Digital Cameras

B

Bdiddy11

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Boise,ID
So my wife and I want to buy a digital camera. The max we'd like to spend is probably $225ish. The things we look for in a camera. Good picture quality, easy to use, NO flip out LCD screen, video mode, price etc...And we also don't want a super slim one. What do you guys use that's within this price range? We need something that will take quality pictures for when we go adventuring and camping etc... I've found a couple cameras but would like other's opinions.

The one's ive looked at...

http://www.target.com/gp/detail.html/ref=br_1_4/602-1047266-0786269?ie=UTF8&frombrowse=1&asin=B000MFA1NE

http://www.target.com/gp/detail.html/ref=br_1_13/602-1047266-0786269?ie=UTF8&frombrowse=1&asin=B000NK3NBA

Also a Kodak easy share that I believe Wal-Mart has... we'd also like a decent name brand too :roll:
 
For Mothers Day last month, I got Karen a Fuji A610 FinePix (6.1mp) it was around $125 and also picked up a 2gb x-D memory card for around $150 total OTD at Best Buy. Seems to work fine, very intuitive controls (once ya scan through the manual it's even more clear) and much better pix than an old Kodak 1st Generation deal we had. The only thing I don't like is that it lacks a microphone for the 'movie mode.'

http://www.target.com/gp/detail.htm...3/602-0646364-5423815?ie=UTF8&asin=B000MD4UGK

The Fuji A800 (for some more coins) does have a mic for movies with sound, along with some other more advanced features.
 
IntrepidXJ said:
you can't really go wrong with a Canon :)
Click to expand...

Until it craps the bed on ya halfway through your Moab trip, and eats the roll of film with all the good Behind the Rocks trail pix :( In fairness, it was a good 35mm point & shoot until then.
 
Look for a camera with Image Stabilization.:thumbup:

You will take too many blurry pictures without it.

Also get a high speed memory card to minimize lag times.


.
 
IntrepidXJ said:
what is this 'film' stuff you speak of ;)
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It's kinda like dial-up, but with more chemicals required.

I thinks it's safe to say, I'm not an "early adopter" when it comes to techie stuff ;)
 
Ill sell you my canon 5d with ultra II 4 gig card and 24-105 L lens for 2900.00

Nah, thats my baby, but we have the Sony cybershot, and it takes a better picture than the canon IMO.
 
I got a VERY decent Kodak at Best Buy for like 200 or so, with a 1gig memory card, excellent video and pictures, not very slim. The only prob i've run into so far is it don't like dust very well, you gotta watch to make sure the lens opens all the way, but really, excellent camera for the bucks. They also have some there that claim to be water resistant, i'd check into those for offroading, they were the same price or only 10 to 20 bucks more.
 
Thanks for the replies.

What will the image stabilization do for me? You said i'll take less blurry pictures with it... How much is that going to raise the price in camera though? Also... why a high speed memory card? Wouldn't that only matter for consecutive action shots or something? We don't need something super fancy.

Cheap. Reliable. Good quality.

I agree that Canon is great. We just want to be able to capture those great moments where you wish you had a camera on you.

What would you rate the following.
Canon
Kodak
Olympus
Fuji
Samsung

Use two numbers like so, 5/5, 5 being the highest and best of course. First number representing ease of control use and 2nd number the picture quality. And these need to be cameras no more than $225ish. Thanks! Much easier getting normal people's input and not some salesman in the store.
 
www.dpreview.com for camera reviews

Stay away from the forums in there, bunch of techie measurbaters.

Oh and www.bandhphoto.com is a good place to buy online.

If you find a better price local take it, stay away from super cheap on-line offers, you will get ripped off

IS probably not a big deal unless you are shooting with telephoto lens, most digital pics are blurry because the cheap-o cameras have a huge amount of shutter lag.

High speed memory card will not make a dog of a camera write the image any faster.
 
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Check out the camera before you buy it I have a Fuji S5000, and while it takes good pics it is very slow on it's recovery/focus time. Forget digital zoom numbers. You want to look at the optical zoom. Optical zoom uses the lenses to zoom, and not just doing some funky effect to make the subject matter appear closer. One of my close friends has a Sony, and it is awesome a much better camera than mine it's view screen is huge, and it is so much easier to see in the daylight. If you can bump up to a $250-$300 range you should be able to find a very very nice camera. You still should be able to get a decent one for a little less though.
 
Adding to this, my Kodak 4mp has been a good camera for 3 years but is having issues reading SD cards (old or new) and the lens door sticks after a tumble off the seat a year ago. In the $200 range, Canon and Kodak make a good unit with decent reviews, although my heart yearns for an SLR replacement Rebel XTi...........my wallet does not.

Look at ISO ratings over Megaipixels, being able to take decent pictures in low light, bright light and stopping action are important. Start up speed, white balance settings and frames per second should carry weight in your decision also.

I'm leaning towards the Kodak C875 http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/kodakc875/
 
XJEEPER said:
I'm leaning towards the Kodak C875 http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/kodakc875/
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I bought my mom one of those this past christmas. Got a good deal - $150 on sale at staples. At the time, there was maybe one review available, and kodak consumer cameras in general were hit or miss with recent emphasis on miss. I tested it out for a couple days before sending it, to make sure the battery life was good, it was easy to use, etc. It's not a perfect camera, but there were only 3 things that I found wanting - only one of which . Shutter lag (which is endemic to all P&S digital), wide angle (wish it went wider, but not abnormal for a camera like this), and the green low-light focus beam. I think there's a mention of that in an amazon review. Shooting low light, the camera projects a green checkerboard target on the subject. Fine for birthday pictures, but not a good idea for plays or the like. Not that you should be taking pictures during a performance anyway, but there you have it.
 
Can't go wrong with pentax either.

I just bought a slim little point and shooter. 10MP, Image stabilization, Tons of cool features.

I paid about 270 for it.

The only complaint I have...and I mean the ONLY complaint....Never mind I have two.

The first and biggest complaint is batt life. It uses a proprietary Lithium Batt and it will only take about 150-175 shots before its dead. However it charges fast and you can get a car charger too.

The second complaint I have is that it has a lot of noise in low light situations.

But the more I read about small bodied high MP cameras they all have this problem to some extent.
 
IntrepidXJ said:
what is this 'film' stuff you speak of ;)
Click to expand...

It's what real cameras use:

nikonszb4.jpg
[/URL][/IMG]

The mighty F. Like Jeeps, there's only one.
 
IntrepidXJ said:
you can't really go wrong with a Canon :)
Click to expand...
x2
We have a Cannon Powershot S4 IS (rated best non SLR digital camera) only 6 megapixles but it is awsome a bit out of your price range though at $400. Cannons as a whole are great.
If you were going SLR I would have to say Nikon. Is best bit Cannon is up there too.
Sam
 
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