I am in the market for a good digital camera (the El Cheapo model I have just ain't cutting it anymore!) and want some thoughts on the matter.

Here are the parameters:
-at least 5 megapixels
-able to use those memory/flash cards
-interchangeable lenses
-able to hook to a printer dock (to be purchased later) or directly to download
on the 'puter

I realize I will be spending money$$$ on this camera and am willing to do so.

Any ideas?

 

Go to: www.dpreview.com. They review digital cameras and give the pros and cons of each one. Many of the reviewers are professional photographers so their reviews are quite critical, but they tell you that in their reviews. They also list places to buy the cameras at a good price. I bought a Nikon Coolpix 4300 last year, based on their reviews and am pretty satisfied with it. The only drawback is that it takes 3 or 4 seconds to store the pic and be ready to shoot again. But the only cameras that don't do that are the very expensive ones. For what I paid and what I needed, it is a good camera.

 

Canon makes a digital rebel that takes an unbelieveable photo, has lenses that change (might even take std canon lenses??) They have a whole line at different prices, all pretty spendy.

 

Canon's first one that came out a couple years ago is about $1000. Their new improved one is a couple hundred more. But it does take the standard Canon Rebel lenses, which is great if you already have one.

 

Once you find what camera you want, consider a refurbished model. They come with the same warranty at about 2/3rds the cost.

Mark
_______________________________________
01 F150 Supercab Flareside XLT 4x2 5.4L Auto
Deep Wedgewood Metallic and Silver L/S 3.55
Fabtech Lift 285/75/R16 DominatorSport A/T's

 

Try Olympus......performance and price wise they will compare with any "overpriced" Nikon, Canon, or Sony on the market.

 

Establish your budget first, then start shopping. Your stated parameters are fine, however, unless you're really into photography, interchangable lenses may be overkill. I use a Kodak Easyshare DX6490 and am plenty pleased with it. The software that came with it however, sucks!

 

I recently purchased an Olympus C- 50 Zoom and have been happy with it. Got it at OfficeMax for $399, normally $499 and got a free Epson C84 printer with it. Also purchased a 256 mb picture card with it on sale for like $69. The Camedia software that came with it is pretty nice also.



guzzler96

 

I used to do freelance photowork.

Do you really need different lenses? That alone puts the camera at over $800.00 -1,000.00 (US) for a decent body. The Cannon SLR digitals do use the standard Cannon lens, which makes it easy to find one, at respectable prices if you're willing to buy used.

If you can live without the interchangable lens the price drops dramatically. A good quality 5MP unit can be had with careful shopping at less than $300.00. The comment about software is very important, a lot of really good Digital cameras come with crappy s/ware.

I still shoot a lot, and what I use depends on what the subject is. For fast work, such as sports I stick with film. Typically using a Minolta X-700, no autofocus, but the rest is automated, or a Minolta 900, with full auto and power zoom. I do have a Cannon EOS for some work.

When Digital photos reach the depth, crispness and color of film at less than a few grand per camera, I'll switch. The develper I use can make a CD of any negs I give tehm at a very reasonable price.

I have a couple of older digital low pixel camera's I use for pics that will go on the web
and a 3MP Olympus for higher quality work. Adequate, most of the time, my biggest objection to digitals is the speed they record/store. With the Minolta's when on power drive I can shoot as many as five frames per second under most conditions. More on occasion. The fastest Digital I have does well to shoot one frame every two seconds.

 

I have an olympus c740uz 4 megapixel 10 x optical zoom,4x digital...got a holiday kit with it (ebay) came with case,table top tripod, 5' tripod, lens cleaning kit, 2x optical zoom screw on lens, .45x wide angle screw on lens, 3 lens filters, 4 batteries and a charger,and a usb cable and 128 mb xd-picture card.it was $560 with 2 day shipping. It takes great pics for up to 8x10 pictures, and I am extremely happy with it.

Mark
_______________________________________
01 F150 Supercab Flareside XLT 4x2 5.4L Auto
Deep Wedgewood Metallic and Silver L/S 3.55
Fabtech Lift 285/75/R16 DominatorSport A/T's

 

Two good choices for an interchangable lens SLR digicam would be the Nikon D70 and Canon Digital Rebel. Both take compact flash cards, have 6mp resolution, 12 bit color depth, yadda, yadda. The Nikon does have a better light meter (more important than resolution and alot of other features you'll see in ads) than the Digital Rebel but does cost about $200 more. Do yourself a favor and buy the kit lenses that come with either camera. It is less expensive than buying the lens seperately and both perform quite well in terms of sharpness, contrast and color saturation. Just keep in mind when you buy an SLR, you are comitted to buying lenses that are made for that brand of camera. IMO, both Canon and Nikon make high quality glass and you really can't go wrong with either.

Olympus does have a DSLR on the market, but it uses a relatively proprietary format that 3rd party lens manufacturers have yet to pick up on. While I personally don't own any 3rd party lenses for my Nikon, as they themselves make great lenses that are price competitive with the 3rd party companies, it certainly limits your options if you would want to buy a 3rd party lens for whatver reason.

 

We just got a Kodak DX4530 but I aint figured outhow to work it yet.

 

Boy a lot of responses to this one! Thanks everyone!

I currently have a Minolta Maxxum 35mm SLR camera and I see in the latest photo mag that Minolta has come out with a Maxxum 7D which would use all the same lenses as my camera currently has. But it is so new I can't find a price at this time.

I understand what was meant by all your comments on price and the real need for interchangeable lenses and I am aware that I will be spending more than a few bucks on this camera. Right now if I want just quickie insurance pics, I can use my digital camera, but if I want GOOD pics, I have to use my Minolta. I could use it for everything and just have the pics transerred to disk, but that takes time to get them back and all that plus the cost. I may still do that for awhile simply because I want to do things on my Excursion more than a new camera!

But I do want to get a better camera and I may just settle on a better digital as some have suggested and use my Minolta for sightseeing stuff.

 

I went the 35mm film scanner route for a while, but the process of scanning a few hundred slides becomes extremely tedious after awhile. I still have the scanner, but it only gets used periodically when someone wants a particular slide scanned or anytime I develop some B&W film and need to digitize it.

Bart

 

I just ( Yesterday) got the Maxxum 7d with 1 Minolta lens and 2 Sigma zoom lenses for $2000.00.

Havent been able to use it too much, but love it so far! Great camera. I had the Dimage 7 for three years and had all the accessories ( flash, remote cable, cf cards) and they are compatable.

Great choice!!