Digital Camera Suggestion

[frayne]

Currently in the market for a new digital camera. I current use a Nikon Coolpix 885 which is five years old and takes forever for the flash to cycle and the shutter release lag time sucks. Looking for something that has a faster flash recycle as well as a decent shutter release speed. Would like to stay around $500 but wouldn't be opposed to going over that to get what I want. Don't really care weather or not it is an SLR type as opposed to just regular digital camera. Any suggestion out there ? Would be used mostly for taking pictures of my grandson and other misc. type pictures. Appreciate any and all replies.

 

[REWahoo]

Consmer Reports recently rated digital cameras and noted several cameras that were much faster than typical digital models in both cycle and shutter release time. I don't have access to the information at the moment, but one of the higher rated models was the Sony Cybershot model DSC-H2. DW was frustrated by the same lag times you mentioned with her old digital camera, and I bought her the Sony. She really likes it.

 

[FlogBlogger]

The latest version from Sony, the DSC-H9, is an awesome little point-and-shoot in your price range. It's fast, and has a 15x optical Zeiss lens. Plus video. A best pick in non-SLR models.

 

[cute fuzzy bunny]

Buying Guide: Features Search: Digital Photography Review

 

[Sandy]

We recently bought the Sony H9 for our trip to Ecuador. Great camera - eary to use, pictures are wonderful. We bought a 2 gig memory chip and an extra battery so we always had one fully charged.

 

[kcowan]

Also for user and professional reviews:
Steve's Digicams - Main Menu
He does a good job and has no commercial bias

 

[Niko]

Currently in the market for a new digital camera. I current use a Nikon Coolpix 885 which is five years old and takes forever for the flash to cycle and the shutter release lag time sucks. Looking for something that has a faster flash recycle as well as a decent shutter release speed. Would like to stay around $500 but wouldn't be opposed to going over that to get what I want. Don't really care weather or not it is an SLR type as opposed to just regular digital camera. Any suggestion out there ? Would be used mostly for taking pictures of my grandson and other misc. type pictures. Appreciate any and all replies.

Take a look at the Nikon D40. It is an entry level D40, but it is Nikon and very high quality. If you ever decide to experiment with what an SLR has to offer, you can do so with the D40. If, on the other hand, you only use it as a P&S, the D40 makes an excellent P&S.

FYI, they recently came out with the D40x, but I'd stick with the D40 unless you want to print your photos to poster size. You should be able to find a D40 for around $500.

 

[mathjak107]

my wife and i both have nikon d80's. great camera . thought about upgrading to d200 but dont see a difference worth another 700.00

 

[steve88]

I have heard good things about canon cameras.

 

[Zoocat]

I recently bought a Fuji S5700 with a built in 10X zoom. I do some nature photography and also am traveling to Tanzania and needed a zoom, but didn't want to carry a lot of equipment. I'm not a real technical photographer and realize that the Fuji is not rated the best. But the cost,only $200 from Wolf Camera, was reasonable . Big LCD screen and no annoying lag time (like my old Nikon Coolpix). It has lots of features. So far, I really like it.

 

[KB]

Oldbabe, I just bought the same camera, and actually it is recommended in the new Comsumer reports. This model is an upgrade to the S6000, I believe. I tried out an S5200 that while on my trip to Europe, and loved the zoom. When researching online, I found the S5700 had been released in February. I paid $249 at Ritz camera, and then got a $20 refund when they had the camera on same for father's Day.

I took a photography class after buying the camera and the instructor (who is a professional photographer) said he would recommend buying cameras in this order: Fuji, Cannon, Nikon, Sony and Olympus.

He suggested having extra memory cards since they will be fried if reaching 175 degrees which can happen in a hot car. Also keeping multiple sets of rechargeable batteries that go with your camera. My camera takes the AA NI-MH batteries.

For settings on any digital camera he recommended the following settings:
ISO setting - 200
White balance - shade or cloudy
Image size - 3:2
Flash - off
Digital zoom - off
EV -1

Also, many digital camera can use alternate lens with an adapter. Apparently there is a spot to screw the lens adapter on the front of some cameras.

I learned a lot from the class I took. Most of us in the class really didn't know how to use our cameras before the class. Me included.

 

[Zoocat]

Oldbabe, I just bought the same camera, and actually it is recommended in the new Comsumer reports..

