Nikon Coolpix 950 or Olympus C2040, C3000

[Whitedog]

I'm looking at these two camera's. I can get them for about the same price, but I'm not sure what the better deal is.

They both have good, but different features. Anyone here used either of these two camera's that could offer a bit of advice.

Thanks

 

[Wizkid]

We have a 950 at work. It's an incredible camera: awesome image quality as well as lots of advanced features. I highly recommend that camera...

 

[Whitedog]

According to the Spec sheet... it says serial interface?? No USB interface? Tell me this isn't so!

 

[Gustavus]

I have used both the CoolPix 900 and the 950 -- which is what I own and use now. The 2.11 megapixel pictures are very good. Not as good as a film camera for enlargement, but a LOT more convenient to use. I would like to have the 990 with 3 Megapixels, but for general use the 950 is really a very good camera. The only complaint I have is that the LCD display is not usable in normal light outdoors -- much too faint to see. Nikon came out with a firmware update for the 950 that was supposed to increase the LCD image brightness, but if it did I couldn't see it. Outdoors I am forced to use the optical viewer, but since I began photography in 1950 with a Leica IIc which had only an optical viewer I don't mind this shortcoming too much. The 950 is a significant improvement over the 900 -- better resolution in particular -- and a number of added viewing and editing features. I recommend the camera.
Both cameras eat batteries like a kid in a candy store goes through candy. You must get NiHi batteries, several sets, and a charger unless you want to endow some battery manufacturer.

 

[Sohcan]

<< No USB interface? Tell me this isn't so! >>

You can always get a USB CF card reader...they run about $15 and are easier to use than a USB camera since there's no cables to plug/unplug.

 

[JackBurton]

<< According to the Spec sheet... it says serial interface?? No USB interface? Tell me this isn't so! >>


That is EXACTLY why I'm going for the 990 (and because it is a 3.3MP camera)! I refuse to use ANYTHING that uses a serial port to transfer data. :|

 

[andylawcc]

whao Gustavus, that's some experience you've had...

 

[Whitedog]

Good deal.. Thanks guys.

I take it the 950 is a lot superior in picture quality than the 880? even though the 880 can do 3.1 Megapixels? It looked to me the 880 has too many useless features like the &quot;modes&quot;...

I think I'll pick up the 950 for $525.. Can't pass up that $150 rebate!

Also, I'll get one of those card readers too.. I think that would be 15 bux well spent.

I can't go wrong taking advice from someone in th photography business for 51 years :Q hehe

 

[Whitedog]

JackBurton, the 990 is $350 more... after the $150 rebate on the 950.

I can't see paying $350 for something built in I can buy an adapter for $15. and I don't require 3.3MP I don't need 2000x2000 images hehe Most of my shots are going to be 1024x768.

Gustavus, can you answer me a few questions...

If I take a picture at 2048x1536 and then reduce with a photo editor down to 1024x768, am I going to have the same picture quality as if I would have just taken it at 1024x to begin with?

My point is, I am mostly interested in 1024x768 resolution pictures... would I be wasting money buying a camera with 3.3MP's if I didn't need to use the higher resolutions, or is my best bet to do like I said, and take the photo in 2048x then reduce it down?

Thanks.

 

[blindspot]

Whitedog,

Where did you find the deal ($525)? Are you sure its not refurb???

 

[Gustavus]

Whitedog
On the CoolPix there is a &quot;Quality&quot; button. You depress that and then select the resolution and compression you want -- up to the maximum the camera is capable of. On the 950 you have 1600x1200, 1024x768 and 640x480 (as I recall) -- which Nikon calls size and three choices of how much data compression you want to apply. At any rate you can select the resolution you want at the time you shoot.

I didn't completely answer your question I see. If you know the resolution you want, you will do best if you shoot at that resolution -- if for no other reason than to save space on your compact flash card. The advantage of having 3.3 Megapixel capabilty is for those instances when you are going to want to enlarge and have the best photo possible.

The 950 is often available for very good prices. I bought mine roughly a year ago when the 990 was coming out in a three cushion price deal -- Accompany group purchase, Nikon rebate and a sizable discount incentive for a total delivered price of $408. Plus which Nikon sent me a $30 coupon to use on a Lexar Compact Flash card with the rebate check. It is unlikely that a deal that good will appear again, but $500 or thereabouts should be possible with a little patience and searching.

