Digital Cameras

[shais_mom]

I want a digital camera for Christmas and my parents have no clue what to buy. (neither do I)
Which is the best one? I MUST be under $300.00.
There are so many different kinds.

Thanks

[Karen]

We have a Fujifilm Finepix that I love, we took it to China and took hundreds of picture without worring about carrying film!

[aly]

I have the same one as Karen and Paul and love it too!

I am looking into getting a little more fancier one though because I've been taking about 200 pics a week and get good use out of it.

[Miss Meow]

We bought a Canon about six months ago and love it. Great lens quality, long battery life and easy to use and upload pics.

There are some good digital camera web sites around. These ones might be useful:

http://www.dpreview.com
http://www.megapixel.net/html/issueindex.html

[neko1]

I just bought a sony 2 weeks ago and I love it! I found on circuit city's website that it was voted the best dig. cam under $300 and I think they are right! It's got a lot of cool features and I love not having to go to the photo store!

Hey , great thread ! We are about to buy a digital , and so we are lurking around to make a good choice ! So , those web-sites I saw here wil be very usefull !
I know that Niina has a Sony , and the pics she makes with it are SUPER !

[Randi]

We have a Nikon Coolpix 950 (old) and are very content with it. :) But it's rather expensive. Go for a welknown one with a good optical zoom. They sometimes review digital cameras in computer magazines (MacWorld) and compare different brands.
I found this site - have a look! (click on Forums in the left field, and you can choose)

http://www.dpreview.com/forums/forum.asp?forum=1007

[anna_66]

Hey Staci,

We have a Olympus D-510. I think it takes wonderful pictures & it was $299 (right in your range!). I got it at Staples.
It has zoom & takes short movie clips & has alot of other features. I'd definatly say shop around & find the right one for you. Here's the thread I started before we bought ours, maybe it will help you too. Paul tells alot about them in his post.
Digital Camera's (http://petoftheday.com/talk/showthread.php?s=&threadid=9375&highlight=digital+cameras)

[Cookiebaker]

I really like the Olympus...we have a D-550. This is our second one, and they are fairly simple to use & figure out the features. Whichever one you get, I hope you like it!!!! :D

What a great site , Randi !
EVERY brand is there ; WAW !

[Edwina's Secretary]

We have an Olympus C-700.

I like it but it is my first experience with digital!

It was a gift from my husband so I don't know cost....

[mugsy]

I would go with the camera with the most bang for the buck. Look for the number of megapixels and zoom capabilities. Mike likes the cameras with the smartmedia cards. We just have a little cheap Fugi that has basically no zoom, but we couldn't afford anymore at the time. I guess my advice is to not look necessarily at the brand name, but what is available for it.

[kingrattus]

We have the Cannon S30 its an awesome camera... I love it

[sammi]

We have a Nikon around $500 (too expensive for a newbie- LIKE ME!) I have taken 3 memory cards full of pictures........I just need to work on getting them where I want them!

[Randi]

There were some very good tips from Paul, but I do have a comment concerning batteries. Of course one should buy a camera using AA batteries, but I don't think you save money by buying normal AA batteries. These cameras eat batteries like there's no tomorrow. I have personaly found it's cheaper in the long run to buy rechargables. (Buy 2 sets otherwise they always run out at the worst possible moment!)

john

[Former User]

Please, do not stare only how many pixels that camera has. You know (well, most of you anyways :) ) the pics I've posted here, right? Well, think this, we have less than 1 mexapixels! And everyone always says how great and clear our pics are. When you get a camera, talk to the staff at the shop, they know (or they should!) the best and can help you to find the right camera for your needs.

Good luck with everyone who's considering to get a digital camera.

We indeed have Sony, it was bought in 1998 so can't really compare it to the cameras they have out these days. But ours still serve us well, no complaints! :)

[Kfamr]

Fuji, Definatly! I have a Fuji Film Fine Pix 1300... I LOVE it. Here's a comparison of my Camera's quailty [Fuji] To my aunt's which is a Sony.


My Camera [Fuji Film FinePix 1300]:
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid36/p0796e396aaf323ac6e87c463a6099298/fd23cc43.jpg

Aunt's 500 dollar Sony camera:
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid36/p9d6b0ae1ac996b27bfaec0b20803c185/fd23cc42.jpg

As you can see, or well... i can see, My camera's picture was much better quality. Last time i checked, it was on sale down here too at CompUSA. We go outrs for around $200 something.

[tatsxxx11]

Staci, check out this site....http://www.imaging-resource.com/DIGCAM01.HTM

It's a great resource for getting some basic dig. camera knowledge and helps you to make the right selection for you.

All the major brands and their models are discussed . You can search via price range, number of pixels, your type of lifestyle, price range, etc. There are professional and customer reviews and you can bring up any two models and compare their features, price, etc. side by side. And another neat feature...a "comparometer," where you can select two different camera models and compare their photos (in all different types of lighting, indoor/outdoor, with/without flash etc.) side by side.

Just work your way down the bar on the left.

After a lot of research and talking with professionals at our camera shop, I decided on the Cannon S30!
Loved the size, features, easy to use and the pictures were gorgeous! Also heard a lot of good things about Olympus and Sony!

Happy hunting. How exciting!!

[anna_66]

Hey Randi, what kind of rechargeables do you use? We've just gotten the lithium batteries & they last a good long time (one set lasted about 4 months & I've taken at least 500 pictures & many videos), but they are $10 for 4.

[ellensy]

Mine is Canon Digital Ixus :)

[Cincy'sMom]

I was going to start a thread like this, as Ralph and I are looking into a digital camera and know nothing! Thanks Staci!!!

