Cameras?

[Alan R McDaniel Jr]

I started to post this down in Photography but all the same folks are down there as are up here. I have decided to get myself an early Christmas present of a new camera and I'm up for suggestions on what you guys have found that works for you. I've had Nikon FN for a number of years (35 mm) but film is so Passe'. I used the camera on my Palm Pilot for several years and it was passable and for most outdoor shots you can tell if the animal you're looking at is a deer or a hog. A year or so ago I got my wife a Canon Power Shot A560 and it serves her purposes. Now I'm ready for something of my own.

It's still going to be an all around usage camera so having a big ole telephoto lens hanging off the front of it is really not what I want but I do want some Zoom to it.

I'll spill the beans. I've been looking at a little Nikon L100. It has the features that I want and is priced nicely for the kind of camera I'm looking for.

Does anyone have any experience with Nikon digitals of this type? Or maybe another suggestion I could look into. There's some things I know a lot about, there's a lot of things I know a little bit about, and there's a whole bunch of things that I know little to nothing about. Digital cameras are on about page 25 of that list.

Thanks in advance.

Alan

[Bill Gunn]

I use an Olympus Stylus 720

•Shockproof 5ft.
•Waterproof 10ft.
•7.1 Megapixels
•3x Optical Zoom/5x Digital Zoom
•Shoots Movie Clips
•Uses xD Memory Cards

I really like it, fits in pocket REAL EASY, Easy to use, and takes super pics.

I think the newer ones (Water Proof/ Shockproof cameras) are even better.

[Rock Chuck]

I recently bought a Canon SX120IS. 10mp, 10x optical zoom, image stabilized. So far it's been a good one. $200 from Costco online, about $235 from Amazon.

[GF.]

It's frightening how good the pocket cameras can be, and what kind of resolution you can get....but they're still never going to compete with an SLR just because of the optics.

Have you considered one for your pocket and maybe an SLR that will work with your existing lenses? I'm not sure how much the bells & whistles drive up the price of the pocket-sized units, but in a best-case scenario, I'd probably want to look at a bare-bones job for snaps and a 'real' camera for photography.

And FWIW - since you can tell I'm not much of an expert on photography... My biggest peeve with the camera that we have is the shutter speed. You can't stop a little kid long enough to have any idea how the shot will turn out. I don;t mind taking a bunch and weeding 'em out - that's what the pros have always done - but for action photography, so-to-speak, you miss it, and there are no second chances....

[Greywolf]

GF has a good idea, look into a Nikon DSLR and you may be able to use some of your battery of lenses you already own.

I find that for the most part the DSLR that are available to us mortals are sorely lacking in photo quality. I guess you just have to be a good computer jocky to clean things up.
The real good DSLR's start happening at around 2-3 grand.
We have a reinvention of the Brownie Box camera.

I have a couple point and shoot, a Casio Exilim, and a older Canon. I also have been fooling with the Sony A200 DSLR...the kit lenses are generaly junkie, but I have a couple of early Minolta lenses for it that do a fine job, and are not 80% plastic.

I still can't let go of film cameras though.
It's there in my blood I guess.
I use a couple roll film Mamiya M645, and a twin lense reflex camera and a 35 which is an old Honeywell Pentax (heavier than rockchuck's K1000.:Dolder too)
OK now you don't know any more than when I started. I guess all I did was express an oppinion.
But I still would not get rid of your Nikon yet.

[Rock Chuck]

The aforementioned Canon SX120 takes some very good pics, but it can't hope to compete with my SLR, even though it has 2 more MP's to play with. You can't get an SLR quality lens for $200. But that said, there are too many times I don't have the SLR with me because it's too big to haul around. I needed a quick draw P&S.

[LE]

I am no camera expert either. I just bought a Kodak Z915 (approx $175-$200) which does a lot since it has a maual function where you can manually select aperature or shutter priorities. Doubt that I will ever use them, but they are there. It has high zoom & MP's also. It fits in my shirt pocket, so that makes it portable with quality pictures. Time will tell if it was the right choice.

[Alan R McDaniel Jr]

My Dad suggested Kodak also, the Z1050is at $275 or so. Next choice but still looks very good is the z950 at $212.

Camera buying went on the back burner while Thanksgiving trip was going on. I'll have more time to read up on it on Monday.

Thanks for the responses. When I move on this I'll have some good info.

Alan

[Alan R McDaniel Jr]

Well after reviewing the options I decided on what I had decided on, which is the Nikon L100. We'll see how it goes. It was on sale at Target and other places for $229 reg $249. I found it online for $194 and bought it. Should be here this coming week. You'll know it's here when you start seeing pictures.

Alan

[Bushman]

Alan, what convinced you to get that one over some of the others? I'm still a film guy, but I wouldn't mind being able to show pictures from the camera itself or see them bigger from a memory chip on the computer or TV. I'd like waterproof, zoom, good mp count, self timer, built in flash, tripod mountable and pocket size.

I've watched that mp count go up and up these last years. It used to be that the high end SLR's were 5 mp cameras. Not so anymore.

[Bill Gunn]

I'd like waterproof, zoom, good mp count, self timer, built in flash, tripod mountable and pocket size..

Here's one with all that and shockproof to 5ft fall on cement...

http://www.amazon.com/Olympus-Stylus-Digital-Camera-Optical/dp/B0011E4NSO/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1260123526&sr=8-5

I have an older 720 SW and I like it a lot...

[Altjaeger]

Here's one with all that and shockproof to 5ft fall on cement...

http://www.amazon.com/Olympus-Stylus-Digital-Camera-Optical/dp/B0011E4NSO/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1260123526&sr=8-5

I have an older 720 SW and I like it a lot...

I know the Olympus models are popular among the kayakers though I am starting to hear noises about a new waterproof Fuji. I suspect right now I might go with the Olympus.