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Post by joe on Dec 13, 2005 1:15:18 GMT -5
Ok gang. I can't stand it anymore! I MUST get a digital camera. The budget is limited as usual. I'd like to get a camera for $180.00 or less. I know I'm not gonna get a digital SLR at that price but I would like to get a camera to shoot photos of rocks and put them on the web. I'm considering the low end cameras from Kodak- the "C" series. I'd like to hear from anyone with cheap camera experience! Thanx all.
Joe
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Post by cindie on Dec 13, 2005 1:53:25 GMT -5
did u try ebau for one of those slr camera? they have them plenty on there. u might get lucky on winning one.
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Post by gaetzchamp on Dec 13, 2005 1:55:05 GMT -5
Joe- I always check this site when I go to buy scanners, printers, camera's etc. [a href="http://reviews-zdnet.com.com/4566-6501_16-0.html?filter=100021_10061970_[blocked Amazon Associate tag]ont-cam"]http://reviews-zdnet.com.com/4566-6501_16-0.html?filter=100021_10061970_[blocked Amazon Associate tag]ont-cam[/a] You could also visit a similar site www.cnet.com. I like to read the pros and cons as they often bring up issues I would not have otherwise thought of. You can also look at Consumer Reports. I think their November issue was all about electronics. You may have to swing by the local library to actually see the issue. I don't know if you can visit the website and access the article w/out paying for a subscription fee. There's so many variables to look at when purchasing a camera; price, size/portability, megapixels, format, storage type, etc. I'm sure you'll get some good feedback from members here. Good luck with the purchase and we hope to some nice picts soon. I hope I've helped you somewhat. Good Luck, gaetz |
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Post by Cher on Dec 13, 2005 7:54:59 GMT -5
Get a camera that has a good macro mode, that's even more important that having super high megapixels. Don't just check at stores but check online too if they have a site. Some places offer big discounts if you buy online. Also look at discontinued models, they can be good buys if you're not one of these electronic freaks that has to have the newest one out there. Don't think that applies since your on a budget with this but just in case.
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KG1960
has rocks in the head
Member since August 2008
Posts: 512
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Post by KG1960 on Dec 13, 2005 10:16:50 GMT -5
I suggest that you get a name brand because it may (note may) be easier to get fixed if necessary. My first digital was an off brand and it quit working after about a year and a half. Even the company's service department was no help. Then I bought a Canon A-75 mainly because of the brand and Consumer Reports thought it was a good value. It is 3.2 megpix with full automatic mode and full manual mode. Manual mode may not mean much to you (I don't know your photographic background) but for me it was important because I have been a long time camera freak (35mm film) and even had my own darkroom. I don't think Canon makes the A75 anymore but I recently saw another Canon that looks just like it but with 4 megpix for less than $200.
Cher's suggestion is a good one - make sure it has a macro feature (for closeups) so that the picture of a rock can fill the frame and be in focus. Also, if you buy a used one, be sure to get the operating manual. There are features on mine that I would have had a very hard time figuring out without the manual.
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Post by Alice on Dec 13, 2005 10:31:10 GMT -5
If you're just gonna use it for the computer and not for printouts, you really don't need anything more then 2 Mega Pixels (so I was told by a saleman a few years back).
Macro feature is a very good idea like Cher suggested.
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Post by sandsman1 on Dec 13, 2005 11:08:20 GMT -5
hey joe i picked up a sony cybershot 2.1 mp for like 140.00 on ebay its not a high end camera but it take good pics for this rock stuff you can get in close it has macro setting --- i lucked out they guy i got it from gave me charger battery and a small mem card i did get an extra battery and a bigger mem card so i spent a few more bucks for comfort but i like the camera alot
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Post by joe on Dec 13, 2005 11:37:29 GMT -5
Hi all. Thanx for the responses! I've spent the past hour at the site provided by Gaetz. If I try to read one more specification I will lose it!! Seriously, the info and comparison feature at that site is very useful. Unfortunately no one seems to mention a macro mode in their specs. I understand the need for it. Manual mode means a lot to me as I shot 35mm right up until the time I could no longer afford to have film developed! I never got into the darkroom end of it and the photo lab is pricey. So having as much manual control as possible is important to me. (Picture Joe staring at a rock and dreaming of a Nikon D100) After looking at the specs today I'm leaning heavily toward the Nikon Coolpix 4600. It seems highly rated in its class. It doesn't mention macro but I'm hoping... Also I can pick it up soon at a local store for about $150.00. I do have a question regarding the focusing of these cameras. Most claim to have auto focus lenses. Do you have a manual override option for focusing? I will ask at the store tomorrow (or the next day  ) about the focus and macro on the Nikon. I'd like to be sure. Thanx again for all the info! Joe |
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Post by rockds on Dec 13, 2005 12:01:18 GMT -5
Can't go wrong with a nikon, they make excellent products. Don't know the sales tax up in CO but maybe the way to go over shipping cost and you don't have to wait. Good luck and lets see some pics when you get it
robert
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BamBam
starting to shine!
