PLEASE help me choose a new camera!

[ChrisH]

My home shopping catalogue has offered me a 15% discount on anything so I thought it could be a good time to get a new camera. Even with discount I still can`t get an expensive one (on credit, no interest, pay monthly terms).

Here are the three I have narrowed it down to:

Camera # 1
£139.99
PRAKTICA. Model: "DC21". 2.1 million pixels. Ultra compact and stylish multi mega pixel digital still camera with 2x digital zoom, Sony CCD sensor and 1.5ins colour TFT preview screen. Features integral 3 stage flash with red-eye reduction. 8Mb internal memory plus expandable via compact flash. Complete with USB/video out leads, photosuite software, case, strap, batteries and guarantee.

Camera # 2
£179.99
OLYMPUS. Model: "C120". Get in close with the big 4x digital zoom. 2 million pixels. 8Mb smartmedia. Captures short action sequences at 15 frames per second. 6 flash modes to help control any shooting condition. USB storage class. 2Mb internal memory which has the capacity of 7 SQ images. Complete with 8Mb Smartmedia card, 4xAA batteries, USB cable and Camedia software.

Camera # 3
£169.00
FUJI. Model: "A202". Compact, lightwirght and so easy-to-use. 2 million pixels. 16Mb XD card. Fully automatic programmed exposure and 2m pixel resolution with dial control and LCD monitor. Movie capture (320x240 pixel), Movie mode (without sound), Webcam. Uses new X-D Picture card for fast image storage and review. Affordable, easy-to-use, outstanding results. Complete with CD-Rom: USB driver FinePix Viewer, Image Mixer, Apple QuickTime etc. Hand strap, USB cable and batteries.



Thanks!
Chris

[ChrisH]

Please could I have some more votes and/or an opinion?
Thanks.

Chris

[Pam]

Chris, let me run it by my hubby. He is really into cameras, etc. Be back later on!

[Cinder & Smoke]

Chris ~

Here's one of many sites you might wan to explore to help you make up your mind...

Steve's DigiCams site

There are tons of reviews on this site, as well as an extensive Bulletin Board.

Both Olympus and Fugi have good reputations...
one thing to consider - can the camera be SERVICED by the manufacturer IN the UK; or must you send it off the "island" for service??

And remember - "Digital" zoom doesn't give as nice a zoom as "Optical" zoom does. BUT - optical zoom feature adds to the cost of the camera!

[Pam]

Chris ~ Here is what my husband wrote me (I had e-mailed the thread to him. ) Hope it helps. It is Greek to me.

I like the Olympus but can't find any info for the model number mentioned, "C-120". A larger Smart Media card is recommended - 32 or 64 MB. Also should purchase AA size NiMH batts and charger, (http://www.thomas-distributing.com/).

Any one contemplating a digcam purchase should check the reviews at these sites:

http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/
http://www.steves-digicams.com/hardware_reviews.html

[ChrisH]

Thanks Phred, Pam, and Pams Hubby!

I found the Olympus site and found out all about the C-120, also the Fuji site which didn`t tell me much more than I already knew about the A202! Then I found a review site here in the UK where one (ordinary) person was actually comparing the two cameras! And two other reviews of the Olympus. After reading all that I am now 99.9% certain I am going to get the Olympus.

Phred, I checked the service stuff (thanks!) and yes there is a service site in the UK, in London. An I think I know what you mean about the zoom stuff, unfortunatly the opical zoom cameras are too expensive to consider this time, maybe for next years birthday!

Pams Hubby, thanks for the tips about the memory card and batteries. I can get a Smartmedia card from the place I get my printer cartridges at a reasonable price, (I am presuming compatibility). The NiMh batteries and charger will have to wait until I get paid next, I will have to do with the normal Alkaline for now, it also uses Nicab batteries and I have a charger and batteries of those, (well, I do need to get another 2 batteries!).

Just a word about the camera I already have, which I got last year. It is a Goodmans 1.3 and a grand little camera, very inexpensive too, only cost £79, as you can see more than half the cost of the Olympus, but I have taken some good pics with it. It does have a some drawbacks though, first of all the 1.3pixels, second, it does not have a viewer on the camera, I don`t see the pics until I upload. And lastly, it doesn`t have an expanandable (sp?) memory, just an 8MB internal memory, though it hasn`t been a problem for me really, I can take up to 40 @1280x960 pics before having to upload off......*thinks*why is it I`m getting a new one?.....Anyway....

If I put the order in tonight, oh, maybe not it is nearly 11.30! so, order early in the morning then, and if it is in stock, I could have the camera by Thursday!

Thanks again!

Chris