Well, well, well. My research didn't include Consumer Reports but I did read a few consumer web sites. That's great news! I feel much better about my purchase. Thanks!

 

[Rustic23]

I have a Canon S2 IS, and my daughter has the newer Canon S5 IS. Runs about $399. Things I like. 12x zoom lens, stabalized, small shutter lag, good fit in hand, and most of all it takes double A batteries i.e. AA. I have had other cameras that did not use off the shelf batteries. It had longer battery life, however, a replacement cost $80! With AA's if your battery runs down the drug store is a quick fix.

 

[kramer]

I just picked up a Canon camera battery for their SD Series cameras at BestBuy for $19.95 (for a backup) for my two year old Canon camera. It was repackaged and tested. I think they are regularly $35 or $40.

I just picked up two 2 GByte SD memory cards for $24.95 each. You should always test these after you get them.

Anyway, I am just mentioning this to give an idea of costs for the extras . . . not too bad, actually.

Two years ago, I paid almost $100 for a 1 GByte card, which I also still use.

I have not researched cameras recently, but the new SD memory format is SDHC (technically the old SD format only standardized things up to 1 GByte). If your camera takes the SDHC standard, this is better than if it only takes the SD standard. You will be able to buy memory more reliably and in greater sizes. The price for an 8 GByte SDHC card is now around $80 in the USA, maybe around $50-$55 for a 4 GByte SDHC.

Kramer

 

[Alex]

I have heard good things about canon cameras.

I agree. I think Canon makes the best digital cameras in the $500 range. CNET is a great source for reviews.
HERE is a link to 21 different cameras in that price range

 

[TromboneAl]

KB, can you tell me why the instructor recommended a -1.0 EV setting?

 

[frayne]

This thing comes out in October for around four bills, any thoughts ?

Panasonic DMC-FZ18: Digital Photography Review

 

[Webzter]

KB, can you tell me why the instructor recommended a -1.0 EV setting?

s/he is probably basing it off of an incomplete understanding of digital photography. The same advice used to be quite popular. See, if you blow out a photo, then that section of the photo is gone forever (no way to ever get detail into it). If you underexpose by a stop, then you can go into your favorite photo editing software and add brightnes into the picture.

However, this doesn't take into account two important aspects of digital photography. First, most digital cameras record a lot of noise in the darker sections of a photograph. As such, when you brighten the photo, you bring out this noise. Ick.

Second, digital cameras record the most detail and information in the lightest end of the spectrum. So, as a whole, when you underexpose your picture you give up detail.

If you want to be meticulous about it, and if your camera has a histogram setting (will display a histogram on the preview window after you take a shot), then always overexpose your photo to the point where the histogram isn't being cut off on the right (right is light, left is dark). You can then move the exposure down after the fact and your photo will really shine. Many cameras will also show blinking sections of the photo where it's blown out if the histogram is turned on.

Or, if you don't have the time, set your camera to exposure bracketing and just take three shots. Then pick the one that's not exploded out and call it good.

 

[JohnEyles]

...
set your camera to exposure bracketing and just take three shots. Then pick the one that's not exploded out and call it good.

Or, if you have a tripod and the subject is static (e.g. a landscape
with no blowing trees or whatever) combine the three exposures
using Photoshop to get the most detail everywhere !

 

[Moemg]

[quotI recently bought a Fuji S5700 with a built in 10X zoom. I do some nature photography and also am traveling to Tanzania and needed a zoom, but didn't want to carry a lot of equipment. [/quote]

I'm in the market for a camera with a 10x zoom .Is the Fuji easy to use ??

 

[TromboneAl]

OK, thanks for that info. Here's another question:

I've noticed that many of the pictures I've seen taken with some of the newer cameras look a lot better than those taken with my 7-year-old cameras. Mine look flatter, less crisp.

So what's the difference? I'm guessing that much is due to "post-processing" that the newer cameras do. If I do some fix up work on my computer, I can get the same kind of improvements. Do you think this is the case?

Here's an example of a picture taken with a Canon Powershot S100 made around 2000:

​

Here's the same picture after some processing:

​

 

[Webzter]

I've noticed that many of the pictures I've seen taken with some of the newer cameras look a lot better than those taken with my 7-year-old cameras. Mine look flatter, less crisp.

If you're shooting in jpeg format right on the camera, I would highly suspect that is the case. Give some software guys 7 years and you can bet some huge improvements have been made.