[The Cat Factory]

We have a Kodak...it's around $1200.00 though :rolleyes: We got it for free though! :)

[boscibo]

I have 2 Sony digital cameras - one is an older Mavica, the FD-91. It uses floppies, and has a 14x zoom. It is super easy to use the floppy-based cameras - you don't need any special software to transfer photos from the camera to the computer. And you can use it with any computer that has a floppy drive. The 14x zoom is a great feature too, I can get shots that no one else can without a lot of big expensive add on lenses. The downfall to the floppy-based cameras is resolution. Floppies can't hold as much data as other storage media can, some of the newer model Mavicas that use CDs get around that problem.


My second Sony is the DSC-S85, it is a 4.1 mega-pixel camera. Takes great, clear, pictures, but it is more expensive. It uses a memory stick, and I can get a bunch of high-res shots on my 128 MB memory stick.

One thing I really like about the Sony digital cameras is their battery systems. They use Infolithium batteries, and they last a lot longer than the cameras that use regular AA batteries. I can shoot for days on one charge.

My personal advice is to buy the best you can afford - I have seen many new digital camera buyers disappointed after buying cheap digital cameras, and the quality isn't what they expect.

[RockyRoad]

I have either an Olympus or a Camedia camera, not sure, it says both so I am confused lol!

[moosmom]

I've got a Kodak DX3500 that I bought a year ago. Although I miss my Canon Sure Shot Zoom (it got stolen at work:mad: ) the Kodak is a great little camera for the price. I got the camera and card reader, along with the Kodak programs for downloading and storing in albums for $279 from a place called B&H Photo. I've saved alot of money on batteries by getting rechargeable batteries and a charger too. It takes great pictures and I store them all either on my album program or on ofoto.com

Before I bought my camera, I did TONS of research. Originally I wanted a camera that had a floppy disk. At the time I worked at a newspaper and wrote a column called "Pet of the Week" which included a story and picture of a pet up for adoption. I thought a camera with a floppy disk was the way to go. My friend who is a photojournalist (the photo dept. uses Nikon digitals which are WAYYY expensive!) helped me find what I needed and said that the cameras with the floppys are going out.

I've never had a bit of trouble with my camera and found it very easy to use.

Good luck in your search.

[Randi]

Originally posted by anna_66
Hey Randi, what kind of rechargeables do you use? We've just gotten the lithium batteries & they last a good long time (one set lasted about 4 months & I've taken at least 500 pictures & many videos), but they are $10 for 4.
Sorry for being so slow! Anna, the ones you're using sound like a good deal. We're using AA rechargeables NiMH, I have no idea what they cost in USA, but they're pretty expensive here (half as much again as the ones you're using) - then if you have two sets, there's no problem should they run out. Using the display a lot eats batteries like it was chocolate and the zoom too.

Take a look here and see if you can find your camera, it will tell you which ones you can use.

http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/specs/Olympus/

[Kfamr]

Originally posted by popcornbird


Actually, I think the 2nd one (Sony) is much clearer than the 1st! :o You know what, how about take the SAME exact picture with both cameras and then compare. Its hard to tell with totally different pictures, because the fuji is so close up and the dog is next to bright flowers. If you took that picture with the Sony, it would be easier to compare, but because of the great difference in color, you can't really tell. I do think the Sony is clearer though. If our $250 Sony is so great, a $500 one has to be Awesome. We got a Fuji and a Kodak before we returned them and got the Sony. The Kodak was not good at all for the price. The Fuji was good, but when we went back and saw the SOny, we decided it wasn't good anymore. The Sony was $300 but we got it for $250 on sale, so count it as a $300 one. :)

Trust me, the Fuji is muhc better. I've used Kodak, Sony, and Fuji all befor. Fuji is WAY easier to use and WAY better quality pics. If you think the sony is clearer, get your eyes checked! lol ... it's a blocky and stuff like the pixels are screwed up. All of the pics i have with the Sony are like that. That's actually probably one of the better ones. I beleive a few people from here got the same camera and were more then stisfied with it. It's and awesome camera [along with all Fuji film products.] It's small enough to fit in my pockets, unlike my aunt huge ugly Sony.

[Kfamr]

Originally posted by Cincy'sMom
I was going to start a thread like this, as Ralph and I are looking into a digital camera and know nothing! Thanks Staci!!!

Fuji Film all the way!

[anna_66]

Thanks Randi! I'll check out that site!

[aly]

The only problem with Sony is you have to use the Sony memory stick, where with other brands you have more options.

[Kfamr]

I wasn't being rude at all, i have better things to do then fight over cameras, on the internet.

[Kfamr]

Our pictures are the same quality, maybe it's just my aunt's camera. I've never like anything from Sony really... Most sony's are way harder to use though.

[ScantyNebula]

Canon is the best. I just bought a new s400 powershot canon yesterday, here are some pics from another thread that I have taken so far

http://www.nebulaart.com/photography/

HOWEVER, this camera is expensive. There are cheaper Canons than the one I have!! ;) like, for instance, this one (http://www.futureshop.ca/catalog/proddetail.asp?logon=&langid=EN&dept=14&WLBS=fs%2Dweb3&sku_id=0665000FS10027002&catid=&newdeptid=14)

Its 387 Canadian price .. lovely camera though. I highly recommend it.

[*LabLoverKEB*]

We have a FugiFilm Digital Camera 3800, and I LOVE it! it's takes the BEST quality pictures I've ever taken!:)

[primabella]

I have an Olympus Camedia :) We were about to get a Sony but I'm happy with this one. It depends on whether you think my pictures are clear or not but I would definitly recommend it.

[tikeyas_mom]

I dont have a digital cam :(:( I have a lame a$$ webcam that I HATE with a passion ...