUX]

Originally posted by: Snakexor

Originally posted by: 6000SUX

Originally posted by: NoGodForMe
Canon is good stuff.
Their EOS 20D is top of the line in the DSLR world (I have one).
Their Powershot P&S (Point and Shoot) are highly recommended.

Hahaha. Top of the line? It's top of the line for consumer DSLRs. You paid too much anyway-- should've gotten an XT for the same image quality and put the remainder towards lenses.

agreed, but the xt does not give you continual auto focus...

Actually, I believe it does. It will track a subject continuously through all AF points if you want, say if you're panning and zooming on a sports subject. I don't think that this ends once you take a picture, but I'm too lazy to dig out my manual.

The XT is different in many ways from the 20D, though. It has two fewer AF points; the shutter is rated for 50,000 clicks instead of 150,000; it is lighter and smaller (this has pluses and minuses for different people); it has 8 MP instead of 8.2; it is largely free from high-ISO banding issues of the 20D; the build quality is not as solid as that of the 20D (I've used both); and the controls are not as easy to work with (for instance, you cannot change ISO without going into a menu on the XT).