Digital Camera Recommendations

[Rick Propas]

For my rapidly approaching 60th birthday my wife has decided that I need a new digital camera.

Since most of what I do is pen photography, it seems that folks here might have some useful suggestions on a moderately priced digital that does well with pens.

I'm looking for something that I can also use while traveling and that she can use, as well.

Something between basic point and shoot and a digital SLR, probably around $500.00

[RLTodd]

My current preferences in that price range would be Canon G7, or G6, or S3 IS, or S5 IS, depending on one's personal preferences. AIR they will all take, with adpater, one of Canon's diopter lenses if you need to get closer.

 

P.S. Checked the S3/S5, it seems they have supermacro which is down to the object touching the lens, which one does not want to do.

 

Edited August 30, 2007 by RLTodd

[SMG]

I would recommend the S3 or S5 IS. Wonderful cameras, great super macro capabilities and easy to use.

 

Personally, I am totally into the DSLR end of things, and find the images better, but for lugging around all day nothing beats the bridge cameras.

 

Cheers,

Sean

[Shelley]

Canon Digital Cameras (IS mdels) are very good, easy to use, have good battery life abd tend to be very sturdily desighned.

Go to Walt Mossbergs website (google the name) and you will find an excellant didi camera guide.

[RLTodd]

The dslr costs tend to be overkill unless your going to go over 8x10 prints. I know you can see things with a loop, but real people don't look at pictures through a loop, they look at them from more than arms length.

[bobioden]

I am in search of a new Digital Camera myself. The Canon G7 and the Canon S5 IS are two on my short list. Next month the Canon G9 and the Canon A650 IS is coming out, both with 12.1 MP. I think I will wait to see the reviews of these new two before I make my decision. The only negative I have read about the S5 IS is that the noise is terrible above ISO 100, so it dosen't leave you much to shoot with.

 

Bob

[Dr.Grace]

Camera manufacturers want you to fall for the megapixel hype. Unfortunately, as the pixels become so much smaller, they suffer from excessive noise, I guess because they each collect so little light. If you're concerned about noise at high ISO, try a Fujifilm Finepix F40fd or better still, if you can find one, an F31fd or an F30 (these are very hard to come by now), or even an F20 (still available if you Google). These cameras have a "SuperCCD" that is unequaled for low light sensitivity except by DSLRs. There's also a new 12-MP model, F50-something, coming out in a month that unfortunately demonstrates that even Fuji has succumbed to megapixel marketing. It's probably not as good as the earlier models, but it'll still be probably one of the best small cameras available.

[Rick Propas]

Thanks to all for the advice and suggestions, based, in part on these and others, my wife and daughter went shopping last night. What did they get? I dunno. We'll see soon, I assume.

[RLTodd]

I am in search of a new Digital Camera myself. The Canon G7 and the Canon S5 IS are two on my short list. Next month the Canon G9 and the Canon A650 IS is coming out, both with 12.1 MP. I think I will wait to see the reviews of these new two before I make my decision. The only negative I have read about the S5 IS is that the noise is terrible above ISO 100, so it dosen't leave you much to shoot with.

 

Bob

 

For sheer bang for the buck, I think the Canon "A" series camers, especially since some now have image stabilization, are very hard to beat.

 

The reviews are nice, but you have to read them with an understanding of the reviewer's perspective. Some of them are knocking the cameras on things 99% of the people wouldn't notice while omitting things that are a pain for most people.

 

I like to look at the users pictures over at pbase. I think it gives a good practical view point of how a camera will, in general perform.

 

As a side, and one can take it or leave it, 12mp sensors on small cameras do not enhance performance. At 12mp, to get the performance from the pixels you need a large sensor, which these camera do not have, and rather well designed and hence expensive lenses which they also do not have. If you want to go 12mp for 11x14 and larger prints you will really need at least an APS sized sensor. It is not in one's best interest to get caught up in the "megapixel marketing race."

 

ps. I used use Tri-X and Ansco Super Hypan and push them, so the grain thing has always been lost on me. Grain, like noise on digitals, is just another attribute that enhance the artistic experience. YMMV

Edited August 30, 2007 by RLTodd

[elalan]

Fuji Finepix. I have purchaed the last two 'cutting edge' cameras for my techno-savvy wife and she has loved them. Wide and varied use. Would not spend $500 elsewhere.

[Rick Propas]

The day has come, and all day I have been playing around with and trying to learn the intricacies of my new Canon S5 IS. For a time I thought it might be a G9, but if I'd read carefully I'd have realized they are not out on the market yet.

