Wish List – New Digital Camera
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After having an Olympus D-340L ( 1.3 Mega pixel ) camera for 4 years, I’ve decided to go for a new one. This time slightly high end and more for some serious photography. After spending the whole day researching and talking to atul and tarique, eventually decided on the Nikon Coolpix 5700
This is the only digital camera that seems to fit between the amateur and professional class photography. Its slightly pricey but looks like its gonna be worth the cost. Hope to get it before the end of the year ( Once I figure out how I am gonna get the money to pay for it) |
If you are planning to buy a over all, all-rounder digital camera, then you *should* have a look at the Canon S400. ( 4 megapixel, 11x zoom and can record upto 3 min decent resolution video with 32mb card)
The nikon seems to be expensive for what it offers. I am guessing for that price you should be able to get a better aperture range. The only plus as i see it is the zoom.
Also take a look at canon a70,canon a80 and canon g3. They seem to be better for the “between amateur and professional” kind.
You dont want to spend 900$ unless you are REALLY serious abt photography. I recommend buying something in the $400-$500 range…shoot for abt a year…and then figure out where u wanna go from there.
“Once I figure out how I am gonna get the money to pay for it”
The superstar is worrying about the money …..??
Cannon S400
I love mine. 🙂
Yay!! go for it… thats the best you can have if you cannot have a DSLR
The EOS Digital Rebel got a little cheaper ($899 without the lens).
And among all-rounders, I find the A70 good value for money ( I have one ), but I wish i had waited for the A80
Buy online if possible, to save on sales taxes (except in NY?)
Re: Cannon S400
Why is that everyone I know around me has the exact same cam. From my term at work to all my friends.. but must admit its size to features ratio is amazing. Its the small point-and-shoot camera with steroids.
Its been itching me too, since this one is easy to carry around where ever I go.
I have been doing the shooting for 4 years now and have been hitting the block ever since. When I got it the 1st time, it was all about digital, wow thing. Now I want something that I can for good photography. Though I have not done anything till date.. other then a bit of this, I do want to make it a full time hobby.
I am tempted by the canon’s but I dont want to hit the block every year and then keep wishing for better cam. With the 5700, I expect it to liveup 3 -4 years atleast
Before anybody else says this……
I want to buy your old camera!
Have you seen this? (which I think is a bargain for $499 and is currently top of my wishlist)
ahem..when I’m finished with it..;)
The ONE person who could’ve pulled rank on me….. did! 😉
Oh, I’m willing to wait a few days…. 😉 !
Dah Dee Dum Dee Dahhh
considering the Leela Palace treat Y!Superstars have to give the whole office….
Re: The ONE person who could’ve pulled rank on me….. did! 😉
*cough* Think about it. Sneaking cameras in and out of the house isn’t easy, y’know – people are bound to ask some questions sooner or later…*/cough*
Additional note: Kallu’s old eats 10-packs of batteries for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Beware of Digital Zoom
Beware of the digital 4x zoom of the Nikon. Also, this:
Max Aperture f/2.8
Min Aperture f/4.2
does not sound right. For any decent landscapes, you need a narrower aperture than that. I shoot landscapes at f/11 or f/22.
You might want to take care here – the DX6490 has many of the design faults of earlier models (I use a Kodak DC 290).
For example – no external flash hotshoe (it has a connector to attach the flash electronically, but no physical mounting facility for it). This completely sucks, because the built-in flash is effective only upto 10-12 feet – for any decent flash requirements, you need an external flash.
As with any digital camera, the “Digital Zoom” feature is pure eyewash and a completely useless gimmick (unless you like pixellated pictures). You can get much better “digital zoom” using Photoshop and appropriate plugins.
USB2 compatible is another one – it will connect to a USB2 port, but only at USB 1.1 speeds (12 mbps).
And no facility to attach filters to the lens (not even a mission critical ultraviolet filter!), nevermind additional lenses.
And get this – no UNCOMPRESSED TIFF format option! Even my three year old DC290 can do TIFF, and what a difference it makes when you don’t want to deal with JPEG artifects!
This is in effect yet another consumer point and shoot, and frankly speaking over priced. Wait for a couple of months and watch it tumble to the $300 or less range that it belongs to.
One thing this camera *does* have going for itself is colour quality – *no one* does colours like Kodak!
Re: Beware of Digital Zoom
Yep, digital zoom is a worthless feature in any digital camera. It is the first thing I disable (if possible) on a camera (still or video) to prevent its accidental use.
You are also right that the aperture range doesnt sound right (BTW in reality it is 2.8-10.3 – I have no idea why the spec is shown the way it is).
My 3 year old Kodak DC290 does f/3.0 to f/15.3 in wide mode and f/4.7 to f/16.0 in tele mode. Who would buy even a point and shoot camera with a range of 2.8-4.2? Must be something else to this.
I read a doc somewhere online that explained that the relationship between digital and analog camera apertures isn’t quite linear. Could that be it?
What digital camera do you use?
Re: Beware of Digital Zoom
What digital camera do you use?
I’m an old-fashioned analog guy. Nikon N80 and Canon Rebel.
Thaths
Last camera that u got was used in taking pictures of livestock at banergatta road 🙂 ………please find a better subject this time which justifies the cost.
Err.. thanks! I was hoping someone would say somthing against it. 😉
Re: The ONE person who could’ve pulled rank on me….. did! 😉
*cough* Think about it. Sneaking cameras in and out of the house isn’t easy, y’know – people are bound to ask some questions sooner or later…*/cough*
>;) [ I’m hoping that looks like a ‘devilish’ smiley ]
Additional note: Kallu’s old eats 10-packs of batteries for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Rechargeable, of course?!
I EOS Digital rebel looks very impressive. Its $1000 bucks with the lens. damn.. so many models.. dont know when I can narrow in on something.
A80 looks a bit under equipped for my needs right now.
Re: Beware of Digital Zoom
Apperently the min aperture is 10.3 ( 10 steps from 2.8). Is it still a bottleneck ?
Also what do you think about the new sub $1000 Digital SLR cam
Re: Beware of Digital Zoom
Caveat: I don’t own a digital camera.
If digital aperture works the same was as in analog cameras, I wouldn’t settle for 10.3.
I saw the post on /. and was drooling. After taking some deep breaths I was able to calm down. Why I am not buying the Digital Rebel at this point:
I don’t know your experience in photography (and your motication). If you are just beginning, I strongly recommend a manual, used Nikon body with a normal (50mm) lens. Such a combo is available used for less than $200. Use that workhorse for taking many many photos. In the process you will find and hone your style, improve your technique and learn to manipulate shutterspeed, aperture, light, filters and motion. When you feel comfortable, you can move on to an automatic one.
Thaths
Re: Beware of Digital Zoom
Max Aperture f/2.8
Min Aperture f/4.2
I found out exactly why these numbers are weird. They refer to the aperture on the lens when taking wide angle (f/2.8) and telephoto (f/4.2). They are not a reference to the aperture range that the body can handle. Considering that, 2.8-4.2 is not bad at all. I don’t own a lens that opens wider than 3.6.
Thaths