My Dad Wants To Trade In His Canon A40 For Something Better

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O

Ornery

Lifer
Oct 9, 1999
20,022
17
81
Here's the email I just got:
  • I am looking on the internet for ratings on an Olympus Camedia D-560 digital camera, or a Fugifilm Finepix A303. They both are sold at Walmart and both use only 2 AA batteries. What I am looking for is a better telephoto than I have on the Canon Power Shot A40. The price is around $279.00 to $298.00. They are both over 3 MP. I don't like the telephoto on the Canon. It doesn't seem to get things close from a distance of even 20 feet away. So could you see if you can find me some ratings on these camera's.
I can find some ratings all right, but is he wasting his time on these lower end cameras? Here's what Walmart has.
 
O

Ornery

Lifer
Oct 9, 1999
20,022
17
81
He says he has to buy it at Walmart, because that's where he's returning this one. He's owned it well over 30 days. I'd recommend the Camedia C-720, but it's not available locally. Oh God, here he is on the phone...
 
RossMAN

RossMAN

Grand Nagus
Feb 24, 2000
78,970
412
136
Just tell him to stick with a good brand and remind him that Fuji & Oly digicams do not use CF media.
 
O

Ornery

Lifer
Oct 9, 1999
20,022
17
81
Well, that was pleasant! We had a decent discussion because it didn't involve him fumbling through his operating system or an application.

After talking to him, it sounds like he may not have the digital zoom enabled in the setup menu. He's going to e-mail me back and let me know if that's the case. I told him those other cameras aren't going to help him much. He said he doesn't want to spend over $400.00 at all. I told him to get as close the subject as possible. That would be better for the flash range too. I said to buy that 250MB Flash Card, so he could increase the resolution. That way he can crop it and still end up with a decent shot. I think this is over now. I'll post whether he had the digital zoom enabled or not...

Thanks!
 
F

fatbaby

Banned
May 7, 2001
6,427
1
0
Originally posted by: Ornery
Well, that was pleasant! We had a decent discussion because it didn't involve him fumbling through his operating system or an application.

After talking to him, it sounds like he may not have the digital zoom enabled in the setup menu. He's going to e-mail me back and let me know if that's the case. I told him those other cameras aren't going to help him much. He said he doesn't want to spend over $400.00 at all. I told him to get as close the subject as possible. That would be better for the flash range too. I said to buy that 250MB Flash Card, so he could increase the resolution. That way he can crop it and still end up with a decent shot. I think this is over now. I'll post whether he had the digital zoom enabled or not...

Thanks!
Click to expand...

Whats so good about digital zoom? Photoshop/any photo editing program can do the same thing
 
O

Ornery

Lifer
Oct 9, 1999
20,022
17
81
Nothing's good about it. He wanted a camera that could zoom farther than his current A40. He was thinking the two he mentioned were better because they could zoom to 10X and the A40 can only zoom 7.5X. I had to explain about the digital zoom and what not. That got me wondering whether his digital zoom was even enabled. I'm waiting to hear if it is or not. Believe me, it's easier for him to zoom digitally, than to try and crop things in a photo editor.
 
GTaudiophile

GTaudiophile

Lifer
Oct 24, 2000
29,767
33
81
Originally posted by: Ornery
Nothing's good about it. He wanted a camera that could zoom farther than his current A40. He was thinking the two he mentioned were better because they could zoom to 10X and the A40 can only zoom 7.5X. I had to explain about the digital zoom and what not. That got me wondering whether his digital zoom was even enabled. I'm waiting to hear if it is or not. Believe me, it's easier for him to zoom digitally, than to try and crop things in a photo editor.
Click to expand...

Digital zoom is useless! 3x optical is average these days.
 
O

Ornery

Lifer
Oct 9, 1999
20,022
17
81
Digital zoom is useless!

That's my opinion too, and that's what worries me. I may be the one who disabled it in his camera! :Q
 
Hayabusa Rider

Hayabusa Rider

Admin Emeritus & Elite Member
Jan 26, 2000
50,879
4,268
126
Originally posted by: GTaudiophile
Originally posted by: Ornery
Nothing's good about it. He wanted a camera that could zoom farther than his current A40. He was thinking the two he mentioned were better because they could zoom to 10X and the A40 can only zoom 7.5X. I had to explain about the digital zoom and what not. That got me wondering whether his digital zoom was even enabled. I'm waiting to hear if it is or not. Believe me, it's easier for him to zoom digitally, than to try and crop things in a photo editor.
Click to expand...

Digital zoom is useless! 3x optical is average these days.
Click to expand...

Yep tis true.

Also, consider the difference between 7.5 and 10x is not that great. He is better off getting a higher megapixel camera (yeah I know it is more bux).
 
Deeko

Deeko

Lifer
Jun 16, 2000
30,213
12
81
They both have 3x optical(don't know the Fuji). If he wants more zoom, tell him to get Olympus C740. SWEET camera.
 
RossMAN

RossMAN

Grand Nagus
Feb 24, 2000
78,970
412
136
I would agree with your previous recommendation, the Oly 720.

Does he HAVE to buy from Walmart B&M?

What if you could save him $50 off $250 @ OfficeMax.com ... and if he argues "what if I want to return it?" Tell him he can return it at any OM B&M store with his receipt.

OM.com has the Oly 560 and 720.
 
O

Ornery

Lifer
Oct 9, 1999
20,022
17
81
I think he'd be REALLY happy with that C-720, but he's even cheaper than me! Hey, where do you think I get it from? :D

He purchased a small 35mm film camera from Walmart at Christmas. In early March, he got the fever for a digital camera, so he swapped the 35mm for the A40. Walmart allows 90 days to return it. Here we are in mid April, and he wants to swap that out. He wouldn't want a due bill from Walmart and buy the camera elsewhere, though that would be the only way to get the best deal.

He hasn't emailed me back about that menu setting, yet. Typical...
 
jlee

jlee

Lifer
Sep 12, 2001
48,518
223
106
My A40 came with digital zoom disabled.

Can the A40 take other lenses? Maybe that would help..
 
O

Ornery

Lifer
Oct 9, 1999
20,022
17
81
My A40 came with digital zoom disabled.

Thanks so much! I'll sleep tonight, knowing I didn't cause all this trouble!
 
S

Sid59

Lifer
Sep 2, 2002
11,879
3
81
Originally posted by: CadetLee
My A40 came with digital zoom disabled.

Can the A40 take other lenses? Maybe that would help..
Click to expand...

yes it does ..

just got in the mail ..

2x telephoto lens
0.42 fisheye wide angle lens
UV, Polarizing, and FLD filters
+1. +2. +4 close up lens ..

when i get unlazy, ill do some telephoto, fisheye and closeup lens shots .. before and after .. filters are a bit different
 
O

Ornery

Lifer
Oct 9, 1999
20,022
17
81
He finally called, doesn't care to email for some reason, and he said he found the setting to enable digital zoom. He experimented with it, and now fully understands what I meant about it being grainy. He took the previous shots he made with the camera and zoomed in on the image. He said the close-up was acceptable like this. I told him it would be even better when he could bump up the resolution. Right now he's only using the memory card that came with the camera.

So Walmart doesn't have to deal with a return and my dad is happy again with his A40... a happy ending!

Thanks!
 
jlee

jlee

Lifer
Sep 12, 2001
48,518
223
106
He can fit 7-8 superfine 1600x1200 images on the 8mb card that came with the camera..
 
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