 

[BaliBabyDoc]

Whitedog, if you are truly interested in a resolution of 1.3Mp or so; you may be better served by purchasing a camera in the Olympus line (D-490, D-460, D-360). The Olympus cameras have very good optics and they handle and look like your typical point&amp;shoot (ie they're less likely to attract attention). The Nikon 950 is an excellent camera but you may be paying for capabilities that you will not utilize. I believe Gustavus mentioned the resolution and compression settings on the 950. If you use more compression you may not be satisfied with your results even at your preferred resolution or higher. Memory cards are cheap so I would not worry about capacity but the default card is 8MB which will probably hold only 16 (1600x1200) pix. If you think you might move up or buy another camera, consider purchasing a card reader for CF and SmartMedia. Lexar as a USB version.

Anytime you edit/compress/save a digital picture you lose some of the information from the original photo. The more information you start with the better the finished product will look.

 

[Whitedog]

Coolpix 950 for $529 after the $150 rebate.

 

[JackBurton]

You know whitedog, that is a pretty good deal! How much memory are you getting? How many 1600x1200 or 1024x768 pics do you think I can get on a 128MB flash card?

 

[Erasmus-X]

If you can get a Coolpix 990 for about the same price as a 950 (which I'm kind of doubting), but all means take the 990. It adds USB (no more pokey serial interface) and has a ton of other improvements. If you can live without the swivel body (IMHO, swivel bodies seem like just another toy I can break or wear out), the new Coolpix 880 retains the majority of the features the 990 has for appreciably less money.

You can compare cameras at Digital Photography Review. Great digicam site with very comprehensive and objective reviews.

 

I just purchased a Olymous 3000Z
I held both the coolpix and the 3000Z in my hands and did not really like the fragile feeling of the coolpix swival body

The choice between the two was a hard one considering the $150 rebate but in the end,the Olympus won out because of it's sturdy feel and a USB interface


I hope i didn't make the wrong decision

 

[Whitedog]

You can get a USB device for your PC for like $35 to plug your memory cards in. No big deal.

I like those better anyway rather than to hook your camera up to your computer. saves the batteries.

No way can you buy a 990 for near the price of the 950 right now.

Yes, I am a little weiry of the swivel body, but I know Nikon are quality product and I have faith in their engineering. I doubt it will break off!

 

[Whitedog]

Jack, 128MB memory card????? hehe :Q those are like EXPENSIVE!

 

[JackBurton]

Ya, but I'm going to use it on vacation and I won't have any place to dump my pictures (laptop or PC). I also like not having to switch out the flash card because I ran out of room. So how many do you think I can hold? I haven't bought it yet, but if it holds enough high quaily pictures, I'm REALLY thinking about get it.

 

[Czar]

Review of the 990
Review of the 950

Review of my Olympus 3030z .. I LOVE IT

 

[SoundBoy]

I fit about 55 Fine quality 2.1Mp pics on a 48M CF card. Nikon 800, which is the same storage wise as the 950. Normal quality is double that.

Resizing downward will give you higher quality than shooting at a that resolution to begin with. And you may &quot;crop&quot; as well.

BTW the original questions answer is: you would be foolish to get a 950 for the same price as a 990.

 

[Whitedog]

I guess I should have never indicated I was interested in a 990. I don't really have the cash for that.

The Olympus camera looks Killer czar! I'd buy it if I were going to spend 900 bux. But that's a couple hundred over budget.

I priced it at about 750, and with the extra stuff I'd have to get I'd end up at about 900 bux.

I can get the 950 coolpix for $530 and about $150 accessories puts me in my budget.

 

[Czar]

The only thing I see against the 950 is that its old, I´d rather get a newer one.

How about this one
Canon G1

 

[SoundBoy]

wdog: rocomend you get : card reader, 2 sets nimh AA, charger, and a decent size card (32M). PS: there are a lot of good cameras out there some of which are better than the 950 in different ways. Unless you know every way you want to use it, it's hard to make a recomendation.

However the short list to me would be casio, 2300ux, 2000ux, nikons, canon Powershots... For instance the Casio can hold microdrives and is ready to shoot MUCH faster. Canon is smaller... Image quality on all of these cameras is superb. 950 can trigger external flashes...

Tradeoffs and compromises... try link that will link you to all other camera sights.

 

[Miraluka]

Don't worry about the non-usb interface. when you buy an extra compact flash card, you can get the lexar card which comes with a usb adapter, for no extra cash.

Personally if you could get both of them for the same price i'd go with the 990. There is a 30 second movie clip feature(no sound though) and you get more megapixels.