 

The S5 is a bit large, but it does incredible things. Later in the week I will get out my lights and tent and do some pens, but from what I've seen of close ups of the cat and some roses, this camera will far exceed my needs, skills, abilities.

 

Thanks to everyone for their suggestions. I'm havin' fun!!

[blueiris]

 

Happy birthday, Rick!

[gabygirl]

For my rapidly approaching 60th birthday my wife has decided that I need a new digital camera.

Since most of what I do is pen photography, it seems that folks here might have some useful suggestions on a moderately priced digital that does well with pens.

I'm looking for something that I can also use while traveling and that she can use, as well.

Something between basic point and shoot and a digital SLR, probably around $500.00

 

I absolutely adore my panasonic dmc-tz1.....but there is a newer model out that has 7 megapixels!! mine only has 5, but is great for me and you can get it now for around $200 online...AND it has 10x optical (not just digital) zoom!

 

woo hoo!!

 

[andyk]

Digital SLRs can be bought quite cheaply now (relatively speaking) and can be point and shoot or as complicated as you want to make it. Whilst I have a couple of digital compacts that can just fit in my pocket, so easy to carry around, if I am going anywhere interesting I take the DSLR with me with an 18-200mm lens which covers most options.

 

I tend to favour Pentax because I have used them for years, but the recent offerings from any of the major manufacturers would be a good choice.

 

Andy

Edited September 16, 2007 by andyk

[AndreaDuni]

IMO, best choice is Canon Powershot A720 IS. Infact after three months waiting for the S5 IS, I had it in my hand but found it too heavy. A650 IS 12Mpix can be good, but price and weight are similar to S5 IS. So for the price of around EUR 250 A720 IS is the best 8Mpix 6x optical zoom with a 1 cm macro and movie of 1 hour or 4Gb. I am waiting the A720 plus 2 x 4Gb 150x SD cards as gift from 5 friends for my recent bachelor.

[jmkeuning]

If you are going to photo pens, look for one with a good macro - 1:1 if possible.

[captnemo]

I spend much of my day on Flickr and keep an eye on which cameras produce what sort of results. (Flickr shows the EXIF data on photos). In the $500 price range I think Canon has everybody beat.

 

Personally, I wanted to spend less. I have what I believe is the most camera for the least money out there right now, and that's the Fuji Finepix S700 / S5700. (It goes by both model numbers--same camera).

 

For examples see my Flickr pics here:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/shuttersparks/

 

 

A macro closeup of a Scheaffer school pen nib:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/shuttersparks/848440393/

 

A photo of the moon using the built-in 10X zoom.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/shuttersparks...57600597372772/

 

You'll find a number of other moon shots if you explore from the main page.

 

Macro closeup of a pair of mating Japanese beetles:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/shuttersparks...57601083294736/

 

I got the Fuji for $229, shipping included, and a 2 gigabyte memory card included.

 

It is equipped with 46mm threads and I have also acquired a fisheye, wide-angle, and 3X teleconverter lenses for it. Example photos can also be found in my Flickr photo stream. I like the camera a lot. The display is large, the viewfinder display is fine also and the same resolution as the display on the back, battery life is excellent. No real complaints. There is one bug in the software that you may never encounter, where the focus assist light will get stuck in the on position if you operate the camera with sounds turned off and you use the 2 second delay timer. That's the only flaw I've found so far in about 1,500 photos. The 640x480 video recording works great also and the sound is pretty good.

 

EDIT:

 

An afterthought: When shopping for a camera, I'd recommend using Flickr's camera finder function. As you know, jpeg photos include EXIF data, which shows every scrap of info about the camera used to make the photo and the precise settings used. (Users have the option of hiding the EXIF data but most don't) Every photo on Flickr is indexed by camera make, model, etc., shows the popularity on Flickr, trends, and of course you can go view thousands of photos taken with each particular camera and judge for yourself.

 

Camera finder is here:

http://www.flickr.com/cameras/

 

 

Edited September 16, 2007 by captnemo

[nigeldun]

I have a Pentax Digital SLR, a something 100 --- and it's wonderful. It runs a little less than the Canons, etc.

[AndreaDuni]

I have now the Canon Powershot A720 IS. It is a wonderful camera for the price and level.

Macro pics are spectacular. You can shoot also at 1 cm and with a 8 mpix at 80 iso the photos are very clear. I'm going to shoot all the pens again with this camera.

Look at these samples, both of a Pilot Demonstrator gilded nib with red ink. The effect seems the WarOfTheWorlds' blood.

http://fountainpens.netnemo.net/fpnpics/IMG_0148.JPG

http://fountainpens.netnemo.net/fpnpics/IMG_0152.JPG

 

 

Edited October 16, 2007 by Netnemo