Member since October 2006
Posts: 26 
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Post by BamBam on Dec 14, 2005 0:09:35 GMT -5
Don't make any hasty decisions about the camera. Look at the higher end cameras too. Photography is like working with rocks. Once you start, it can be addictive. First you take pictures of rocks, than the kids...grandkids...the new car...make your own Christmas cards...and so on. No sense spending $180 now, just to spend another $500-800 later cause you want a camera that does more. Go to the top end of your budget and get a good all purpose camera. Tghe Kodak 5 mega pixel cameras are excellent for all around photography. Good luck, and let us know what you get. Nikon makes excellent cameras, but they tend to be a higher cost for fewer features. Shop around, and take your time.
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rollingstone
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since July 2009
Posts: 236
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Post by rollingstone on Dec 14, 2005 2:53:14 GMT -5
Joe, digital cameras don't seem to give you the same macro specs that film cameras did. I guess that's because you aren't really recording an image directly on the card, so saying it's a 1:1 macro reproduction doesn't really mean anything.
Instead, they usually give you closest macro focusing. I looked up the specs for the Nikon coolpix 4600 and it says it focuses down to 4 cm from the lense. That will give you good close-ups. The camera I used up until this fall (Olympus D510 I think), closest macro focus was 20 cm. That was okay for most rock pix, but I definitely wanted something that could go even closer. My new camera (a Canon something-or-other) will focus right down to touching the lense, but for practical purposes you rarely can use it up that close because the lense blocks the light when you get within 1 or 2 cm. I think you'd be happy with 4 cm close-focusing.
I would go with a newer camera rather than used, simply because the technology changes so quickly. Close focus of 15-20 cm was pretty standard a few years ago, now 1-5 cm is more typical. Also, the megapixels have expanded rapidly too, so you can always use simple photo-editing software to crop and enlarge your pics if you have enough pixels to work with.
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rollingstone
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since July 2009
Posts: 236
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Post by rollingstone on Dec 14, 2005 3:00:28 GMT -5
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Post by LCARS on Dec 14, 2005 4:11:17 GMT -5
Or try www.digitalcamerareview.com/I own a $900 camera & the next one I buy will be about $1600 so I don't know alot about cameras in the lower price range. My GF has a Canon ELPH that she paid just over $250 for & she's pretty happy with it. Nikkon are good (if you can get them that cheap) DON'T buy a Sony whatever you do... (low end garbage) If you want good & cheap you may wanna try a Fuji. Beyond that, i'm not sure what would be good for you.  |
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Post by joe on Dec 14, 2005 8:07:02 GMT -5
Thanks again for all the good advice. Unfortunately my financial health is not all that robust. I drool when I see those higher end cameras. I've wanted one for years. The prices are just out of my range. If I want one at all I'm gonna have to settle for low end. The low end is the top end of my budget! It's a bummer but that's life. I feel good that I can afford to purchase the low end camera. At least I can start taking pics again! Thanx for explaining digital macro to me. At least I know what I'm asking for now! Don the close up pics in your thread are awesome and illustrate your point very well. Thanx for checking the 4600's specs for me. I appreciate it. 4cm, my eyes can't even focus that close! The low end Sonys are lousy? I wouldn't have guessed! Thank you for the warning. I'm pretty sure that the Nikon is for me. |
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Post by joe on Dec 14, 2005 16:35:25 GMT -5
Well it's over. I went to the store and bought a Nikon Coolpix 4600 for $150.00. I had no idea these things were so small! So many buttons and squiggly lines all over the thing and they don't make sense even with my reading glasses. How do you tell the difference between the sunrise and sunset icons? Who dreams up these icons anyway?? Too small to see and too cryptic to understand! Anybody have a teenager I can borrow? The instruction book weighs more than the camera!! So, obviously, I love this thing! so far. I've managed to take a few pics and now I gotta go figure out photobucket. I'm hopin' to be posting pics soon. Joe |
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Post by Alice on Dec 14, 2005 16:38:27 GMT -5
Congrats on your new camera Joe.
Can't wait to see some pictures
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Post by joe on Dec 14, 2005 17:23:19 GMT -5
Thanx Alice. I did it!! Pics are up in photo section.
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Post by LCARS on Dec 14, 2005 18:25:23 GMT -5
Hey, EXCELLENT choice Joe!! That's a good cam.
A couple icons on my canon don't make any sense either, I think something is lost in the translation from Japanese ;D
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Post by parfive on Dec 15, 2005 0:13:24 GMT -5
"The instruction book weighs more than the camera!!"
Joe - At least you got an insruction book.
My Olympus was only on disc. You can't take that with you.
Rich
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Post by joe on Dec 15, 2005 0:20:58 GMT -5
Actually there were 2 books. The other was in Spanish. If anyone needs a Nikon 4600 manual in Spanish just ask, it's yours!
Isn't there an old engineers saying like, "The aircraft will not fly until the paperwork outweighs the aircraft"?
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) about the focus and macro on the Nikon. I'd like to be sure. 
